Fall hits, and my cravings shift a little away from cool, fresh salads, but I still want all the veggies! And there’s nothing better than roasted root veggies. These Maple Cumin Roasted Carrots are the easiest macro-friendly side dish to whip up and complement all your favorite protein recipes. A little smoky, a little sweet, SO GOOD.
Simple grilled chicken, roasted carrots, and a small side salad is such an easy dinner that really becomes a whole meal. Swap in my arugula salad if you want something with a little more crunch. Build one giant bowl like you KNOW I do most nights!
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: Maple Cumin Roasted Carrots
- Ready In: 20 minutes
- Serves: 4
- Calories: 126 cal
- Protein: 2.4g
- Fat: 4g
- Carbs: 20g
- Why You'll Love It: These Maple Cumin Roasted Carrots are the easiest macro-friendly side dish to whip up and complement so many of your favorite protein recipes!
Helpful Tips Before Cooking:
- Cut your carrots into similar-sized coins so they roast evenly, some slices will naturally be a little thinner depending on where you cut the carrot, and that’s fine, just keep them close.
- Cut on a pretty steep diagonal for long, elegant pieces, it makes for a prettier presentation.
- Line your sheet pan with foil for easy cleanup. The maple syrup gets sticky and is a pain to scrub off!
- Make sure your carrots are as dry as possible before adding the oil and spices. Excess moisture will cause them to steam rather than roast.
- Watch the broiler step closely, it goes fast. Five minutes can turn into burnt carrots if you wander off!
- Honey works just as well as maple syrup if you don’t have one or the other.
- Goat cheese and lemon zest are both totally optional, skip either one if they’re not your thing, these will still be so good.
- Leftovers reheat really well in the air fryer. Just a few minutes at 375°F and they taste almost as good as fresh out of the oven.
Here’s What Others Think
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“These are so simple and so good! The cumin is really delicious with the carrots. Even without the goat cheese and very little syrup, it worked really well. Perfect little side dish and great in bowls as leftovers. Thanks!” – Gina
Main Ingredients
- Carrots: I use whole carrots sliced into coins, but baby carrots work too if you’re short on time.
- Cumin, garlic powder, salt, pepper: cumin’s doing most of the work here, warm and earthy against how sweet the carrots get.
- Pure maple syrup: my go-to for flavor, but honey works just as well if that’s what you’ve got.
- Goat cheese and lemon zest: both totally optional, skip either one and these are still SO good.
Dietary Adaptations for Maple Roasted Carrots
GF/DF: This recipe is naturally gluten-free as written. Just make sure you use pure maple syrup, as many artificial versions contain gluten and other unwanted additives. For a dairy-free option, skip the goat cheese, or swap in a dairy-free cheese crumble for the same tangy bite without the dairy.
How to Make
- Preheat your oven to 425°F, and slice your carrots into diagonal coins while that’s going. (Peeling is optional– I personally like to leave the skin on!)
- Lay your cut carrots on a large sheet pan without crowding them so they cook evenly. Give them a spritz of olive oil, and then sprinkle with dry spices.
- After giving them a good toss, roast in the oven for 10 minutes.
- Then remove them from the oven, drizzle with pure maple syrup (use honey if you don’t have it!), and put them back in the oven to broil. You’ll let them broil for about 5 minutes, but keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t burn!
- Remove from the oven and pour them into your favorite serving dish. Sprinkle with some crumbled goat cheese, fresh parsley, and optional lemon zest. It’s as easy as that! Pair with your favorite protein and ENJOY.
How To Store
These maple cumin roasted carrots will keep well in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. Just make sure to place them in an airtight container.
Serving Suggestions
As far as my favorite proteins to pair it with, it really goes well with so many! But here are a few of the usual pairings at my house:
But the truth is, if you’ve seen any of my dinners in stories on Instagram, you’ll never see me with a side of carrots on my plate. For me, these are a savory, tasty addition to any salad or bowl. The more interesting veggies and flavors, the better!
Similar Recipes
For EASY, yet delicious macro-friendly sides, I’ve got you. Here are a few of my favorite, go-to, macro-friendly sides to bulk up your meal:
Maple Cumin Roasted Carrots
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb carrots, sliced diagonally into coins (705g)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil (15g)
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup (15g)
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 Tbsp crumbled goat cheese (14g)*
- Lemon zest, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Slice your carrots into diagonal coins (peeling is optional; I like the skin).
- Lay cut carrots on a large sheet pan, making sure not to crowd. Spray with 15 grams (1 Tbsp) of olive oil, sprinkle with dry spices, then toss well.
- Roast for 10 minutes. Then remove from the oven and turn it to broil. Drizzle carrots with 1 Tbsp of pure maple syrup (use honey if you don’t have it!). Broil for another five minutes, making sure not to burn.
- Remove from the oven and transfer to a dish. Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp crumbled goat cheese, fresh parsley, and optional lemon zest. (There’s no zest in my photos, but we love to add it!)
Notes
Nutrition
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These carrots are so yummy! Even my father in law who is not an adventurous eater said they were “well spiced.” Haha. They were a big hit with our extended family at Easter!
These are so simple and so good! The cumin is really delicious with the carrots. Even without the goat cheese and very little syrup it worked really well. Perfect little side dish and great in bowls as leftovers. Thanks!
These are so simple and so good. It makes me want to make more carrots! The cumin makes for such a great flavor. Even without goat cheese and not much syrup they were still a great little side and perfect for adding to bowls as leftovers! Thanks!