Honey thyme carrots are roasted to perfection and then tossed in herb-infused honey. This side dish is easy enough for weeknight meals and impressive enough for holiday dinners served with favorites like sausage cornbread dressing and loaded green bean casserole.

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Roasting vegetables brings out their natural sweetness, so they can shine in recipes like green beans with pancetta, maple ginger roasted carrots, and roasted cauliflower gratin,
Carrots are often relegated to the veggie platter to meet their fate in ranch dressing, but these roasted honey thyme carrots deserve a starring role on your dinner table.
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Why This Recipe Works
- Just four ingredients that are full of fresh flavor.
- With minimal prep, the oven does most of the work.
- This vibrant-colored dish is a wonderful addition to any meal - especially a holiday table.
Ingredient Notes
- Carrots: I prefer using large carrots because I think they have more flavor than baby carrots. Rainbow carrots are a great option for adding pretty color.
- Cardamom provides a mild, earthy warmth. If you don't have cardamom, substitute a pinch or two of cinnamon, or you can omit it altogether.
See the recipe card for complete instructions and ingredient amounts.
How to Make Honey Thyme Carrots
Step 1: Cut the carrots into uniform pieces (approx. 1½ inches in length). Add them to a mixing bowl and toss with olive oil, cardamom, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated.
Step 2: Transfer them to the prepared baking sheet, spread them into a single layer, and bake at 425℉ until they are fork-tender. Start checking for doneness after 15 minutes, but the carrots could take as long as 45 minutes to roast. The roasting time greatly depends on the size of the carrots.
Step 3: Meanwhile, heat the honey and thyme sprigs in a small saucepan over low heat. When the carrots are fork-tender, strain the honey and toss it with the carrots. Serve on a bed of arugula, if desired.
Expert Tips
- Cut the carrots into uniformly sized pieces. This is important to ensure they roast evenly.
- For larger, fatter carrots, first cut the carrots in half crosswise. Then, cut the fatter half in half lengthwise, then into smaller chunks.
- Toss the carrots in the thyme honey AFTER roasting. This prevents the honey from burning and creates a glaze on the carrots.
Honey Thyme Carrots FAQs
No, carrot skins are completely edible. The skin contains nutrients, so peeling the carrots removes some of these nutrients. To peel or not to peel is a matter of preference. If you choose not to peel the carrots, scrub them to remove any dirt, trim the ends, and proceed with the recipe.
Roasting carrots enhances the flavor much more than boiling. Roasting brings out the natural sweetness of the carrots and gives them delicious caramelization on the outside.
Fresh herbs like thyme, parsley, dill, and tarragon pair well with carrots.
Roasted carrots pair well with beef, chicken, or pork. Add these to a holiday spread with baked turkey tenderloins, loaded green bean casserole, and make-ahead mashed potatoes with cream cheese. For a cozy weekend meal, serve these alongside Mississippi beef stew.
More Vegetable Recipes to Try
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📖 Recipe Card
Roasted Carrots with Honey and Thyme
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Ingredients
- 2 pounds carrots (ends trimmed, peeled if desired)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup honey (or agave)
- 6-8 sprigs fresh thyme
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425℉. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Cut the carrots into uniform pieces. Add them to a mixing bowl and toss them with oil, cardamom, salt, and pepper2 pounds carrots, 2 teaspoons olive oil, ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom, ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and spread into an even layer. Bake for 15-45 minutes until the carrots are fork-tender. Start checking for doneness after 15 minutes, but the carrots could take as long as 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the honey and thyme sprigs to a small saucepan. Warm over low heat to infuse the honey with the fresh thyme flavor. Remove the thyme before using. When the carrots are fork-tender, toss them with the honey. Serve on a bed of arugula, if desired.¼ cup honey, 6-8 sprigs fresh thyme
Notes
- Cut the carrots into uniformly sized pieces. This is important to ensure all of the carrots roast evenly. For larger, fatter carrots, first cut the carrots in half crosswise. Then, cut the fatter half in half lengthwise. Then, cut into smaller chunks. For this recipe, I used large carrots that I halved and cut into 1 ½-inch pieces. They took 45 minutes to roast. Smaller pieces will roast faster.
- The key to roasting carrots is using high heat. 425°F is an optimal temperature for roasting carrots and other vegetables. The amount of roasting time greatly depends on the size of the carrots and whether they are roasted whole or cut into smaller pieces.
- Toss the carrots in the thyme honey AFTER roasting. First, this prevents the honey from burning. Secondly, this creates more of a glaze on the carrots and allows the thyme honey to shine (no pun intended).
- Peeling the carrots is optional. Carrot skins are completely edible. They contain nutrients, so peeling the carrots removes some of these nutrients. If you choose not to peel the carrots, scrub them to remove any dirt, trim the ends, and proceed with the recipe.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific ingredients used.
Abbey McDermott says
The sweetness of roasted carrots adds pizzazz to everything from weeknight chicken to holiday ham.