Balsamic Oven-Roasted Carrots

4.3
(8)
7 Reviews

Roasting carrots in the oven brings out their sweetness, which is enhanced further by a tangy balsamic and maple glaze. Serve these balsamic roasted carrots as an easy weeknight side dish.

By
Carolyn Malcoun
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Carolyn Malcoun

As EatingWell's Editorial Director, Carolyn Malcoun searches for cool farmers, chefs and other food stories to tell. She has a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin and a culinary arts degree from New England Culinary Institute. She started at EatingWell as an intern in the Test Kitchen in 2005 and joined the editorial team soon after.

EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines
Updated on September 7, 2025
Reviewed by Dietitian
Christa Brown, M.S., RDN, LD
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Reviewed by Dietitian Christa Brown, M.S., RDN, LD
Christa Brown is a registered dietitian and business owner with a practice focus on diabetes management and content development for brands and fitness influencers. She is a licensed dietitian with a Master of Science in Nutrition Education and a certification in gut health by the Institute of Integrative Nutrition.
EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines
Active Time:
10 mins
Total Time:
30 mins
Servings:
4
Yield:
2 cups
Nutrition Profile:
Diabetes-Friendly Nut-Free Dairy-Free Low-Sodium Soy-Free High-Fiber Heart-Healthy Vegan Vegetarian Egg-Free Gluten-Free Low-Calorie
  • Roasting carrots brings out their natural sweetness for a delicious side dish.
  • Carrots provide beta carotene and potassium, supporting eye and heart health.
  • Adding the maple balsamic drizzle at the end of cooking prevents burning.

Balsamic Oven-Roasted Carrots are pretty enough for holiday gatherings and easy enough for a weeknight side. Antioxidant-rich carrots are roasted until pillowy soft and coated with a tangy balsamic dressing at the end of the cooking time, intensifying the sweetness of the vinegar and maple syrup. Adding chopped nuts at the end gives a texture crunch that is a nice contrast to the carrots. Keep reading for our expert tips, including how to match your carrot size to the cooking time to ensure the best result every time.

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

  • Fresh carrots should always be stored in the refrigerator, unwashed and wrapped in a cotton towel or paper towel to help keep them dry until you're ready to use them. This will ensure they maintain their sweet flavor.
  • We recommend washing and scrubbing the carrots, but peeling them before roasting is unnecessary. If the carrots are thin, you can leave them whole with some attached stems.
  • We add a maple syrup and balsamic drizzle to our roasted carrots to give them a sweet and tangy finish, at the end of cooking so the carrots get coated in flavor without burning.
  • This recipe is easy to double or triple for a crowd, and transports well for potlucks and holiday gatherings.

Nutrition Notes

  • Carrots are the star of this dish, whether you use one color or multicolored. Carrots are rich in an antioxidant called beta-carotene, which can help lower inflammation for people with osteoarthritis or inflammatory digestive conditions. Carrots also have potassium, which is important for maintaining heart health.
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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 4 servings

  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

  • 1 pound carrots, preferably multicolored, cut into 2-inch pieces

  • ¼ teaspoon salt

  • 2 tablespoons chopped toasted hazelnuts (Optional)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Whisk vinegar, maple syrup and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a small bowl; set aside.

  2. Combine carrots, salt and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large bowl; toss to coat. Spread in a single layer on a large, rimmed baking sheet.

  3. Roast carrots until starting to brown and almost tender but not completely cooked through, 16 to 18 minutes. Drizzle the balsamic mixture over the carrots and, using a spatula, toss to coat completely. Continue roasting until the carrots are tender and glazed, about 5 minutes more. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons toasted hazelnuts, if desired. Serve immediately.

    Balsamic Roasted Carrots
    Pictured Recipe: Balsamic Roasted Carrots.

To make ahead

Chop the carrots up to 1 or 2 weeks in advance and store them in an airtight container in the coldest part of your refrigerator.

Equipment

Large, rimmed baking sheet

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Can I use baby carrots?

    We wouldn’t recommend using prepackaged peeled baby carrots, which are coreless small pieces cut from large carrots. They’re typically not as sweet and not that great for roasting. The thin baby/young carrots are the sweetest, and next in line are the medium-sized and large mature carrots.  

  • Can I use an infused balsamic vinegar?

    Definitely. Check your local supermarket, specialty shops or online for a wide variety of flavors, including pomegranate, fig, blackberry ginger, black cherry, bourbon and more.

  • How else can I jazz up Balsamic Oven-Roasted Carrots?

    Oven-roasted carrots taste great with just a pinch of salt and pepper, but their simple, sweet flavor combines well with other flavors too. Once out of the oven, you can toss roasted carrots with chopped fresh herbs, chopped toasted nuts and seeds; or toss or drizzle them with a sauce like pesto or tahini.

  • How should I store Balsamic Oven-Roasted Carrots?

    It's best to serve these carrots on the day you roast them. However, leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. They can also be frozen in zip-top bags for up to 3 months.

  • What should I serve with Balsamic Oven-Roasted Carrots?

    While this recipe makes an excellent holiday side dish, we recommend serving the carrots with our Lemony-Garlic Pan-Seared Salmon, Rosemary & Garlic-Basted Sirloin Steak or Healthy Oven-Fried Pork Chops.

Recipe developed by Marianne Williams

EatingWell.com, May 2019

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

130 Calories
7g Fat
16g Carbs
1g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Serving Size about 1/2 cup
Calories 130
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 16g 6%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Total Sugars 10g
Added Sugars 3g 6%
Protein 1g 2%
Total Fat 7g 9%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Vitamin A 18944IU 379%
Vitamin C 7mg 7%
Folate 22mcg 5%
Sodium 226mg 10%
Calcium 45mg 3%
Iron 0mg 2%
Magnesium 16mg 4%
Potassium 383mg 8%

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.

Additional reporting by
Hilary Meyer
Hilary Meyer
Hilary Meyer
Hilary Meyer is a recipe developer, tester, and content creator. After graduating from culinary school, she started working the EatingWell Test Kitchen in 2006, developing and testing recipes.
EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines
and
Linda Frahm
Linda Frahm
Linda Frahm has been a copy editor and fact checker working with food and nutrition content for the past 30-plus years for consumer print and online publications.
EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines