Maple Roasted Carrots

If you like glazed carrots, you’re going to love these Maple Roasted Carrots. Roasting the carrots brings out their natural sweetness, while adding maple syrup and butter means they become slightly caramelized, intensifying all the flavors. This results in an amazingly flavorful, melt-in-mouth experience. Keep reading for our expert tips, including how to save prep 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!

This carrot side dish adds a vibrant splash of color to your dinner table, whether you opt for the classic orange carrots or a rainbow variety. There’s no need to peel them—scrub them thoroughly with a vegetable brush if you have one.

To save on prep time, consider using skinny carrots if you can find them. If not, be sure to cut the carrots into pieces of similar size to ensure they cook evenly.

If you’re not a fan of chives, feel free to substitute them with another chopped fresh herb, such as thyme, oregano, parsley, marjoram or basil. When using dried herbs, remember to use less, as their flavor is more concentrated.

For easy clean-up, line your pans with parchment paper or foil to catch any stickiness from the maple syrup.

Nutrition Notes

Carrots have a reputation for being good for night vision—and for good reason. They’re rich in the antioxidant beta-carotene, which supports healthy vision. But that’s not all carrots are good for. That beta-carotene also plays a role in your body producing vitamin A, which is crucial for a healthy immune system. Carrots also have other antioxidants, including luteolin, which has been linked to better brain health. And that’s just the tip of the carrot regarding their health benefits!
Ask any New Englander—the flavor of real maple syrup cannot be imitated by artificial flavors. Besides, by using pure maple syrup, you’re also getting some manganese, an essential mineral that activates enzymes involved in helping your body break down carbohydrates for energy. So go for the real stuff!

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