Roasted Potatoes and Carrots

Ashley Fehr — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 06:08:00 +0000

These easy Roasted Potatoes and Carrots are made with delicate Creamer potatoes, tossed in garlic butter, and roasted to perfection—the perfect side dish for any meal. Check out the step-by-step recipe video down below!

December is almost here—and for many of us, it is the craziest month of the year!

With all of the holiday prep on top of your normal daily, weekly, and monthly responsibilities, it can be a little much at times. That ordinary to-do list that’s already a mile long? Yes, it just about doubles in December! Sometimes I think the entire season is one headlong rush toward Christmas morning and Christmas dinner!

This is just one more reason to love these easy roasted potatoes and carrots. They are a hands-off, oven-baked side dish that you can serve with just about anything, from a busy weeknight dinner on the fly, to your Christmas main course.

And if you use The Little Potato Company’s Creamer potatoes, like I do, there’s no need for washing, peeling or chopping (though I halve them, because I’m usually feeding smaller mouths). Simply toss them with your seasoning and your carrots, throw them on a sheet pan, and bake.

Recipe Ingredients

Along with using quality vegetables, this recipe’s secret is in the flavorful butter-herb mixture. I usually use dried herbs, but if you use fresh herbs, that’s even better!

Potatoes: You’ll need a bag Creamer or baby potatoes — any kind will do!
Carrots: You can use pre-cut and washed baby carrots for an easy option, or wash and peel a couple of regular carrots, and cut them into diagonal slices one inch thick.
Butter: Salted or unsalted is fine, but if you use salted butter, you may want to slightly reduce the amount of salt in the recipe. I recommend tasting the butter mixture before tossing the vegetables in it. It should be flavorful and intense, like a good salad dressing, in order to truly season the potatoes. If it is bland, add more salt. If it is too salty, add some olive oil or other neutral cooking oil.
Minced Garlic: Freshly minced garlic gives the brightest flavor, but garlic granules are quick, easy, and turn out really tasty in this recipe. If you do substitute granules, use about ⅓ teaspoon for every garlic clove.
Salt and Pepper
Dried Herbs: I use dried thyme and parsley, but you can use any herbs you like.

How to Make Roasted Potatoes and Carrots

As easy as this recipe is, there is one thing that can cause it to turn out poorly: not cutting the veggies to size. The carrots and potatoes should be in roughly equal-sized pieces, or they won’t be done at the same time. So you may need to cut the carrots into smaller pieces or halve any unusually large potatoes. As I mentioned before, I usually halve mine anyway, to make serving the littles easier!

Preheat the Oven and Make the Garlic Butter. Your oven should be preheated to 400°F. To make the butter sauce, melt the butter in the microwave or in a small saucepan over medium heat. Don’t let the butter burn. Whisk in the garlic, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Season the Potatoes and Bake. Reserve some of the butter mixture to serve later (if desired). Toss the potatoes and carrots in the rest of the sauce (being careful not to burn yourself if the butter mixture is still hot). Spread the veggies out on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake for 30 minutes.
Check for Doneness. After 30 minutes, check the vegetables to see if they are as tender as you would like. They may need up to 15 minutes longer, depending on how large the pieces are, and your preference for having them crisp-tender or soft.
Serve. Serve the roasted vegetables warm, brushing with the reserved butter sauce before serving if desired.

Tips and Variation Ideas

Before you start roasting, I’d love to share some helpful tips and easy variation ideas for making this recipe work for your family. This is truly a flexible, customizable dish!

Make It Dairy-Free: opt for vegan margarine when preparing your garlic butter, or use your favorite oil instead. I recommend a flavorful oil like olive oil or avocado oil!
Swap the Carrots: Roasted potatoes work beautifully with halved brussels sprouts, small scrubbed radishes, pearl onions or onion wedges, and more. If you are using tender vegetables like squash or broccoli, add them to the sheet pan about ten minutes into the cooking time, to avoid overcooking.
Spice It Up! Feel free to adjust the seasonings as you like, just be careful not to go too crazy! Add a pinch of cayenne if you like things spicy, or reduce the salt if you are watching your sodium intake.
Cheese It Up! Add a good sprinkling of finely shredded Parmesan cheese before baking for a rich, cheesy flavor.

What to Serve with Roasted Potatoes and Carrots

These roasted veggies are so tempting, you’ll want to eat the whole pan as-is! Still, I do recommend serving another dish or two. Here are some family favorites:

Instant Pot Whole Chicken Recipe: The perfect combo for Sunday dinner!
Instant Pot Pot Roast Recipe: Skip the veggies in the pressure cooker, and serve these Roasted Potatoes and Carrots instead!
Crockpot Turkey Breast: Great for a small gathering.
Easy Roasted Pork Tenderloin: You can throw this pork tenderloin right on the same pan for an easy sheet pan meal.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

To refrigerate, pack your cooled leftover vegetables in airtight containers. They’ll keep well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

To reheat, place the veggies on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Bake at 400°F until crispy.

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