Maple Roasted Carrots
It’s no surprise here that we enjoy carrots! Not only are they incredibly nutritious, but carrots are also a very versatile staple of cooking. One of my favorite way to prepare them is roasted carrots in molasses and maple syrup.
Slowly roasted to perfection, this maple roasted carrot recipe is incredibly tender with firey sweet notes of cayenne, ginger, and harissa. This recipe goes great with baked chicken or pot roast. It can also be a wonderful vegan side dish or main centerpiece. Low and slow is the way to go!
In this recipe, we highlight the unique flavor of carrot with ginger, chili-infused maple syrup, and blackstrap molasses. The reason for using both sweeteners instead of one is because maple complements carrot quite nicely, and molasses gives a delightful caramelized effect. Both maple syrup and blackstrap molasses contain minerals and phytonutrients, making them better sugar alternatives. For this reason, I use maple syrup year-round, not just in colder months.
Blackstrap molasses is also used in Eastern medicine to repair melanin in grey hair.
Roasted Carrots are a great dish for the holidays or family gatherings. I like to prepare my roasted carrots whole, laid out tightly in rows like Lincoln Logs. They take a little longer in the oven but hold shape better. The added presentation and experience of cutting into full roasted carrots are worth the extra effort.
Five Bonus Facts About Carrots
- #1- Rich in beta-cartone, an antioxidant that protects cells from free-radical damage
- #2- Especially helpful for smokers in improving respiratory function and lower cancer risk
- #3- Cooked carrots improve the bio-availability of nutrients, and are better to eat than raw
- #4- Composed nearly 88% of water, making it great for juicing.
- #5- Carrots were orignially grown as medicine. Our ancestors were on to something!
Lo and behold, I wrote a whole article on carrots if you want to learn more.
Roasted Carrots
Roasted Maple Carrots
This recipe roasts crushed pecans as an earthy-crunchy topping but they can be excluded if there are nut allergy concerns.
You Will Need:
- Large whole carrots (try to get uniform in size)
- Pure maple syrup (we like to use a chili-infused kind from Tree Knees)
- Black strap Molasses
- Butter (omit to make vegan)
- Avocado Oil
- Spices:
- Ground ginger
- Cracked black pepper
- Sea salt
- Cayenne pepper
- Dried harissa
- Crushed pecans (for garnish)
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Wash and peel carrots, aiming for the most uniform in size and length
- Trim ends, making them even in size in a medium sized casserole dish
- Season carrots with spices listed above
- Drizzle carrots in avocado oil, and gentle coat the carrots throughout with seasonings
- Take a stick of butter, and cut into slices and places on top of carrots (amount will vary by the size of the batch you are preparing)
- Carefully drizzle maple syrup and molasses thinly over the season carrots, do not turn
- Place dish in the oven uncovered, for 45 minutes
- Take out and flip over carrots after 20 mins
- Top with crushed pecans, and place back into oven to finish roasting
- Test with a toothpick to ensure carrot is soft entirely throughout
- Let rest for a few minutes, then serve!
Notice the spicy-sweet contrast between the ginger, cayenne, and pepper to the sweetness of the molasses, maple, and carrot itself. Low and slow roasting brings out a nice caramelized accent to root vegetables, molasses really adding to that effect. I can enjoy this recipe year-round, and I hope you enjoy this roasted carrot recipe too. I recommend trying these paired with a nice buttery glass of chardonnay.
Here’s to the humble carrot!
For the Love of Food
