This 10-ingredient roasted beet and carrot side dish packs some serious flavor! The roasted root vegetables get drizzled with a toasted cumin vinaigrette made with shallot and maple syrup. The dish gets finished with fresh parsley and walnuts for a crunchy, nutty finish.
How to Roast Beets and Carrots at the Same Time
You might be wondering, “can beets and carrots be roasted together?” Sure, beets and carrots can definitely be roasted together, but probably not in they way you are imagining.
Instead of roasting beet and carrot pieces on the same pan, we recommend roasting them at the same time, just separately. First, beets take longer to roast than carrots, so we need to start roasting them before we start the carrots. And secondly, it’s best to roast beets whole, wrapped in foil.
To roast them at the same time, wrap the beets individually in foil, then place on a baking sheet and pop them in the oven to start roasting. Meanwhile, prep the carrots and make the vinaigrette.
About three-quarters through the beets roasting time, start roasting the carrots on a separate rack. This delay is key. The beets will actually finish roasting slightly before the carrots, which gives you enough time to let them cool, peel, and cut them.
By the time you’re done prepping the roasted beets, the carrots will be coming out of the oven.
How to Make the Toasted Cumin Vinaigrette
- Heat oil and cumin seeds in a skillet over medium heat; cook until fragrant.
- Off heat, add shallot (it will sizzle!), and cook, stirring, until the sizzling subsides.
- Whisk in Dijon, vinegar, and maple syrup; season with salt and pepper.
The Key to Perfect Roasted Carrots
I found there are two steps to achieving beautiful golden-brown roasted carrots—butter and oven position. Butter, of course, ensures the carrots won’t stick to the pan, but it also encourages browning thanks to the milk solids.
Secondly, roasting the carrots at high heat on the bottom rack is essential for browning. Roasting on the bottom rack means the baking sheet, and carrots, are closer to the heating element.
What Kind of Beets to Use
You can use red or golden, either will work! I use red because they add a nice color variation to the orange and yellow carrots.
If you like a more mild beet flavor, I recommend using golden beets instead of red. In that case, try using all orange carrots or a mixture of orange and purple.
Can Baby Carrots Be Used?
You can absolutely use baby carrots in place of halved whole carrots. You can also cut whole carrots into 1-inch chunks instead of halving them.
In both cases, whether you use baby carrots or 1-inch chunks, start checking their doneness around 20 minutes.
Variations on This Recipe
- Spread a layer of labneh over a serving platter and top with the roasted beets, carrots, and vinaigrette. Dill would be a great finish in addition to the parsley.
- Finish the roasted beets and carrots with crumbled goat cheese.
- Finish the dish with crumbled feta.
- Swap the fennel seeds for chopped fresh rosemary (cook the rosemary for less time than the recipe specifies when using fennel seeds).
- Swap the red wine vinegar for white balsamic vinegar or regular balsamic vinegar.
More Fall Side Dishes to Try
Roasted Beets & Carrots with Toasted Cumin Vinaigrette
Description
Ingredients
- 1 pound beets, about 4 medium, washed and trimmed
- 1 ½ pounds carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 tablespoons minced shallot
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ½ cup toasted walnuts, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Instructions
- Heat oven to 450ºF (232ºC) with racks set in middle and lowest positions.
- Wrap each beet with aluminum foil and place on a small baking sheet; transfer to middle rack of oven and roast until beets can easily be pierced with paring knife, 45–60 minutes. Remove beets individually from oven as they finish; let cool.
- Meanwhile, toss carrots with melted butter in a large bowl; season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
- Arrange carrots, cut-side down, in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Transfer carrots to lowest rack in oven; roast until tender and cut sides are well browned, about 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine oil and cumin seeds in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently until fragrant and toasty, 4–5 minutes.
- Off heat, add shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until sizzling subsides, about 2 minutes. Let oil cool in pan (shallot will start to brown). Whisk in vinegar, maple syrup, and Dijon; season with salt and pepper.
- Carefully open foil-wrapped beets; allow steam to escape away from you. Let cool slightly, then rub skins off using paper towels.
- Cut beets into ½-inch thick wedges. Transfer beets and carrots to a large serving platter and drizzle with vinaigrette. Sprinkle with walnuts and parsley; serve immediately.
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That vinaigrette really sets this dish apart! We had this as a side to beef tenderloin and it was perfection!