Tender carrots roasted in a delicious butter sauce, these Butter Roasted Carrots are the best side dish to add to any meal. You can easily pop them in the oven while you make the rest of your meal. 

Carrots are one of my favorite vegetables, and let’s face it; everything’s better with a little butter! The great thing about these carrots is that they are really easy to make and can be customized for all kinds of diets. If you’re looking for a simple, yet delicious side option, these are perfect!

These butter-roasted carrots do take some time to cook, but you can easily throw them in the oven while you prepare the rest of your meal. You can also customize these carrots with your favorite spices or herbs. It’s a great recipe to build on so that you can create a truly unique vegetable side dish that your family will love.

A flowery square baking dish filled with butter roasted carrots.

Ingredients Needed

This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need to make Butter Roasted Carrots. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

  • Carrots – You can use regular carrots sliced diagonally in ½ inch thick slices or baby carrots.
  • Butter – Use cold butter from the refrigerator so that it melts as it cooks. 
  • Salt – I add a pinch of salt after cooking to finish the carrots off. 
  • Fresh Herbs – As an optional garnish, you can use rosemary, thyme, or fresh parsley. I have also included some more recipe variations below.
The ingredients in butter roasted carrots, laid out and labeled.

How to Make Butter Roasted Carrots

These carrots bake in a covered baking dish instead of on a baking sheet, so the carrots absorb the butter and get nice and soft. 

  1. First, preheat your oven to 350°F. Then, peel your carrots and then cut them into diagonal slices. You want to cut the carrots into long slices that are 1/4-½ inch thick. (Pictures 1 – 3)
  2. Next, place your sliced carrots in a single layer in a casserole dish. (Picture 4)
  3. Pull your butter out of the fridge and slice 3 tablespoons into little bitty pieces. Place the pieces on top of your carrots so that it melts as you cook the carrots. (Picture 5)
A collage of images showing how to cook butter roasted carrots, steps 1 - 5.
  1. Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil – optional. (Not pictured – but the carrots will cook faster with foil on top.)
  2. Place your carrots in the oven to bake for 1 hour. Toss the carrots in the melted butter every 15-20 minutes until they are tender. 
A collage of images showing butter roasted carrots baking in the oven.

Serve while still warm with a pinch of sea salt sprinkled on top and enjoy!

A flowery square baking dish filled with butter roasted carrots fresh from the oven.

Recipe Variations

If you want a little more flavor, you can sprinkle your roasted carrots with various herbs and spices. Here are some classic combinations:

  • Rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper, garlic powder
  • Cumin, coriander, cinnamon, smoked paprika, allspice, ginger, cloves
  • Cinnamon, cayenne pepper, nutmeg, turmeric
  • Sage, thyme, basil, oregano
  • Ginger, cinnamon, parsley

Garlic Butter Roasted Carrots

Add 1-2 cloves of garlic to your baking dish. The buttery carrots will absorb the delicious garlic-infused butter.

What to Serve with Roasted Carrots

These delicious butter roasted carrots are so versatile and can be paired with almost any entree. Here are a few of my favorite entrees to serve with my carrots:

A square baking dish filled with butter roasted carrots being scooped out.

Recipe Yield

2 pounds of carrots is about 10 carrots and 1 cup of carrots is about 1 serving, so this recipe should get you about 5-6 servings of cooked carrots.

Storage & Reheating

How to Store Leftovers

Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 3-5 days in an airtight container.

How to Reheat Leftovers

  • If you want them to be nice and soft – Reheat carrots in the microwave.
  • If you want them to be crispy – In the oven at 350°F on a sheet pan for 5-10 minutes until heated through.

Helpful Tips

  • Cut your carrots as close in size as possible to ensure that they cook evenly. 
  • Add herbs halfway through if you’re adding them. I like to add thyme, garlic, or rosemary for the last 20-30 minutes so that the herbs don’t burn. 
  • You can soften carrots first if you want by briefly steaming them before you roast them. This will cut the bake time in half. If you steam the carrots, do not cover them when you roast them. This will allow them to caramelize. Roast until golden brown.

Have You Tried This Recipe?

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A zoomed in picture of a square baking dish filled with butter roasted carrots.

Butter Roasted Carrots

4.94 from 15 votes
Tender carrots roasted in a delicious butter sauce, these Butter Roasted Carrots are the best side dish to add to any meal. You can easily pop them in the oven while you make the rest of your meal.
Author: Kari
Servings: 5
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 1 hour

Ingredients  

  • 2 pounds carrots sliced on a diagonal
  • 3 tablepoons butter

Optional

  • 1 pinch salt added after cooking to finish the carrots
  • fresh herbs to garnish (rosemary, thyme)

Instructions 

  • Peel and cut carrots on a diagonal into ½ inch thick pieces, as close in size as possible.
    2 pounds carrots
  • Place sliced carrots in a casserole dish.
  • Cube butter in small pieces and spread it on top of the carrots.
    3 tablepoons butter
  • Cover the dish of carrots with foil and roast at 350°F for 1 hour, stirring at 15-20 minute intervals. (Add herbs about halfway through so they don't burn.)
  • Sprinkle carrots with salt right before serving. Serve immediately while warm.
    1 pinch salt, fresh herbs to garnish (rosemary, thyme)

Notes

I like to finish the carrots with a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of salt, and some fresh thyme leaves.
If desired, you can bake the carrots with thyme or rosemary. I like to add the herbs for the last 20 – 30 minutes if I do this so they don’t burn and get bitter. 
Recipe Yield
2 pounds of carrots is about 10 carrots and 1 serving is equal to 1 cup of carrots. So, you should be able to get about 5-6 servings from this recipe.
Storage/Reheating
Leftover carrots can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-5 days in an airtight container.
Reheat them in the oven at 350°F until warm and crispy or in the microwave.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cupCalories: 79kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 2gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 137mgPotassium: 581mgFiber: 5gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 30326IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 60mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is approximate and is automatically calculated, so should only be used as a guide.

Course: Dinner, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Southern
Keyword: butter roasted carrots, easy holiday side dish, oven roasted carrots, roasted carrots with butter
Did you make this recipe?Mention @southernbytes or tag #southernbytes!

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Hi, I'm Kari!

I am a newlywed, food blogger, health coach, and mama to a hot mess of a border collie. I love to put a new spin on old family recipes and I try to make as many meals as possible with an Instant Pot.

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