Elevate carrots to enjoy a delicious gourmet side!
OK, hear us out. Carrots may not sound like the most exciting dish, but these roasted carrots will have you gobbling down an extra serving, and vowing to make this veggie side for dinner on a weekly basis. Sure, you can eat carrots raw. You can saute or steam them, or add them to a stir fry. We think carrots are delicious, no matter how they’re prepared. But roasting carrots brings out a sweetness and a depth of flavor that these root veggies don’t normally bring to the table. After just one roast, you’ll call this your preferred method of cooking veggies.
We coat our carrots in a healthy flavoring blend of balsamic vinegar, which lends a sweet, earthy taste, extra virgin olive oil, one favorite cooking oil for its versatility and heart-healthy fatty acids, sunflower seeds, fresh thyme, which compliments carrots perfectly, and a dash of salt and pepper. Roast the carrots to bring out the flavors of each of these ingredients, and you’ll have a gourmet veggie side in just 20 minutes.
And you can feel good about enjoying these carrots with lunch or dinner, as they are packed with beta-carotene, a carotenoid that promotes eye and skin health. Carrots also have anti-cancer properties and lower risk of heart disease. Pair these root veggies with a beautifully prepared salmon, or a grilled chicken dish. They’re a versatile, delicious, and healthy side!
Balsamic Roasted Carrots
Ingredients
- 1 pound baby carrots or regular, peeled
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar no sugar or caramel color added
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
- 3 tablespoons thyme fresh
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- On a baking pan, mix the carrots with the extra virgin olive oil, half of the balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.
- Roast for 15 minutes in the preheated oven.
- Take out the carrots, shake the pan to move the carrots then add the remaining balsamic vinegar and the sunflower seeds
- Roast for another 5 minutes or until they are tender.
- Garnish with the fresh thyme.
Nutrition Information
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More delicious carrot recipes to check out:
Curried Carrot and Ginger Soup
Blood Red Beet Hummus with Carrot Fingers
Slow Cooker Lemon Basil Chicken With Carrots
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That’s not 7 smart points per serving, right? It’s 7 for the entire recipe?
Megan, The data was recalculated and the smartpoints are actually 2 per serving.
DELICIOSO !!!!!
Thank you very much
Love roasted carrots, and will be trying this recipe soon. One question. Are the sunflower seeds raw or roasted//salted? Thank you.
Either will work for this recipe, but raw would be the best option of the two.
This was tasty and easy to make. Will make again!