Vibrant, tender and flavored with herbs, these delicious roasted rainbow carrots are easy to prepare and make the perfect side dish for your Thanksgiving dinner or holiday meals. Totally gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan.
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Jump to:
- Side Dishes for the Holidays
- Rainbow Carrots to Dress Up Your Table
- Why This Recipe Works:
- Ingredients You’ll Need + Recipe Notes/Substitutions:
- How to Cook Roasted Rainbow Carrots (Step by Step):
- Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks
- Recipe FAQs:
- Gluten-Free Sides To Serve:
- Other Thanksgiving Recipes You’ll Enjoy:
- Roasted Rainbow Carrots with Herbs
Side Dishes for the Holidays
Now that we’re almost in holiday season, it’s time to start thinking of your Thanksgiving menu and Christmas meal ideas!
While it’s important to pay attention to the main courses (think turkey and ham), I find that side dishes play just an important a role at the holiday table.
Some of our favorite holiday sides include:
- Sautéed Shredded Brussels Sprouts (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- Fennel and Apple Salad (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- Jalapeño Cornbread (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Crispy Hasselback Potatoes (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- Creamy Scalloped Potatoes (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- Sweet Potato Casserole (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Cornbread Stuffing (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
Rainbow Carrots to Dress Up Your Table
I’m a big proponent of feasting with your eyes, and I find that the more vibrant and colorful food is, the more it whets my appetite.
And these beautiful roasted carrots are perfect for that. While you could easily use regular carrots instead, these lovely carrots come in different colors and make an elegant side dish.
They catch your attention, are perfect for accompanying main dishes such as chicken, pork, lamb or fish, and most importantly, are super easy to make!
Why This Recipe Works:
- Simple Ingredients: The ingredients required for this roasted rainbow carrots are easily accessible at the local grocery stores (nothing fancy required!).
- Easy to Make: Making a perfect side dish as beautiful as this one really cannot get any easier! Prep time takes only 5 minutes, and you can let the oven do the rest of the work!
- Vibrant and Flavorful: I love just how gorgeous these carrots look (they really make a colorful side dish that jazzes up any dinner table!). This rainbow carrot recipe is festive enough for a holiday dinner party, but also quick enough as a simple side dish for an easy weeknight meal!
- Totally Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free and Vegan: The best part is that this roasted carrots recipe is 100% gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan, which means that even those with Celiac disease or gluten and lactose intolerances can enjoy them without worries!
Ingredients You’ll Need + Recipe Notes/Substitutions:
- Olive Oil: I like using extra virgin olive oil because it has a more intense flavor, but you may also use another vegetable oil (such as sunflower oil, avocado oil, or even melted coconut oil) if you prefer.
- Carrots: I like using rainbow carrots for their vibrant colors (you can get these colorful carrots at most major supermarkets or the farmers’ markets), but if you don’t have access to rainbow carrots, feel free to use regular orange carrots or baby carrots instead.
- Seasonings: I used a mix of salt and ground black pepper for extra taste, but feel free to use other spices of your choice (such as ground turmeric, garlic powder, onion powder or even chili powder if you want something spicier).
- Herbs: I find that the mix of rosemary and parsley is particularly delicious, but go ahead and use other types of herbs (such as fresh thyme or fresh oregano) if you prefer. Alternatively, if you don’t have fresh herbs available, you may use dried rosemary and dried parsley instead (simply use 1/3 the amount of dried herbs instead).
How to Cook Roasted Rainbow Carrots (Step by Step):
1. Preheat Oven and Drizzle Oil
Preheat the oven to 450F (230C) and pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a rimmed baking sheet or cast iron skillet.
2. Wash Carrots and Place on Baking Dish/Skillet
Wash the rainbow carrots well and place them in a single layer on the cast iron skillet or baking sheet and drizzle the remaining olive oil over carrots.
3. Sprinkle Salt and Pepper
Sprinkle salt and black pepper to taste Toss the carrots to ensure they are coated evenly with salt and pepper.
4. Sprinkle Rosemary
Sprinkle fresh rosemary over the carrots.
5. Roast Carrots Until Tender
Roast carrots in oven for 45 minutes, turning over once halfway.
6. Garnish
Garnish the whole roasted rainbow carrots with extra fresh herbs and add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Serve and Enjoy!
Serve as a Thanksgiving side dish to any main dish such as chicken, pork chops, beef or fish.
Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks
- Add Other Vegetables: Feel free to add in other veggies such as sweet potatoes, butternut squash or pumpkin to enhance the fall flavors.
- Make it Sweeter: If want to further enhance the natural sweetness of these multicolored carrots, you can also drizzle some maple syrup, agave nectar, or honey over the carrots once they are roasted.
- Roasting Time May Vary: Depending on the size of your carrots, you may need a longer or shorter roasting time. Thicker carrots may require roasting up to 1 hour, while baby carrots may be ready in 30 to 40 minutes.
Recipe FAQs:
To store, place the cooled roasted carrots in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
P.S. If you try this recipe, I’d love for you to leave a star rating below, and/or a review in the comment section further down the page. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to check out my entire Recipe Index for all the recipes on the blog. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram! Sign up for my Email List to get fresh recipes in your inbox each week!
PrintRoasted Rainbow Carrots with Herbs
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Vibrant, tender and flavored with herbs, these delicious roasted rainbow carrots are easy to prepare and make the perfect side dish for your Thanksgiving dinner or holiday meal. Totally gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 8 medium rainbow carrots
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 sprig of fresh rosemary, leaves only + more for garnish
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnishing
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Drizzle Oil: Preheat the oven to 450F (230C) and pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a baking dish or cast iron skillet.
- Wash Carrots and Place on Skillet: Wash the rainbow carrots well and place them in a single layer on the skillet or baking dish and drizzle the remaining olive oil over carrots.
- Sprinkle Salt and Pepper: Sprinkle salt and black pepper to taste Toss the carrots to ensure they are coated evenly with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle Rosemary: Sprinkle fresh rosemary over the carrots
- Roast Carrots Until Tender: Roast carrots in oven for 45 minutes, turning over once halfway
- Garnish: Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve and Enjoy! Serve as a side dish to meats like chicken, pork or beef.
Notes
Olive Oil: I like using extra virgin olive oil because it has a more intense flavor, but you may also use another vegetable oil (such as sunflower oil, avocado oil, or even melted coconut oil) if you prefer.
Carrots: I like using rainbow carrots for their vibrant colors, but if you don’t have access to rainbow carrots, feel free to use normal carrots instead.
Seasonings: I used a mix of salt and ground black pepper for extra taste, but feel free to use other spices of your choice (such as ground turmeric, garlic powder, onion powder or even chili powder if you want something spicier).
Herbs: I find that the mix of rosemary and parsley is particularly delicious, but go ahead and use other types of fresh herbs (such as thyme or oregano) if you prefer. Alternatively, if you don’t have fresh herbs available, you may use dried rosemary and dried parsley instead (simply use 1/3 the amount of dried herbs instead).
Storing: To store, place the cooled roasted rainbow carrots in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Western
Grace Lim says
Dear Felicia,
I am also a person who feast with my eyes a lot and loved the different colors presented by my food. I would also like to add other vegetables of different colors (eg broccoli , pumpkin etc) to make the dish more decadent and appetizing!
Thanks again for your post!
Blessings!
Mum
Felicia Lim says
Glad you enjoy it!
kait says
you just described exactly what i couldn’t put into words. you’re outlook is so inspiring!
Sarah says
Hi Felicia! I just wanted to stop by and say that I have been a silent fan of you for sometime now. I really enjoy reading your heart felt posts and your views of the world woven around amazing pictures of delicious foods. Your post today really resonated with me because I feel like I’m constantly in that tug a war of feeling like I need to get in line with the norm and knowing that I should follow my heart and do what makes me happy even if it isn’t always easy.
Thank you so much for sharing your writing and your recipes!
felicia | Dish by Dish says
Sarah, thank you so much for writing! And for sharing your thoughts with me! Really helps knowing that there are also other people out there who also feel that tug of war, and it isn’t always easy to do what we love best (without feeling like we don’t conform), but I encourage you to go for it! It’ll definitely be worth it! And thank you so much for reading 🙂 I truly appreciate it!
Grace Lim says
Thanks Felicia for your realistic observation of the two kinds of people living in a fast-paced and conpetitive environment where there is the strong tendency for comparison against what is perceived to be the norms of society.
Looking back on my own life, I , too, was caught in this mad rat race for so long. Thank God for the reawakening opportunity for me to make the best decision in my life – to retire upon attaining the statutory retiring age of 62 in August this year. I am indeed very excited and looking forward to living my next phase of life with a passsion to fulfil the purpose God has for my life. He has opened up a totally new horizon before me and I am trusting Him to lead me along the path He has set for me – daily trusting in His goodness and guidance and thanking Him for His faithfulness and provisions.
Seeing how you have courageously taken the bold steps to follow your heart’s calling and how you have lived your life these past five years have inspired me to do likewise – i.e. to step out of my comfort zone and experience the “unknown” (unknown to me but not to God). HaHa 🙂
Big Hugs and Smile always 🙂
Mum
felicia | Dish by Dish says
Mummy, now that you have this new phase in life – make full use of it! Use it to do things that you love, and trust that God will provide! 🙂 Thank you for always being so encouraging as well – i love you very very much!!!