Glazed Roasted Carrots (Paleo + Vegan-Friendly)

Maple Glazed Roasted Carrots – This is the BEST roasted carrots recipe! Sweet-glazed carrots with gorgeous caramelized edges make the perfect side dish. (Gluten-Free, Paleo & Vegan-Friendly) 

This roasted carrots recipe is basically all my favorite things: budget-friendly, easy to put together, and mostly hands-off.

They get the subtle sweetness from a simple glaze while taking on the gorgeous caramelized texture of roasted carrots.

They’re everything I love about roasted veggies–tender texture, subtle sweetness from roasting, and caramelized, golden edges. SO GOOD!

So let’s make a glaze, toss in some carrots, and make the most amazing glazed roasted carrots recipe…

HERE’S WHAT GOES INTO MY GLAZED ROASTED CARROTS:

• CARROTS. Every good roasted carrot recipe needs carrots! I make my glazed roasted carrots using cut carrots rather than baby carrots (I love the caramelized edges!), but baby carrots should also work.
• BUTTER, VEGAN BUTTER, OR GHEE. You can use butter, vegan butter, or ghee (clarified butter) for this glazed carrots recipe based on your dietary needs. (FYI – Ghee is clarified butter and considered dairy-free (suitable for paleo & dairy-free diets.)
• PURE MAPLE SYRUP. For some lovely caramelization and subtle sweetness, I love using maple syrup for my glazed roasted carrots. SO GOOD.
• GARLIC. If it sounds odd to add garlic to your glazed carrots, TRY IT! The savory-sweet notes absolutely MAKE this recipe. I love the combination so much!
• SALT & PEPPER. Since this is a simple glaze, we’ll round out and balance the flavors with a little salt and pepper.
• OPTIONAL: HERBS FOR GARNISH. To make these pretty, feel free to garnish them with fresh or freeze-dried herbs. I like parsley or dill. Freeze-dried parsley is especially awesome as its shelf-stable, but keeps its pretty green color. It’s PERFECT for making just about anything look prettier!

FAQ + TIPS & TRICKS FOR PERFECT GLAZED ROASTED CARROTS:

THIS IS MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE PEELER. I didn’t know I could love a vegetable peeler this much until I got this one. I use it for peeling All The Things (it makes these Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes a cinch!). If you’re in the market, this one is under $10 and works REALLY well.

A TIP FOR CUTTING YOUR CARROTS. I cut my carrots into thirds or fourths diagonally (called a “bias cut”) rather than straight across because it’s pretty, but it also helps you get better-caramelized edges. If your carrots are extra-thick, you may want to cut those 1/3 or 1/4 pieces in half lengthwise.

CAN I USE OLIVE OIL? You can, though you’ll probably want to add a little extra salt. I find the flavors aren’t quite as nice as using a butter or ghee option.

CAN I USE HONEY OR BROWN SUGAR? If you’d like to, they’ll both work for these glazed roasted carrots. I have found that honey can scorch the pan a bit more, so just keep an eye on it. If you’re going the brown sugar route, be sure to dissolve the sugar well in the butter/ghee before adding the carrots for the best results.

TOOLS FOR THIS MAPLE GLAZED ROASTED CARROTS RECIPE: 

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