Roasted Carrots and Brussels Sprouts
Roasted Carrots and Brussels Sprouts, a super easy sheet pan roasted vegetable recipe with only 5 ingredients and ready in under 30 minutes. Your new favorite easy side dish or salad topper!
Love roasted carrots? Love roasted brussels sprouts? So do we! Between the two we could never choose a favorite, but thankfully we don’t have to because they are delicious when roasted together.
Here’s why you should be tossing carrots and brussels together to roast:
- It’s easy. Simply cut your veggies, toss in oil and salt on a sheet pan, and roast until golden brown.
- It’s super tasty. Roasting brings out natural flavors in vegetables like carrots and brussels sprouts.
- It’s versatile. Go simple with salt and pepper, or build flavor with spices and herbs.
Ready to learn our favorite way to make baked carrots and brussels sprouts? Let’s do it!
👩🍳 How to make (step-by-step photos)
1️⃣ Step One: Preheat oven and cut vegetables
First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 C). While the oven is heating, wash the vegetables to remove dirt.
To cut brussels sprouts: cut off stems, then cut in half or in quarters. We like to cut large brussels into quarters because the smaller pieces will become crispier when baked.
To cut carrots: You can cut carrots however you’d like, but when roasting with smaller vegetables like brussels sprouts we like to cut them into bite-size pieces so the vegetables are all similar sizes and are easier to eat.
2️⃣ Step Two: Add vegetables to the roasting pan
Next, add the cut carrots and brussels sprouts to a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and, using your hands or a spatula, toss the vegetables until they’re completely coated with oil. Sprinkle the vegetables with sliced fresh garlic (optional), salt, and pepper.
3️⃣ Step Three: Roast vegetables until golden brown
Finally, roast the vegetables in the oven until they begin to soften and become brown around the edges. This takes anywhere from 20-30 minutes, depending on your oven.
About halfway through cooking, toss the vegetables so they brown on all sides, we did this when the brussels sprouts and carrots had been roasting for about 15 minutes.
Remove the roasted vegetables from the oven and serve immediately as a side dish, or you can let the vegetables cool and use them to top salads and bowls.
❓ Recipe questions + quick tips
Any type of carrots will be delicious roasted. We prefer to roast larger carrots like Tendersweet and Touchon carrots, but when we want a good variety of colors we choose Kaleidoscope carrots.
As long as you wash carrots well, you do not need to peel them before roasting. In fact, unpeeled carrots are delicious because the outer layer browns when baked and provides deeper flavor through a process called the maillard reaction when the natural sugar in carrots is heated.
Carrots can be roasted whole, cut longways (or lengthwise) into halves or quarters, or cut along the length of a carrot into rounds or thicker 2-3 inch (5-7 cm) long pieces. Ultimately you can cut carrots however you’d like, but because we’re roasting carrots with brussels sprouts, we wanted to cut smaller pieces to match the size of the brussels sprouts.
Like many vegetables, brussels sprouts’ flavor transforms when roasted. Brussels sprouts lose their tart flavor when roasted, and instead have a deep, rich, and slightly sweet flavor.
You do not need to blanch brussels sprouts before roasting, but blanching will help the sprouts retain their green color when cooked with high heat.
💡 Herb + spice flavor ideas
This recipe is simply prepared with just olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. However, the herb and spice flavor possibilities are endless! Here are a few to try out in your roasted vegetable recipe:
- Rosemary, shallots, and garlic: roast brussels sprouts and carrots with sliced shallot and garlic, then sprinkle with fresh rosemary when finished
- Garlic, red onion, and fresh herbs: roasted carrots and brussels sprouts with garlic and sliced red onion, then top with fresh herbs like oregano
- Maple and mustard: yes, roasting vegetables with a mixture of maple and mustard brings out a tangy and sweet flavor (try our Maple Mustard Roasted Brussels Sprouts!)
- Turmeric, paprika, and cayenne pepper: make it spicy by roasting carrots and brussels sprouts with a sprinkle of turmeric powder, paprika, and a dash of cayenne
- Make it crunchy with nuts or seeds: add a bit of crunch by topping roasted brussels sprouts and carrots with sliced almonds, pine nuts, sunflower seeds, or sesame seeds
♻️ Sustainable kitchen + cooking tips
We’re all about sustainability here at Fork in the Road, so here are some tips and tricks for getting the most out of your ingredients.
Take advantage of carrot and brussels sprouts season! The best time to make this dish is when brussels sprouts are in season, which is September through March in California (click here to find out when brussels are in season near you if you’re in the US). Carrots are typically available year round here, so we usually enjoy this dish in the fall and winter.
Use your veggie scraps to reduce food waste! Don’t toss those stems and leaves after cutting — add them to a homemade food scrap broth to flavor stocks for soups and to use as a liquid for cooking grains like rice and farro.
Don’t throw away carrot greens! Did you buy carrots with their leaves? Great! Reuse carrot tops in sauces like chimichurri, or pan fry the carrot greens to eat on their own as a side dish (yes, they’re edible!).
🥕 More brussels sprouts + carrots recipes
Check out our other easy baked brussels sprouts and roasted carrot recipes:
- Baked Brussels Sprouts and Beets
- Roasted Green Beans and Carrots
- Roasted Broccoli and Sliced Carrots
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Broccoli
- Oven-Baked Sweet Potatoes and Carrots
- Oven-Roasted Carrots and Parnsips
- Roasted Butternut Squash and Brussels Sprouts
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Roasted Carrots and Brussels Sprouts Recipes
Ingredients
- 1 pound carrots washed and trimmed
- 1 pound brussels sprouts washed and trimmed
- 2 whole garlic cloves sliced thin
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (200 C).
- Prep vegetables: Wash brussels sprouts and carrots. Cut stems from brussels sprouts and cut into halves or quarters. Cut stems from carrots and slice diagonally into 1-2 inch (3-5 cm) pieces.
- Roast vegetables: Arrange the carrots and brussels sprouts on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, tossing the vegetables to completely cover with oil and sprinkle with sliced garlic, salt, and pepper. Place sheet pan in the oven and roast for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through to roast on all sides.
- Serve vegetables: Remove pan from oven, arrange vegetables on a plate and serve as a side dish or as a salad topping.
Nutrition
Notes
- Tools needed: sheet pan, knife set, cutting board
- Prep ahead: Wash and cut vegetables ahead of time to reduce prep time before cooking. If serving cold on salads or bowls, you can make this recipe up to three days ahead of time.
- Leftovers and storage: Vegetables should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. For best taste and texture, do not freeze and reheat.
- Nutrition notes: Nutrition information is estimated for only ingredients in the recipe, not the additional spice options given. This simple roasted vegetable recipe is a good source of fiber, vitamin A, and vitamin C.