Thanksgiving is all about the side dishes, amiright? A good turkey is a necessity and becomes the center of attention, but I personally spend most of my efforts on the sides – my mom’s stuffing, green beans, mashed anything, and rosemary roasted carrots. It’s impossible to pick a favorite side but it is possible to master some of the easiest, most crowd-pleasing dishes for your next Friendsgiving or if you’re lucky enough to host your own Thanksgiving.
There are a million ways to serve carrots for Thanksgiving, but seeing as I’m all about simple ingredients, easy recipes and quick preparation, these rosemary roasted carrots are right up my alley. They take 5 minutes to prep and then you can work on something else while they roast away to caramelized crispy perfection in the oven. What more can you ask for of a Thanksgiving side dish?
- One bunch each of orange, yellow and purple carrots
- 2 tablespoons olive or avocado oil
- 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary, or dried rosemary
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Preheat oven to 400
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
- Wash carrots, do not peel, and cut the stems (I like to leave a few inches for decorative effect)
- Lay carrots out on baking sheet so that all carrots are touching the bottom of the sheet. Use two baking sheets if necessary
- De-stem rosemary and sprinkle whole needles on carrots
- Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper
- Bake carrots for 30-45 minutes, turning over twice so all sides of carrots turn brown
- Serve warm with a sprig of rosemary