Garden roasted carrots are one of my favorite dishes of the season. It's a knockout recipe any time of the year, but especially in the fall and over the holidays. And, when they're paired with a beautiful sherry balsamic vinaigrette, it just takes it over the top.
This vinaigrette is amazing with roasted veggies, any salad, and a marinade for chicken. I love this one so much I have it memorized. I have 2 recipe cards for you and also a short video on how to put this dazzling dish together.
If you can find carrots that are generally all the same size then they will roast evenly. Having said that, I never find carrots all the same size. In fact, I've come to embrace the little ones and the odd-shaped misfits. I don't mind them getting a little extra crispy.
Additionally, if you roast the carrots with the carrot tops intact, you can expect them to singe a little. I think that adds to the rustic charm of this dish.
Garden roasted carrots in my Challenger cast-iron pan? You bet! It's my workhorse in the kitchen - delivering amazing results for all my favorite dishes. If you'd like to learn more - click the image below or this link. Happy baking - roasting - broiling - grilling! (I am an honored ambassador for Challenger. The link provided is a referral link where I earn a small fee for each purchase. It helps to cover my website and publishing costs - also garden seeds. Thank you, as always, for your support!)
Garden Roasted Carrots
Ingredients
- 12 fresh carrots with carrot tops, if possible (3 per person)
- 1 red onion for flavor, contrast, and color
- 1/4 C light olive oil
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 oz goat cheese or crumbly tangy cheese, for garnish
- 1 oz mixed nuts, salad toppers, cranberries for garnish
- 1 Tbsp chopped carrot tops for garnish or fresh parsley for
- 3 Tbsp Sherry Vinaigrette or your favorite roast veggie vinaigrette
Instructions
- Pre-heat your Challenger cast iron, or other heavy-duty sheet tray, and/or baking steel at 400f while you're prepping the carrots.
- Rinse and trim carrots. I just scrub mine but feel free to peel them if you'd like to. If you have carrot stems, chop enough for 2 Tbsp to garnish at the end. Save the rest for future pesto or tempura. If you don't have stems, you can use fresh parsley which works just as well. Leave a few inches of the carrot stem on the carrot if desired. (see video)If your carrots are large (more than 1 inch in diameter) slice a few in half vertically.
- Slice the red onion. I slice in vertically, then again in half vertically to create inch thick wedges.
- Place carrots & onion in the hot cast-iron, being careful with your fingers. Arrange however you prefer but try to keep them in one even layer, allowing a bit of space between each one. If your pan is hot - this will immediately speed up the roasting process to allow for crispy but tender carrots. Ideally, the carrots are all the same size - but mine never are so some are crispier than others.
- Drizzle with the olive oil, then S&P
- Roast about 20 minutes, but this will depend on the thickness of your carrots. If you left the stems on, keep an eye on those. They'll char, for sure. Cover them with foil if needed.
Nutrition
Sherry Balsamic Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1 shallot small, minced
- 2 T honey
- 3 T sherry vinegar
- 2 T balsamic vinegar
- 3 T olive oil extra virgin
- 1/4 canola oil
- 1 tsp coarse salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients in a mini-smoothie blender, speed blender or shake it up in a jar with a tight lid. Adjust for your personal taste.
Nutrition
With adding this bread pan to my collection, I probably have a dozen different cast iron pans of varying sizes and shapes. Let it be known that I love every one of them, but they do take care. Here is a great link from Bon Appetit on how to care for your cast iron. https://www.bonappetit.com/gallery/cast-iron-skillet-guide
If you're in the mood for more veggie dishes you might enjoy: ROASTED BEET CHIPS WITH SUMAC SOUR CREAM or STEAMED RED POTATOES WITH HERB COMPOUND BUTTER.
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