Balsamic Roasted Carrots with Honey
For someone without a prominent sweet tooth, the sight of honey usually gives me fear. But when it’s balanced out with some acidity and glazed over my FAVE vegetable of all time ever ever ever, I think I can manage. And by manage I mean give me the whole tray please.
How to prep your carrots
Should you peel your carrots?
In short, it doesn’t make a huge difference. Certainly not in this instance anyway. Peeled carrots give off a brighter glow, so if you’re throwing them in a salad they do look a bit gnarly with the skins left on. But in this case i.e roasting, visually it won’t make a huge difference if they’re peeled or not. When it comes to taste, some people claim the skin can taste bitter and slightly earthy. Personally I see very little difference, especially when roasting and glazed to the high heavens. Finally, usually when I’m cooking carrots it’s with a roast dinner or a nice bit of meat that needs some tlc. So in this instance I never peel them, work smarter not harder and all that. In the end it’s totally up to you! However, either way give those dang things a good scrub in hot water.
To slice or not to slice?
I do highly recommend slicing your carrots, at least in half. If they’re particularly large then consider quartering them. The reason being you want the carrots to cook through the centre before the glaze fully caramelizes. If they’re too big the glaze will burn by the time they’re completely softened. Slightly thinner carrots work best for this recipe.
How to Roast Carrots in Honey Balsamic Glaze
Okay, so you’ve prepped your carrots, let’s talk glaze. The honey balsamic glaze itself is actually really simple, and consists of honey, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and salt & pepper. It’s a fairly runny consistency in the first instance, but it will caramelize and go sticky as the carrots roast. I also like to throw in a few sprigs of fresh thyme, because carrots and thyme are a match made in heaven. I highly recommend using fresh thyme for this recipe, just pluck out the stalks at the end.
How to make honey balsamic roasted carrots (quick summary)
When they come out the oven, it’s time to serve up! I love to sprinkle over fresh parsley and if I think it needs it, I’ll give the carrots a final drizzle of honey and/or splash of balsamic vinegar. I also recommend another pinch of salt, just to balance out the sweetness from the honey glaze. All in all these honey balsamic roasted carrots are the perfect way to jazz what could potentially be an average side dish. Sweet and sticky, yet fresh and flavoursome, these are sure to be the best dang carrots you’ve ever had. After another delicious roasted carrots recipe? Check out my Garlic Butter Carrots! Hey, whilst you’re here why not check out my other recipes?
Roast Dinner Sides
Garlic Green Beans Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower Goose Fat Roast Potatoes Broccoli and Cauliflower Cheese Yorkshire Puddings
Alrighty, let’s tuck into these sweet roasted carrots shall we?!
How to make Honey Balsamic Roasted Carrots (Full Recipe & Video)
If you loved these Honey Balsamic Roasted Carrots be sure to pin the recipe for later! Already made them or got a question? Give me a shout in the comments below and pick up your free ecookbook along the way!
