Honey Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
Honey Roasted Carrots and Parsnips are an easy side dish that pairs beautifully with a variety of main courses, from roast chicken to ribeye steak.
These beautifully caramelized veggies are tender and slightly sweet, with just-barely crispy edges. The honey butter sauce makes them a fan favorite! Keep this honey roasted carrot recipe in your back pocket for busy weeknights or for holiday feasts!
For a stove top option with a similar flavor profile, you’ll want to check out our Honey Carrot Saute.
Easy, Beautiful Honey Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
When it comes to holiday side dishes, I think we far too often overlook the simpler things. We go for cheesy broccoli casserole (which, to be fair, is amazing) or a dramatic butternut squash soup, when perhaps all we really needed was a simple sheet pan of roasted carrots and parsnips.
Roasted vegetables are a go to side dish for a weeknight meal, but they also present beautifully for Thanksgiving dinner and holiday feasts. They’re easy to make and prep ahead of time, mostly hands off, and they always taste delicious. These are the unsung heroes of the side dish world.
My other favorite thing about roasted veggies? They don’t need a lot of extras to make them shine. Roasting brings out the natural sweetness of root vegetables like carrots and parsnips.
We just gild the lily by adding a rich honey glaze and some fresh rosemary and thyme. Adding parsnips to the mix brings variety in both color and flavor, which is especially nice for the holidays.
Place these roasted veggies in a pretty serving dish, and they look right at home next to the turkey and corn souffle.
I think you’re going to LOVE this Roasted Carrots and Parsnips recipe through the winter months. This comforting, nourishing side dish feels just right on a cold winter night.
Why You’ll Love Honey Roasted Parsnips and Carrots
- Great for a weeknight meal, Christmas dinner, and everything in between.
- Healthy ingredients that are naturally gluten free and full of vitamins and minerals.
- Only 10 minutes to get these in the oven, and 35 minutes to roast!
Key Ingredients
- Carrots– You can use any kind of carrot for this recipe, even baby carrots! I prefer the look of medium carrots, peeled and sliced on a diagonal.
- Parsnips– You can find parsnips at most larger grocery stores in the produce section. Look for small to medium parsnips that are smooth, with few cracks or blemishes. Avoid limp or rubbery parsnips or large parsnips that have roots starting to sprout. These almost always have a fibrous, woody core. If you slice into your parsnip and find the core is woody, don’t fear! Simply quarter the parsnip length wise, then run a knife along the inner core, separating it from the rest of the root. Remove and continue with the recipe!
- Olive oil– A common mistake I see with roasting veggies is not using enough olive oil. It takes several tablespoons to get the veggies fully coated and allow them to soften properly in the oven.
- Rosemary and thyme– Fresh herbs add a a subtle earthy flavor. If you’re using dried herbs, divide the amount in half.
- Butter– I use unsalted butter so we can control the amount of seasoning on the veggies.
- Honey– Any honey will do just fine here. We go through a lot of honey here (we love a Honey Latte, Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin, and Honey Soy Salmon), so we buy our honey in bulk at Costco.
- Lemon juice– Just a tiny bit of acid brightens up the rich honey butter sauce.
How to Make Honey Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Season the veggies. Place the carrots and parsnips on a half sheet pan. Drizzle with the olive oil, and sprinkle with rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Toss well, so everything is fully coated. Taste a carrot and add additional salt or pepper if needed.
- Roast. Place the carrots and parsnips in the oven and roast for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Make the honey butter sauce. Meanwhile, in a measuring cup, whisk together the butter, honey, and lemon juice. Take the veggies out of the oven and pour the butter mixture over them. Stir well, then put the pan back in the oven and roast another 10-15 minutes, until veggies are tender.
- Serve. Stir the veggies well, and drizzle lightly with additional honey, if desired.
Make Ahead, Leftovers, and Reheating Instructions
- To save on prep time, peel and cut the carrots and parsnips, then place them in a bag or container with a damp paper towel. They’ll keep this way for about 24 hours.
- Roasted parsnips and carrots make great leftovers! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
- Reheat leftovers in the microwave, or, to recrisp, saute in a pan or place in the air fryer for 3-4 minutes.
- These are so good, sometimes I even snack on them cold, straight from the fridge!
FAQs
Do carrots and parsnips need to be peeled?
Neither of these root vegetables need to be peeled before being eaten. If you decide not to peel your veggies, be sure to give them a good scrub with a potato brush to remove any dirt on the exterior. I like to peel carrots for a better presentation, but that’s totally up to you!
Older root vegetables that have a dried out exterior should always be peeled.
Do you need to parboil carrots before roasting?
I have never had an issue with roasting carrots from raw. Especially sliced this way into thin(ish) long coins, they roast up just fine without wrinkling or shrinking.
Can I double this recipe for roasted carrots and parsnips?
Absolutely! You’ll need to divide the veggies between two baking sheets, but otherwise the recipe will stay the same.
How do you slice vegetables on the diagonal?
Slicing vegetables on the diagonal (or on the bias), results in vegetables with a larger surface area. This can help them cook faster, aid in caramelization, and I think they just look prettier that way!
To slice on the diagonal, trim the ends of your carrots and parsnips and usual. Instead of cutting straight up and down with your knife, angle your knife at about a 45 degree angle, and cut diagonally. You can choose how thick you’d like the slices to be. For best results, stay consistent and cut them to a similar size, so they all cook at an even rate.
Here’s a great visual of slicing carrots on the diagonal.
What Goes with Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
This versatile side dish compliments a number of main courses. Consider pairing these buttery sweet winter root vegetables with Mediterranean Stuffed Pork Tenderloin, Slow Cooker Steak Bites, Beef Pinwheeels, or Sous Vide Filet Mignon.
It would also be lovely with a storebought rotisserie chicken for a really easy dinner idea!
Around the holidays, pair these roast vegetables with Garlic and Herb Roasted Turkey, Orange Glazed Ham, or Prime Rib Roast, plus all of your other favorite Thanksgiving sides, like Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Easy Butterhorns, Cranberry Pear Sauce, and Cornbread Stuffing.
More Roasted Vegetable Recipes to Try
- Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower– The very best way to eat broccoli!
- Roasted Balsamic Green Beans and Mushrooms– Tangy and savory, and so much better than Green Bean Casserole.
- Roasted Vegetable Pasta– Toss a medley of roast veggies with some pasta, herbs, and Parmesan cheese, and you have a full meal!
- Roasted Carrot Salad with Feta and Dill– Another favorite way to eat roast carrots.
- Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes– A staple for the cooler months.
Honey Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
Roasted Carrots and Parsnips are finished with a honey butter glaze and hint of fresh rosemary and thyme for a nourishing and versatile side dish that's just as great for weeknight meals as it is for holiday feasts.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal
- 1 lb. parsnips, peeled and sliced on the diagonal
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 Tablespoons honey, plus more for drizzling
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Place the carrots and parsnips on a half sheet pan. Drizzle with the olive oil, and sprinkle with rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Toss well, so everything is fully coated. Taste a carrot and add additional salt or pepper if needed. Spread the veggies in a single layer across the baking sheet.
- Place the carrots and parsnips in the oven and roast for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Meanwhile, in a measuring cup, whisk together the butter, honey, and lemon juice. Take the veggies out of the oven and pour the butter mixture over them. Stir well, then put the pan back in the oven and roast another 10-15 minutes, until veggies are tender.
- Stir the veggies well, and drizzle lightly with additional honey, if desired. Serve.
Notes
The carrots and parsnips can be prepped up to 24 hours in advance. Keep them in a bag or airtight container with a damp paper towel until ready to use.
Leftover roasted veggies should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or to recrisp, saute on the stove or heat in the air fryer for 2-3 minutes.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 177Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 135mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 5gSugar: 12gProtein: 2g
Please note nutritional information for my recipes is calculated by a third party service and provided as a courtesy to my readers. For the most accurate calculation, I always recommend running the numbers yourself with the specific products you use.