With a meaty bite and a caramelized exterior, these pan roasted carrots can be the focal point of a plant based dinner – or a summery side-dish that goes with anything!
Meet these delicious pan roasted carrot – simple, healthy, and packed with natural sweetness. Both Ben and I love making these when we want to up our intake of vegetables without the need to slice and dice.
With pan roasted carrots, nothing happens to the natural shape of the carrot so there is minimal prepping involved. The caramelized yumminess is similar to what a good piece of meat bring to the dinner plate. AND, these roasted carrot have a substantive, meaty bite to them. So, if you make these as a large part of a plant-based meal, you won’t miss the meat at all!
Table of contents
Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe.
- Carrots: Choose big and thick carrots for this recipe. That’s because the bigger ones have more of a meaty texture and take longer to cook. This means that the carrots can cook on medium to low heat for some time and still develop and sweet charred caramelization on the outside.
- Olive oil: Use a high quality olive oil to season the carrots while they fry in the skillet.
- Salt: A little is all that’s needed to balance the natural sweetness of the carrots.
Variations
- Sprinkle a little cumin powder just before pulling them out of the skillet for a milk curry-like taste.
- Serve them with Maggi seasoning for a boost of umami and meatiness.
- Squeeze some fresh lemon juice for a refreshing taste.
How To Cook The Carrots
The only actual step to cooking these carrots is to fry them in a pan with some olive oil until they become tender and caramelized. Applying a bit of salt to the outside of the carrots and letting them sit for 5 to 10 minutes before cooking helps the carrots get a delicious, salty caramelization after a few minutes in the pan.
What To Serve These Pan Roasted Carrots With
These carrots can be served as a side to a comforting meal or something on the lighter side too. Since the natural flavor of carrots is quite sweet, I recommend pairing them with flavors that are more savory. Some of my favorite pairings for this dish are:
- Broccoli tots
- Korean sticky chicken
- Roasted spaghetti squash with mushrooms
- Baked chicken katsu
- Honey sriracha tofu
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes you can! This is an easy cooking technique that works really with just about any vegetable. I do this with celery stalks, celery root sticks, cauliflower, broccoli, and fennel.
You can use any type of carrots to make this dish. The only thing to be mindful of when using baby carrots is the cooking time. Since they are smaller they will cook and char faster, so make sure to keep an eye on them.
Did you like this recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!
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Pan Roasted Carrots
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 carrots 1x
- Category: Vegan
- Method: Stove top
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Easy, delicious and so satisfying! These super healthy carrot steaks make a fantastic substitute to meat!
Ingredients
- 4 thick carrots, peeled, ends trimmed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Rub the carrots with salt on all sides and let sit for 5 minutes.
- In a pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and when the oil is hot, add the carrots.
- Cook for 5 minutes, turning the carrots once or twice so all the sides are cooking and slowly turning a dark brown color.
- Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 10 minutes, turning the carrots every 2-3 minutes, until they are tender and slightly charred. Turn the heat off and serve.
Notes
Save the leftover carrots in a storage container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 carrots
- Calories: 170
- Sugar: 5.8g
- Sodium: 374mg
- Fat: 14.3g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 11.7g
- Fiber: 3.4g
- Protein: 1.1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
