Spicy roasted carrots

These spiced roasted carrots are one of my favorite side dishes. It is a fun spin on the classic roasted carrots with the addition of chili flakes and maple syrup. The sweet and spiced glaze goes so well with the carrots.

You can adjust the spice level to your liking, its deliciously spicy, but not too spicy to loose the other flavours.

For some more healthy side dishes, check out this Crispy roasted sweet potatoes or these Balsamic roasted green beans.

Ingredients

These Spicy roasted carrots are easy to make and full of flavor. All you need are a few ingredients, listed below. 
For the full ingredient measurements, scroll down to view the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

• Carrots, washed and peeled, cut into slices, about 1 inch thick.
• Olive oil, or other neutral tasting oil of choice, avocado oil is another healthy alternative.
• Maple syrup or hot honey for a spicier dish.
• Spices, sea salt, ground black pepper, paprika powder, garlic powder, ground cumin and chili flakes.
• Parsley, chopped for garnish

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

These easy roasted carrots come together fast and with minimal effort and maximum flavor. Follow the instruction below with step-by-step photos. For the full written instructions, see the recipe card at the bottom.

1. Step 1: Cut the carrots into large slices, about 1 inch, then add them to the prepared baking sheet. Top with the olive oil, maple syrup and spices. Stir well until the carrots are evenly coated and spread out in a single layer.

2. Step 2: Roast the carrots, stirring once or twice, for about 20-30 minutes, or until lightly caramelised and fork tender, but not mushy. The maple syrup will caramelise, and if baked too long it can start to burn. so keep a close eye on the oven at the end of roasting.

3. Step 3: Top with fresh chopped parsley, some more salt and pepper if desired and serve immediately while hot. Enjoy!

Hint: For these sweet and spicy roasted carrots I have used ½ teaspoon of chili flakes, that is the top of my families spice tolerance. If you want to make these easy roasted carrots even spicier, top with more chili flakes to taste, or use hot honey instead of maple syrup.

Substitutions and Variations

• Carrots – instead of carrots, you can use also use cubed sweet potato or butternut squash.
• Oil – Instead of olive oil, avocado oil is a great alternative or other neutral oil that can handle high heat in the oven.
• Vegan – these Sweet and spicy roasted carrots are vegan by using maple syrup, if you opt to use hot honey it will be vegetarian, but not vegan.
• Herbs – these spicy roasted carrots are topped with some chopped parsley, fresh thyme or cilantro are other great options.

TOPPING SUGGESTIONS

These spicy honey roasted carrots tastes great just the way they are. But you can also add a few toppings. Here are some of my favourites:

• Sauce, serve with a drizzle of this creamy Maple Tahini Dressing or some greek yoghurt.
• Nuts, sprinkle the spicy roasted carrots with some chopped walnuts, pecans or almonds.
• Cheese, top with some creamy crumbled feta or goats cheese.
• Pomegranate, scatter over some fresh and crispy pomegranate seeds. 

Another great side dish recipe to try is this Sweet potato quinoa salad or these Crispy roasted sweet potatoes.

Storage

Any leftovers of these spicy maple roasted carrots can be stored in an airtight container, or ziplock bag, in the fridge for 4-5 days. Always smell and taste any leftovers before serving for food safety.

The roasted carrots also freeze well for up to 4 months.