Carrots are a staple vegetable in many kitchen, but they rarely take the spotlight at the dinner table and it is a pity. There is nothing quite like the flavor of a garden fresh carrot and this easy recipe brings out their crunch and sweetness while highlighting the distinct “carroty” flavor of freshly harvested carrots.

Anyone who has children knows they like to plant seed and garden, but they love to harvest carrots! I always make sure to wait for my daughter to harvest the carrots as she takes great pleasure in pulling the green tops and exposing the hidden treasures under the ground.

You can make this recipe with any carrot variety, but in this picture I used a mix of Little Fingers carrots and Chantenay Red Core carrots which was planted in early spring. I love these versatile carrots for their ease of cultivation and its stellar flavor. This recipe is equally delicious with fall harvested carrots such as the Lunar White carrots, Autumn King carrots and Atomic Red carrots.

Honey Garlic Butter Roasted Carrots is a wonderful recipe to bring out the best in your garden carrots and take your harvest to a whole new level.

Ingredients

2 lbs (1 kg) carrots washed (peeled or unpeeled, to taste)

1/3 cup butter

3 tablespoons honey

4 garlic cloves minced

Salt to taste

Cracked black pepper to taste

Optional, but recommended:

2 tbsp. fresh chopped parsley

1 tbsp. fresh chopped chives

1 tbsp. fresh thyme 

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Lightly grease a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking oil spray; set aside.

Trim ends of carrots and cut into large chunks. Try to make them as uniform as possible.

Melt butter in a pan or skillet over medium-heat. Pour in honey and cook while stirring until well blended. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant while stirring. Don’t overcook!

Add the carrots and allow the sauce to thicken for a further minute, while tossing the carrots through the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer carrots to baking sheet in a single layer so they cook evenly. Toss to evenly coat.

Roast for 20 minutes, or until carrots are fork-tender. Broil (or grill) for 2-3 minutes on high heat to crisp/char the edges.

Season with a little extra salt and pepper if desired. Add the chopped parsley, chives and thyme.

Serve immediately.