Description
A simple yet elegant side dish featuring heirloom carrots roasted with nutty brown butter, sweet honey, and fresh thyme for a glossy, caramelized finish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds carrots (baby or medium, cut into 3-inch batons)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons mild honey (clover or wildflower)
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- Optional: Orange zest, chopped pistachios, or crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Wash carrots and cut into uniform 3-inch sticks, about 1/2 inch thick. Toss in a bowl with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Spread carrots in a single layer on the sheet pan, ensuring they are not touching. Roast for 20 minutes until tender but still firm.
- While carrots roast, melt butter in a small saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Swirl occasionally until it foams, subsides, and turns light amber with a nutty aroma (3-5 minutes). Immediately pour into a heat-proof bowl to stop cooking.
- Remove carrots from oven. Drizzle with brown butter, sprinkle with thyme, and drizzle with honey. Toss to coat evenly.
- Return to oven and roast for another 10-15 minutes until glazed and tender.
- Taste and adjust salt. Garnish with optional orange zest or pistachios and serve immediately.
Notes
Do not overcrowd the pan to ensure roasting rather than steaming. Watch the butter closely as it burns quickly. For make-ahead prep, roast carrots for the first 20 minutes, cool, store in fridge, then finish with brown butter and honey before final roasting.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of the batch
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 14
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 10
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 22
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 2
Keywords: brown butter, roasted carrots, honey glazed, thyme, side dish, gluten-free, easy vegetables, holiday dinner