This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, see our privacy policy.
Transform the everyday humble carrot into a spectacular side with this easy, make-ahead Honey Maple Roasted Carrots recipe!
No matter what you serve these delicious Honey Maple Roasted Carrots with, I promise they will be a major hit! You'll understand what I mean when you read just a few of the many emails I've received regarding this recipe:
Chris, I took these to a potluck a few weeks ago. What a hit they were! One fellow (75 years old) said he never liked carrots before this. I was surprised he even tried them, but he said if he had carrots like this before he would have eaten them all the time. That’s a lot of years to not like carrots only to suddenly change your mind. I would say to be sure to make enough. They seem to disappear *very* quickly!
I’ve had and made glazed carrots before, but none even close to as good as this recipe!
Just made these to reheat for Thanksgiving tomorrow. They are so good that I cooked a second bag.
I would like to thank you for this recipe. I’ve made it a part of my Thanksgiving menu for the past two years (and about to be three). The pomegranate arils really just add something unique and are very pretty on the plate and the table. This year I just might have to make a double batch!
I made these last year, and they were a hit with EVERYONE. Not one carrot slice was leftover. I made them the night before and heated them in the oven right before our meal. They tasted so good, and I think the second time heating them up really helped to caramelize them. You have to make them!!!
And on and on it goes...
Make-ahead side dish
These Honey Maple Roasted Carrots are an easy veggie dish that can be thrown together hours, or even a day in advance. Pop them in a hot oven about 20-30 minutes before dinner. This recipe is always a beautiful crowd pleaser, so make sure to prepare plenty. Like a delicious bowl of candy, you'll find the carrot platter empty at the end of the meal!
Everyday carrots, transformed into a sweet, sticky, scrumptious side (healthy too!)
What's the process? Easy! The carrots are sliced diagonally, giving them lots of surfaces to caramelize, and tossed with olive oil, maple syrup, honey, coriander, sea salt and fresh pepper. Then just spread them out on a sheet pan (you can do all of this ahead of time) and pop the little guys in a piping hot oven.
25 minutes later they're glistening and so beautifully caramelized, it's almost impossible to resist sneaking one or two before they hit the serving bowl. Add a beautiful garnish of sesame seeds, pomegranate arils and sprinkle of chopped, fresh herbs just before serving. This simple dish will be sure to bring oohs and aahs when you proudly present it at the dinner table.
Sound too good and too easy to be true? Check out our video and you'll be a believer!
See what I mean? So easy, so... good!
Although these Honey Maple Roasted Carrots are pretty enough for a holiday celebration, they're so simple to put together that they're also great for weeknight dinners.
Just peel and slice the carrots early in the day and they'll be ready to be served for dinner with minimal effort. Oh, and like I said before, make plenty. Two pounds sounds like a lot of carrots but, I promise, they'll be gone in a flash!
Intimidated by pomegranates?
If you're a bit intimidated by pomegranates, I got you covered. Here's a tutorial on The Easy Way to Remove Pomegranate Seeds. I've gotten tons of emails from people who have tried this easy technique and couldn't believe how well it works. Here's just one of the many:
I can’t believe that I was scared of pomegranates all these years also. I’m a 57 year old building inspector who just learned something amazingly simple that will enrich his family’s life with the gift of seasonal pomegranates. I’m not one to respond to this type of stuff, especially a cooking blog, but I just had to. Thanks again!
So many of our readers are now pomegranate aficionados! You can be too, but if you're just not a pomegranate fan, these carrots are still quite scrumptious without them.
Café Tips for making these Honey Maple Roasted Carrots
- Feel free to change up the garnish. The recipe calls for thyme and chives. You could use just one of those or substitute chopped fresh rosemary or oregano.
- For best results in this recipe, look for medium-size carrots with a deep orange coloring. Bypass really thin or tiny carrots as they will cook too fast and won't have time to nicely caramelize. Also, pass up very large carrots. Although they're sweet, they tend to have woody cores.
- Prep the carrots early in the day or even a day in advance. That will make things easy peasy right before dinner when there are so many other things to attend to.
- Coriander, along with salt and pepper is used as a seasoning in this Honey Maple Roasted Carrots recipe. Coriander is the seed of the cilantro plant. Even if you don't care for cilantro, don't skip the coriander! It tastes nothing like the plant. Coriander seed has a bright citrusy flavor and pairs perfectly with the sweet carrots. The recipe calls for ground coriander but if you have the whole coriander seeds, just crush them with a mortar and pestle. The aroma of freshly crushed coriander seed is amazing and it's more flavorful than ground coriander. No mortar and pestle? No worries, just put the seeds a ziplock bag and use a heavy sauté pan to crush them.
- Best way to peel carrots? I love this Oxo veggie peeler. It's inexpensive, has a good feel in my hand, has two swiveling blades for easy peel and, it never seems to wear out!
Oh, and if you're looking for delicious sides that aren't the same-old, same-old, I've got another fabulous idea for you. You can use your new-found pomegranate skills with this one too! Our Honey Ginger Charred Carrots recipe, it's another winner!
This Honey Maple Roasted Carrot Recipe was originally published back in 2017. We thought it was way too good to get buried in the deep Café archives of over 1200 recipes, so we spiffed up the post and pictures and added a video to show just how easy it is. Bon Appétit!
These are like candy; everyone always wants second helpings! This recipe definitely transforms everyday lowly carrot into something spectacular!
- 2 pounds carrots peeled and sliced on a long angle into pieces approximately 3 inches long
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh chives
- ½ cup pomegranate arils or seeds
-
Preheat oven to 450˚F. Lightly oil a sheet pan.
-
Place carrots on prepared pan and drizzle with olive oil, maple syrup and honey. Sprinkle with coriander, sea salt and pepper. Toss to coat (I like to use my hands for this to get them well coated, but a spatula will work too). Spread carrots out on the pan in a single layer.
-
Roast for 10 minutes, then stir to redistribute. Return to oven and roast for another 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Carrots are finished when they are tender and some of the edges are caramelized.
-
Sprinkle sesame seeds and herbs over carrots and stir. Taste and season with a bit more sea salt and pepper, if needed. Transfer to a serving bowl and scatter with the pomegranate arils. Serve hot.
Charlotte says
I made these for my husbands shooting club and they loved them
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! Thanks for letting us know Charlotte!
Anna says
Sounds like the prefect side to bring for Thanksgving! Spending this year at a friends.. would you recommend I cook the carrots at home then reheat them at their house and assemble the rest of the dish there?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Anna, yes definitely cook them at home and then pop them in the oven just before serving to reheat. To me, they are even better made like this because they caramelize a little more with the second roasting. Add the pomegranates, etc just before serving.
Marilynn says
My husband HATES cooked carrots. I'm going to try these on him. He just may convert!! 🙂
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers says
Just perfect! I serve roasted carrots every year, usually only with maple syrup, but must try your maple honey combination!
Tricia @ Saving Room for Dessert says
What a terrific side dish for the holidays! Everybody loves carrots and this must be wonderful. Roasted veggies are the best 🙂
Susan says
I think almost every veggie tastes better roasted! Carrots are no exception and what a delightful side to a turkey dinner these would make. I still cook the whole meal myself because both my girls work full-time and bring apps or salads...maybe one day I can just bring a side dish 🙂
Adina says
Great timing! I was looking for a new idea for roasted carrots, yours look delicious!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
These carrots are totally drool-worthy Chris! I bet there wasn't one left over. I love the combo of spices and that maple syrup!
cakespy says
These look absolutely wonderful. I love the beautiful caramelized flavor that carrots take on when roasted. Thanks for bringing this post back!
Jenna says
SOLD!!
Liz says
What a wonderful new way to cook up carrots! They're actually one of the veggies that the whole gang will eat. These would be a beautiful addition to our holiday buffet!
Ginny Hartzler says
I must try these! They are colorful and look divine. And on a busy day, you can do most of the prep the night before, too.
sue | theviewfromgreatisland says
The humble carrot never looked so glamorous ~ love it!
Sarah Griepp says
I really want to make this for our Thanksgiving gathering..but I would need to cook about 4 hours before. Do you think these would reheat well? Like in a toaster oven?
Chris Scheuer says
Sorry Sarah, I just saw this. The carrots should reheat okay in a toaster oven.
Corey Schroeder says
I made these last year, and they were a hit with EVERYONE. Not one carrot slice was left over. I made them the night before and heated them in the oven right before our meal. It tasted so good, and I think the second time heated them up really helped to caramelize them. You have to make them!!!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for sharing your results Corey!
Cindy says
Thank you for the recipe. I found it on pinterest. I made these last night as a side dish for my Thanksgiving dinner. Very easy to prepare. They presented beautifully and were a hit. Delicious!
Chris Scheuer says
So good to hear that Cindy! That recipe literally went viral this Thanksgiving! And yet, it's not complicated at all.
Mindy says
I can't wait to try this recipe this week. Have you ever tried cooking them in a crock pot? I am wondering if this is doable since we are traveling? I have no idea how long they would need to cook in there or if the effect would be the same. Any ideas? I did see your comment about reheating and not to add the pomegranate until ready to serve, which I could do....
Thank you for any tips!
Chris Scheuer says
Mindy, I wouldn't try to cook these in a croc pot. They would tend to get too soft and mushy. It's the roasting and caramelization that really brings out the flavors.
Mia says
Where did you get what looks like a cast iron pan? It is beautiful!
Chris Scheuer says
Mia, we found it at our daughter's new house, when she moved in. Amazon has something that looks like it: http://amzn.to/1iFZRic
Monica says
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I would love to make this for Thanksgiving this year, but have limited oven space. Can I bake this early in the day and reheat before serving?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Monica,
Yes, I think it would work fine to make these earlier in the day and then just warm them in the microwave just before serving. I would probably not add the pomegranates till just before serving. Hope you enjoy it!
Sarah Griepp says
Microwave? I'm thinking a toaster oven... I hope to do this this year!
Chris Scheuer says
A microwave would also work well.
Rina says
This was so delicious! Made for our Christmas dinner and it was a hit. Will make this as a sidedish for a weeknight dinner because its so easy.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Rina, so happy you enjoyed these!
Lindsey says
I've made these twice now and they are fantastic! So easy and look pretty on your table.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Lindsey!
April Chaney says
I'm making thanksgiving dinner for myself, my boyfriend and another friend. These will be amazing with our dinner. I'm actually making them the day before so I can just reheat them and add the garnish the day of, hopefully they won't lose any of their tastyness. They are in the oven now and smell amazing!
Kendall says
Do you add the sesame seeds before or after you roast the carrots? The directions have you adding them twice to the recipe.
Analida says
These carrots look scrumptious. I love carrots!! I like the use of pomegranate seeds, very interesting touch.
Sandra says
Thank you so much! I've been thinking of adding a new side for our holiday meal and I think I've found it.
cheri says
Hi Chris, I bet this is delicious, beautiful presentation!