Roasted Orange Glazed Carrots
Whether you are planning an holiday menu or serving Sunday supper, these simple roasted orange honey glazed carrots are the perfect side dish. The natural sweetness of the carrots is enhanced by the honey, and the addition of orange juice helps to create a delicious citrusy caramelization.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
If you’re looking for a side dish to serve for a special occasion or just a family dinner on the weekend, I think you’ll love this recipe. It’s’ ease of preparation and how well ‘s so easy to make and pairs with so many main dishes. Everything from ham at Easter to turkey at Thanksgiving or Christmas! I often pair it with my Sunday Chicken or Glazed Meatloaf for dinner on the weekends. They’re naturally sweet with a touch of bright citrus flavour making it a family favourite!
Ingredients You Will Need
- fresh carrots – heirloom carrots are particularly nice and I use them whenever in season
- honey – if you have locally sourced honey available I would recommend it
- orange juice – freshly squeezed provides the best flavour, but bottled pure orange juice works well too
- olive oil – extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper – to your taste preference
- orange rind (optional)- adding a little orange zest enhances the flavour, but isn’t a required ingredient
How to Make Orange Honey Glazed Carrots
Be sure to see the full printable recipe and instructions in the recipe card below!
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place large roasting pan into the oven to preheat. Scrub carrots clean under running water. I prefer not to peel my carrots, but feel free to do that if you would like. Slice carrots long ways in half, or in quarters for thicker carrots. Add them to a large mixing bowl, drizzle with olive oil and toss with clean hands until full coated.
Add honey and orange juice, and again toss again with your hands until well carrots are well coated. Carefully remove preheated roasting pan from the oven. Transfer carrots into the pan, and arrange as many pieces as possible cut side down. Roast for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully give the roasting pan a gentle shake to redistribute the carrots. Use tongs or a spatula to give them room if necessary. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, until nicely caramelized and tender.
Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving tray. Drizzle with a bit of honey and olive oil if you wish.
Tips for the Best Roasted Carrots
- cut carrots in even long pieces for even roasting and pretty presentation
- preheat the roasting pan as it helps start the roasting and caramelization process quickly
- don’t overcrowd the pan – use a large enough pan to allow the carrots enough room to spread out a little bit and not be piled on top of one another too much
- turn cut sides of the carrots down for the first half of roasting
- I find 400 degrees F is the perfect temperature that results in nice caramelization without having to wait to add the honey and orange juice until later in the cooking time as many glazed carrot recipes required
Variations
- substitute maple syrup or brown sugar for a vegan option
- add a pinch of cinnamon for a warm flavour when making them in the autumn and winter
- Sprinkle with a bit of feta cheese before serving
How to Store Roasted Carrots
Promptly store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days for best flavour. Reheat in a preheated 350F oven until heated through, about 10 minutes, or reheat in the microwave. Freezing leftover glazed carrots is not recommended.
What Goes Well With Honey Glazed Carrots?
- roast beef – so good with Sunday roast
- ham – perfect for Easter
- turkey – makes a great Thanksgiving side dish
- meatloaf – for a casual weekend meal
- Bouda or grain bowls – these make a delicious edition to bowls with mixed grains or legumes
You can go ahead and prep and slice the carrots a day ahead of time, storing them uncooked in the refrigerator. I would not recommend roasting them until just before serving, as they have the best flavour and texture fresh from the oven.
Absolutely they can. Simply substitute the honey with pure maple syrup or vegan brown sugar. If you use brown sugar I would use 4 tablespoons instead of two.
Start with clean and very dry fresh carrots. Preheat the roasting pan which allows the caramelization to begin right away. Choose a roasting pan large enough to allow a bit of room for air to circulate around the carrots. Roasting at high heat 400F or 425F I find is the sweet spot.
Yes, baby carrots are a great minimal prep option. Just be sure to wash and thoroughly dry them before tossing with olive oil, as they tend to be a bit moist when fresh out of the package.
Yes! This recipe is easily doubled when feeding a larger group!
Simple and full of fresh flavour, these glazed carrots are sure to be a hit! I hope they find a place at your table whether it be a festive occasion or a simple slow weekend dinner with family.
If you give them a try and love them, I would appreciate you leaving a comment and a 5 star rating! This greatly helps my recipes get seen and enjoyed by more people!
Orange Honey Glazed Carrots
Equipment
- 1 large roasting pan
- 1 large mixing bowl
- measuring spoons
- knife
Ingredients
- 8-10 fresh carrots
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons pure honey
- 3-4 tablespoons orange juice
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 ℉. Place roasting pan into preheated oven while you prep and prepare carrots.
- Scrub carrots to clean and thoroughly dry. Peeling them is optional. Cut them lengthwise in half for thin carrots and into thirds or quarters for thicker carrots.
- Transfer cut carrots to a mixing bowl, drizzle with olive oil and toss with clean hands to coat carrots thoroughly. Add honey and orange juice, toss with hands to coat well. There will be juices at the bottom of the bowl.
- Carefully remove preheated roasting pan from the oven. Transfer carrots and any juices to the pan and arrange with most cut sides down, and do not crowd. Roast for 20 minutes – remove from oven and gently give the pan a shake to reposition carrots, using a spatula or tongues to give them room if necessary. Return to oven and continue roasting for 10 minutes, or until lightly caramelized and tender. Remove from oven and transfer to serving platter.
Notes
These carrots look DELICIOUS!!! Thank you for recipe!