This holiday season, move beyond the usual vegetable dishes with this easy, stovetop balsamic roasted carrots recipe.
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These aren’t your grandmother’s boiled carrots. Roasting brings out the natural, deep sweetness of the carrots, which is then perfectly balanced by the complexity of balsamic vinegar, creating a deliciously caramelized texture.
Balsamic Roasted Carrots are the perfect blend of simple preparation and phenomenal flavor, guaranteed to become a new holiday tradition!
Why This Side Dish Is a Thanksgiving Must-Have
- It is Oven and Stovetop Friendly: Let’s be honest, oven space is premium real estate on Thanksgiving. Any recipe that’s stovetop friendly, is definitely worth bookmarking.
- Minimal Effort, Maximum Impact: It is straightforward—cut the carrots, toss with the glaze, and roast. A perfect side dish recipe for a busy holiday.
- No Dairy and Gluten: Like most of the Thanksgiving sides, the balsamic roasted carrots are too vegan (subsitute honey with maple syrup) and gluten free.
- Visually Stunning: If you opt for tri-color carrots (purple, yellow, and orange), the final presentation is truly Instagram-worthy.
The heat transforms the carrots’ sugars, creating a flavor that’s sweet, tangy, savoury, and caramelized—all at once!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Fresh Carrots (preferably whole, small to medium-sized, or rainbow carrots for a festive look). I recommend picking the small, tender ones rather than giant ones.
- Balsamic Vinegar – use a good quality one—it makes a difference!
- Honey to help the glaze caramelize beautifully, giving that sought-after “candied” effect. Use brown sugar or maple syrup for vegan carrots.
- Olive Oil for cooking the carrots.
- Garlic Cloves, Thyme, Salt, Crushed Black Pepper
Optional Add-Ons: Chopped Pistachio or Walnuts for the crunch, Fresh Parsley for final garnish, Pomegranate Pearls for the colour and presentation.
How To Make Roasted Carrots
1) Carrot Prep:
- Wash and scrub the carrots well.
- Peeling is optional—young, fresh carrots can be left unpeeled for extra nutrients and rustic charm.
- Cut the carrots into uniform 3 inch diagonal pieces lenghthwise. For thicker carrots, cut them in half or quarters lengthwise so they are all roughly the same thickness. Uniformity is key for even cooking!
2) Prepare Glaze:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, honey (maple syrup or brown sugar), minced garlic (if using), salt, and pepper.
3) Stovetop Roasting:
- Toss carrots in olive oil to coat evenly.
- Heat your cast iron grill pan or a stir frying pan. Spread the carrots evenly in a single layer. Do not overcrowd the pan; this is crucial for roasting instead of steaming.
- Keep stirring and tossing the carrots for even roasting.
- Once carrots are almost done, pour the prepared glazes slowly over the roasting carrots. Toss gently but thoroughly to ensure every piece is coated in the sweet and tangy glaze.
- If you’re using fresh herbs, sprinkle them over the carrots now. Roast for 5 – 6 minutes more.
Transfer the Balsamic Roasted Carrots to a serving platter.
Garnish with a generous sprinkle of fresh parsley, chopped nuts, and pomegranate for a pop of colour and freshness.
Serve roasted carrots with main dishes like Shepherd’s Pie, Cauliflower Steak, Pumpkin Pasta, or meat/steaks! They are always one of the popular holiday season side dishes. You can serve roasted carrots on a layer of plain Greek Yogurt or the Greek Cucumber Sauce for that creaminess.
Are you ready to start planning your full Thanksgiving menu? Explore my collection of 20+ Vegetarian Thanksgiving dishes.
Hina’s Tried and True Tips
- Don’t Skimp on the Balsamic: A better quality, slightly thicker, aged balsamic vinegar will result in a richer, more syrupy glaze that coats the carrots beautifully.
- The Single Layer Rule: I can’t stress this enough! If your carrots are piled up, they will steam in their own moisture instead of roasting and caramelizing. Use two pans if you need to.
- A Final Drizzle: If the glaze seems to have completely absorbed or dried out, a small splash of fresh balsamic vinegar right before serving will “wake up” the flavor and give the carrots a fresh, glossy look.
- Make-Ahead Option: You can wash and cut the carrots up to 2 days in advance. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge. On the day of, simply toss with the glaze and roast!
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Balsamic Roasted Carrots Recipe
- Stir Fry Pan or Skillet
Ingredients
- 500 gram fresh carrots
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 sprigs thyme
- ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
- crushed black pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped pistachio
- handful of chopped parsley
Instructions
- Wash and scrub the carrots well. Peeling is optional
- Cut the carrots into uniform 3 inch diagonal pieces lenghthwise. For thicker carrots, cut them in half or quarters lengthwise so they are all roughly the same thickness.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, honey (or brown sugar), minced garlic (if using), salt, and pepper.
- Toss carrots in olive oil to coat evenly. Heat your cast iron grill pan or a stir frying pan. Spread the carrots evenly in a single layer. Do not overcrowd the pan; this is crucial for roasting instead of steaming.
- Keep stirring and tossing the carrots for even roasting.Once carrots are almost done, pour the prepared glazes slowly over the roasting carrots. Toss gently but thoroughly to ensure every piece is coated in the sweet and tangy glaze. Roast for 5 – 6 minutes more.
- Transfer the Balsamic Roasted Carrots to a serving platter. Garnish with fresh parsley, chopped nuts, and pomegranate for a pop of colour and freshness.
- Serve balsamic roasted carrots with main dishes of choice.
Recipe Notes:
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Arrange carrots tossed in glaze in a single layer.
- Place in the preheated oven and roast for 15 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven. Carefully toss the carrots with a spatula to ensure even caramelization. Return to the oven and roast for another 10-20 minutes, or until the carrots are fork-tender and the glaze has thickened into a beautiful, sticky caramel.
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