Roasted Rainbow Carrots with a simple blend of seasoning, a delicious and healthy side dish for you Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner menu or any other celebration throughout the year. Naturally sweet, these roasted carrots will do down well with everyone in the family.
Crunchy, bright orange and one of the few veggies that kids won't fuss much about, carrots have been a favourite for quite a while now. They are cheap, healthy and really yummy, so there is little surprise that we cook with them pretty much on a daily basis. At least I do.
They are absolutely amazing in all sorts of savoury and even sweet dishes, with the carrot cake being everybody's great favourite at Easter. Soups, stews, pies and countless other dishes are brightened up by this lovely vegetable.
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What are rainbow carrots?
But did you know that originally carrots weren't orange at all? The orange carrots have been bred in the 17th century in the Netherlands, and the orange colour is now pretty much the norm when it comes to carrots.
But prior to that, carrots were mainly purple, yellow or a pale white colour. And that's what rainbow carrots really are, a variety of different colours.
I can't quite say that I can notice any major different between the different colours as far as taste is concerned, although some people might argue that the orange ones are a lot sweeter.
They are all beautifully crunchy, super easy to cook, and they make a fantastic side dish for any big celebration. They do look really pretty, don't they?
Ingredients needed to make roasted rainbow carrots
- rainbow carrots: I used orange, purple, yellow and pale yellow carrots
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- dried mixed herbs
Step-by-step photos and instructions
- Wash and peel the carrots, and cut them into sticks
- Add them to a pan of boiling water and cook for 5 minutes.
- Drain the water, and leave the carrots to dry for a few minutes, then toss them with olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Arrange them in one single layer on a large roasting tray and roast for 20-25 minutes at 220 degrees Celsius (425 Fahrenheit) or until tender
- Sprinkle the mixed herbs over, and serve hot.
Expert tips
For these roasted rainbow carrots I opted for a savoury touch, but you can also make them sweet by adding brown sugar or maple syrup.
If you do go for the sweet version, I would recommend adding the syrup or sugar towards the end of the roasting time, otherwise they will burn quickly at a high temperature.
You can roast them for a lot longer if you prefer a more caramelized taste and a slightly browned look.
I prefer preboiling the carrots before roasting to ensure a much tender texture, but you can also roast them straight away - the roasting time will be longer, so do keep an eye on them.
Other roasted vegetables
- Baked Sweet Potato Fries
- Crispy Roast Potatoes
- Baked Parsnip Chips
- Maple Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Sweet Potatoes
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Roasted Rainbow Carrots
Ingredients
- 3 purple carrots
- 3 orange carrots (different shades of orange)
- 2 yellow carrots (dark and pale yellow)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- â…› teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried mixed herbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius (425 Fahrenheit).
- Wash and peel the carrots, then cut them into sticks.
- Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, add the carrots, and cook for 5 minutes.
- Drain the water, and leave the carrots to dry briefly in the colander.
- Toss them with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
- Arrange them in one single layer on a large roasting tray, and roast for 20-25 minutes until tender.
- Season with mixed herbs and serve hot.
Notes
- For these roasted rainbow carrots I opted for a savoury touch, but you can also make them sweet by adding brown sugar or maple syrup.
- If you do go for the sweet version, I would recommend adding the syrup or sugar towards the end of the roasting time, otherwise they will burn quickly at a high temperature.
- You can roast them for a lot longer if you prefer a more caramelized taste and a slightly browned look.
- I prefer preboiling the carrots before roasting to ensure a much tender texture, but you can also roast them straight away - the roasting time will be longer, so do keep an eye on them.
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