It’s difficult to spice up carrots. They either accompany hummus as a measly appetizer before the real meal or they become watery, overcooked mush that cafeterias label as a “healthy vegetable side.” This recipe introduces a revamped, new and improved carrot side dish. What sets these carrots apart from the inedible slop served in your dining hall? These deceptively difficult to make carrots are roasted.
As the vegetables roast in the oven, they naturally caramelize: their flavor intensifies, the edges are browned, the carrots gain texture, and their sweetness emerges. When your friends ask you how you turned a food that is 87% water into sweet vegetable goodness, you can say you tossed carrots in a bit of olive oil and threw them in the oven. This recipe enables you to eat sweets at dinner, without someone telling you to wait for dessert.
Roasted Carrots
Ingredients
Instructions
Rinse the carrots and place them in a strainer.
Cut the carrots into pieces that are relatively the same size so they will cook evenly and be done at the same time. Cut thicker carrots in half to match the size of the other carrots.
Using your hands or a spoon, toss the carrots in a large bowl with the olive oil, salt, and cumin. The carrots only need to be lightly coated with olive oil. Make sure the salt and cumin reaches every carrot.
Lay the carrots out in a single layer on a ceramic dish with low sides or on a baking sheet.
Place the carrots in the oven and cook at 425°F for about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally, turning the carrots on the edge into the center.
Cook the carrots until they are tender and slightly browned. For additional sweetness, leave the carrots in the oven for 10 minutes after it is turned off.
Remove from the oven and devour.