Looking for an easy veggie side dish recipe? Have you been put off by steamed carrots? Try roasting them. Roasting vegetables is one of the best ways to eat vegetables. Roasting concentrates the flavors and you’ll wonder “Really? Was that all I had to do?”. Best of all, there’s very minimal prep involved and you don’t have to stand near the stove all the while! This is why on busy weeks, there is always some kind of roasted vegetable in my menu. Cajun roasted carrots are perfect for when you want a savory side with a spicy kick! Serve this side dish at a holiday meal (be it Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter), or for an everyday meal.
This is such an effortless recipe – peel the carrot or not peel, cut them or leave them whole, trim the tops a bit or cut the tops off – everything works! Just toss the carrots and seasonings in a sheet pan and pop it into the oven!
If I want to make the dish look special, I use small carrots with their tops on, and bake them whole or cut lengthwise in halves. Isn’t it interesting how doing nothing to the carrot’s natural appearance makes the cooked dish appear more beautiful?! Untouched beauty of nature!
Try this easy cajun roasted carrots recipe. It may end up being a regular at your home! 😉
To make a full holiday meal, check out:
- Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
- French Roast Chicken with Truffle Oil
- Jalapeno Cranberry Sauce
- Blueberry Spinach Salad
- Bourbon Cherry Bombs
Cajun Roasted Carrots
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Carrots
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning (Increase or decrease to suit your preference of heat level)
- ½ tsp Pepper
- Salt (Optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Wash the carrots. You may peel the carrots or leave them as they are.
- Cutting the carrots: If the carrots are big in size, cut them into 1½" chunks. If they are small, you can slit them lengthwise into halves. If using baby carrots, you may leave them whole. Trim the carrot tops (if any) to 2".
- Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper for easy clean up.
- Place carrots on the lined sheet pan. Add olive oil, cajun seasoning and pepper. Toss till the carrots are coated in oil and seasoning.
- Arrange the carrots in a single layer on the sheet pan.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Then turn them over, and bake for another 10 minutes, or until they are browned and tender. Pierce the thickest part of a carrot with a fork to check tenderness.
- Serve warm.
Notes
- If using baby carrots, the cook time may be shorter. Bake for 10 minutes, then turn over, and bake for another 5 minutes. Start checking for tenderness and stop baking when the fork pierces through the thickest part of the carrots easily.
- Should we add salt? Check the ingredients in the cajun seasoning. Usually, it lists salt as an ingredient. So, you may not have to add more salt. However, if the seasoning doesn’t already have salt or you prefer it to be saltier, feel free to add more salt.
- Make-ahead tips: This recipe can be made ahead and stored in refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat before serving. For best results, reheat in an oven at 350F for 5 minutes.
I love a delicious, easy to make veggie side. Love this since I always have Cajun spice on hand!
That’s fantastic! Yes, this is great for when we want easy sides. It’s a regular at our house!
I love any kind of roasted carrots, especially when they have a good amount of spice in them because it goes so well with the sweetness of the carrots.
So true! The flavors complement each other so well 🙂
This is my kind of quick meal! I’m adding this to the weekly rotation!
Oh yes! Quick and easy! Hope you like it as much as I do!
I absolutely love all roasted vegetables. These carrotts sound so flavorful. Pinned for later.
They are!! Hope you like them as much as we do!
love this roasted carrot recipe!! the cajun spices makes it pop!!! i could eat the whole try myself!
Me too!! I start munching on them right from when they are out of the oven. Can’t wait till they reach the dinner table LOL! So glad you liked it as well 🙂
What a beautifully presented roasted carrot dish! I love roasted carrots and would have never thought to add Cajun spices — the flavour combination sounds absolutely delish!
It’s one of our favorite seasoning for roasted carrots 🙂 The heat from cajun spices and sweetness of roasted cartots pair so beautifully!