Carrots: Roast Slow, Season Late
For deep, complex flavor, gently roasting carrots in stages ensures that they cook up sweet and tender, while preventing seasonings from scorching.
Time is the secret ingredient for better roasted carrots
For roasted carrots that are super-sweet and almost meltingly tender, we borrow a trick from barbecue—low and slow cooking in a moderately hot oven. We start them coated with olive oil, but drizzle them with melted butter partway through roasting. The milk solids in the butter caramelize in the oven, adding a rich, nutty fragrance and flavor. Za’atar, a Middle Eastern seed and spice blend, and orange zest and juice bring complexity to the dish. Pistachios and sweet-tart pomegranate molasses add meaty crunch and bright, tart balancing notes.
SHOPPING
Bunch carrots—the type sold with their greens attached—are especially good here because they’re slender and fresh. If using carrots with especially thick upper portions, after halving them lengthwise, halve them again to create uniform pieces.
TIP
Be certain not to season the carrots with the za’atar until after 30 minutes of roasting. Staggering the cooking in this way gives the vegetable the time it needs to roast without the risk of burning the more delicate seeds and herbs.
Milk Street
Go Low and Slow For Better Roasted Carrots
When roasting carrots low and slow—which allows vegetables to become uniformly tender without the risk of scorching the exteriors—we wait to add delicate seasonings until midway through cooking to prevent them from burning and turning acrid.
