I used to think I didn’t like cooked carrots, but that’s because I always had them steamed or boiled to mushy nothingness. Cooking them with wet heat does little to bring out their inherent sweetness and destroys their toothsome texture. The recipe below taught me how delicious cooked carrots can be.
Roasting the carrots in a hot oven caramelizes them, drawing out their sugars and deep, earthy-sweet flavors. Basting them in a mixture of olive oil, garlic and spices makes them irresistible. One whiff of these when they come out of the oven and you’ll be sold.
Vegetarian Roasted Carrots
4
10 minutes
25 minutes
35 minutes
2 pounds small carrots, peeled and left whole
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, coriander, salt and pepper.
Brush the carrots with the sauce.
Spread the carrots in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the carrots are tender and beginning to brown.
Serve immediately, garnished with cilantro.