Oven Roasted Carrots with Sumac

Simple oven roasted carrots get an upgrade with this easy recipe! Fresh lemon zest and sumac, a crimson spice that’s a staple of the Mediterranean pantry, balance the carrots’ sweetness with lively, tangy flavor. The carrots are roasted over high heat so they’re deliciously tender and every-so-slightly charred at the edges. 

This oven roasted carrots recipe is everything I need in a side dish. It’s versatile, comforting, and doesn’t ask for much in return!

To me, the perfect oven-roasted carrot, whether seasoned with turmeric and harissa or with sumac and lemon zest, has two things going for it. First, it’s very, very tender, and second, you need good caramelization.

Oven-roasted carrots need a caramelized layer to hold in the velvety center. That’s the trick: crisp and soft all at the same time. Luckily, it’s easy to nail this contradiction at home. In fact, your hot sheet pan will do most of the work for you. 

Rather than keeping the carrots whole, I cut them at a diagonal. This allows plenty of contact with the hot pan to make a nice crust. Covering them with foil in the first half gets that deliciously soft center. Finally, removing the foil at the end caramelizes and lightly chars the exterior. All of this to say: this easy roasted carrot recipe is completely fail-proof.

With tangy sumac, fresh lemon zest, and savory garlic powder to balance roast carrots’ natural sweetness, this recipe takes no shortcuts when it comes to flavor. It’s sure to become your new go-to side dish!

Table of Contents

1. What You’ll Need
2. How to Make Oven Roasted Carrots
3. What to Serve with Oven Roasted Carrots
4. You’ll Also Like: Roast Vegetable Recipes 
5. Try our all-natural Sumac!
6. Oven Roasted Carrots with Sumac Recipe

What You’ll Need

To make these crispy oven roasted carrots, you really only need four things: Oil, salt, pepper, and carrots. You can keep it at that, but I love to dress it up with a few seasonings that bring a Mediterranean flair. 

• Carrots: Grab large carrots if you can find them. Their bigger surface area gets nicely charred and caramelized.
• Oil: A high quality extra virgin varitey makes a big difference in terms of flavor. Read all about cooking with olive oil in our guide, and find my favorite hand-selected Mediterranean olive oils at our shop. 
• S&P: Salt and pepper are essential for enhancing the flavor. 
• Sumac: Sumac is a household spice in the Mediterranean—you can learn all about it in our, “What is Sumac?” guide. The crimson flakes give a bright flavor that’s often compared to lemon zest, which balances the sweetness of the roast carrots. You can find it in the spice section of select grocery stores, or online at our shop. 
• Garlic powder: Adds a savory element.
• Lemon zest: Adds freshness and tang. 
• Parsley: Used as a garnish, fresh parsley adds freshness and a nice pop of color. 

How to Make Oven Roasted Carrots

A hot oven is your best friend when it comes to roast vegetables like carrots, green beans, and more. A few unfussy techniques make all the difference!

• Get ready. Position a rack in the center of your oven and heat to 425°F.
• Prep the carrots. Trim off the stems off of 2 pounds of carrots, then peel and slice on the diagonal into 2-inch pieces (this gives you a larger surface for charring). 
• Season the carrots. Add the slices to a large mixing bowl, along with 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon sumac, and a big pinch of salt and pepper (about 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon each). Toss to coat.
• Soften the carrots. Spread onto a large sheetpan in one single layer so that each carrot slice is touching the surface of the pan. Cover tightly with foil and roast, covered on the center rack until the carrots are just tender, about 20 minutes. 
• Char the carrots. Carefully uncover the pan, toss the carrots, and return to the oven. Roast, uncovered, until the carrots are nicely charred, about 20 to 25 mintues.
• Finish and serve. As soon as you remove the carrots from the heat, sprinkle on the remaining 1 teaspoon of sumac and give everything a good toss in the pan. Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with lemon zest and fresh parsley. 

What to Serve with Oven Roasted Carrots

These oven roasted carrots’ sweet and slightly citrusy flavor are a perfect match for savory roast meat and a crisp, fresh green salad. For a leisurly weeknight, roast chicken thighs in your oven at the same time. For a fancy date night or dinner party, throw the carrots in your oven as you grill lamb chops (perhaps with a glass of red wine in-hand).

A crunchy salad works best with the tender roasted carrots. In the warmer months, cucumber tomato salad is my easy go-to. When tomatoes aren’t their best, try a crisp lemon parmesan lettuce salad or maroulosalata (Greek lettuce salad). 

You’ll Also Like: Roast Vegetable Recipes 

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