Sweet and tangy roasted carrots. A perfect holiday side dish.
- Carbohydrate 0.883828906611885 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.429034375181996 g
- Fiber 0.023125 g
- Protein 0.00569375 g
- Saturated Fat 0.0604115625251753 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (2g)
- Sodium 72.1005531250522 mg
- Sugar 0.860703906611885 g
- Trans Fat 0.0133243750048994 g
- Calories 7 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- In a large bowl toss carrots with olive oil, dijon and maple syrup. Toss well and evenly coat carrots in the good stuff.
- Spread the carrots evenly on a large rimmed baking sheet.
- Drizzle any remaining glaze still in the bowl over the carrots.
- Sprinkle thyme over the carrots as well as a generous sprinkle of sea salt.
- Place carrots in the oven and bake at 400 degrees for 25- 30 minutes or until carrots are tender when pierced with a fork.
- Stir halfway through cooking if possible, but not totally necessary.
- Serve
The ingredient list hides the chemical behavior of sugars under dry heat. Pure maple syrup contains sucrose, glucose, and fructose alongside organic acids. When subjected to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, those sugars undergo caramelization while the natural moisture inside the root vegetables evaporates. Real maple syrup delivers complex caramel notes derived from sap evaporation, whereas imitation syrup relies heavily on corn syrup and artificial flavoring that lacks thermal resilience. Artificial versions burn quickly and produce an acrid flavor profile before the root interior softens.
Maximizing Ingredient Efficiency
Grainy Dijon mustard introduces vinegar and mustard seed mucilage to the coating. This acid cuts through the dense sweetness of the glaze while the emulsion helps the fat adhere to smooth vegetable surfaces without pooling on the pan. Olive oil provides monounsaturated fats that conduct heat efficiently against the exterior walls of the carrots, promoting localized browning.
Assessing Doneness
Roasting requires physical observation rather than thermal probing because carrots lack uniform thickness. Piercing the thickest root with the tine of a steel fork provides the primary textural cue. The metal should slide inward with minimal resistance after twenty-five to thirty minutes of baking. Uneven sizing demands sorting roots by diameter prior to coating so all pieces finish cooking simultaneously.
