Delicious Pan Roasted Carrots Recipe

If you are looking for a simple veggie side dish that pairs well with almost any meal and is delicious, look no further, you probably already have all of the ingredients on hand! This pan roasted carrots recipe has quickly become one of our go-to veggie side dishes. Try these pan roast carrots once, and you will understand why!

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What are the benefits of eating carrots?

Having carrots in your diet regularly may have a positive effect on your health in these 5 main ways: Vision, Skin, Heart, Weight, and immune system.

Vision

Remember when your grandma used to tell you that eating carrots would help you see in the dark? Well, she wasn’t entirely off the mark! Carrots are chock full of beta-carotene, which our bodies convert into vitamin A – a crucial nutrient for maintaining good eyesight, especially in low light.

Skin

Carrots can also contribute to your skin health. The antioxidants in carrots help combat free radicals in the body, which can slow down your skin’s aging process. Don’t toss out your moisturizing routine, but carrots and other antioxidant-rich foods can be of some assistance to improve and maintain skin health.

Heart

Let’s not forget about our heart’s health. Carrots are packed with fiber, which aids in lowering blood cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of heart disease.

Weight

And if you’re watching your weight, carrots should be your go-to snack. They’re low in calories and high in fiber, making you feel full longer and reducing the urge to snack on less healthy options.

Immune

Lastly, ever wondered why carrots have that bright orange color? It’s due to a pigment called beta-carotene, which is known to boost your immune system. So, eating carrots not only helps keep you fit but also strengthens your body’s defenses.

Are raw carrots better for you than pan roast carrots?

Raw carrots are an excellent snack for a balanced and healthy diet. Cooked carrots however are even better because during the cooking process, the healthy compounds stated above are made more bio-available to your digestion. Not all cooking methods are equal. Sauté, baking, or steaming are great options while boiling tends to leach out some of the beneficial nutrients.

What does this skillet roasted carrots recipe pair well with?

As a foodie, I love this question. These pan roast carrots have a robust carroty flavor amplified by the salt and the cooking process which brings out their sweetness. Serve them with any meat dish along with potatoes or rice, or, prepare these instead of french fries next time you grill burgers as a healthy alternative.

Ingredients to Cook Sauteed Carrots

The hallmark of an extremely easy side dish is the ability to reproduce the recipe from memory after making it the first time. With four ingredients and three logical steps, this is definitely one of the easiest recipes you can find. All you will need are carrots, parsley, salt and pepper, and cooking fat.

Carrots

While white and purple carrots find their roots dating back thousands of years to Afghanistan, contemporary carrots came from Dutch carrot growers who wanted to pay tribute to William of Orange. They developed the vibrant orange variety we’re all familiar with today; sweet and juicy orange carrots now are the dominant variety.

If you prefer a sweet and juicy carrot, it’s best to stick to the conventional orange variety. If you don’t mind a more bitter and fibrous root veggie, then branch out and try the colorful variety you see in the photos. (Between you and me, the colorful ones are great for photos, but the orange ones are definitely more tasty)

Parsley

Italian parsley, curly leaf parsley, fresh or dried? Any parsley is going to achieve contrast to the sweet, rich, caramelized flavor of the carrots. Italian parsley is robust, peppery, and somehow manages to be both earthy and fresh at the same time. Curly-leaf parsley is mild with a slightly bitter taste. Because our goal is to balance out the richness of the sweet carrots, either type does the job.

I always have dried parsley on hand, so that is what I use. Remember that when you use dried parsley, you only need about 1/3 as much as fresh parsley. This recipe is tuned for dried, so triple the parsley if you substitute for fresh.

Cooking Fat

The fat you pan sear these carrots with will give the carrots that wrinkled skin, that caramelized flavor, and a fatty richness. I like to use olive oil or ghee, or even a mix of the two. Ghee is definitely going to give you maximum richness. Stick with a high smoke point oil and medium heat allowing the outsides to be browned and the insides of the sauteed carrots time to soften.

Instructions for this Pan Roasted Carrots Recipe

Prepare the Carrots

For a bold presentation like what you see in the photos, colorful, whole, unpeeled carrots with their stem and leaves still attached are more difficult to cook, but stunning for presentation.

For an everyday side dish prepare the carrots by peeling and cutting them diagonally into medallions, or cut the carrots in half lengthwise, and cut them into 3-inch pieces. Not only will these be easier to cook, but you will have more surface area to caramelize and sear.

Pan-Sear the Carrots

In a large cast iron pan over medium heat, add your cooking fat of choice, Ghee is the clear choice for me for maximum richness. Once it is thoroughly heated add the carrots turning them to ensure each side gets seared.

How long do you cook roasted carrots? This should take anywhere from 6-15 minutes depending on your pan, heat, and carrot thickness. If your carrots are blackening quickly, reduce the temperature and take your time for a nicely seared finish.

Season the Caramelized Carrots

Once the carrots are nicely browned on each side, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste as well as parsley. Toss them in the pan to coat and serve hot.