Easy Roasted Carrots with Cajun Butter

My Easy Roasted Carrots with Cajun Butter are sure to please all the veggie haters! They’re a winning combo of sweetly savory carrots roasted in the oven with zesty Cajun spices, melted butter, and a hint of sweetness. You’ll love how they “spice” up your table!

close up shot of roasted carrots in cajun butter sauce

EASY ROASTED CARROTS WITH CAJUN BUTTER

I really think Cajun spices deserve a lot more love, don’t you? They are a very under-utilized spice blend for a lot of us, but so tasty. Typically, I think of using Cajun seasoning when making chicken or seafood, but it’s also a fabulous way to amp up the appeal of veggies, soups, dip… you name it!

Here, I’m taking ordinary fresh carrots and roasting them, then tossing them in a beautiful sauce of melted butter, Cajun seasoning, garlic, and a touch of brown sugar.

IS THIS DISH SPICY?

This dish is basically as spicy as your Cajun seasoning blend, plus the amount of black pepper you add. Most commercial Cajun seasonings I’ve tasted bring a lot of flavor, with only a minimum amount of heat, or just enough to give it a little spicy kick. This recipe also uses half a teaspoon of pepper, which gives a small kick of its own.

If you’d like your roasted carrots to be spicier, try adding a pinch of cayenne at a time to the sauce until it’s just right. If you need a flavorful, but un-spicy dish, you can omit the pepper, and use (or try making) a very mild Cajun blend.

roasted carrots in cajun butter sauce

RECIPE INGREDIENTS

Carrots: For this recipe, I use 2 ½ to 3 pounds of fresh carrots, cut diagonally into 3-inch pieces. (You can choose whether to peel or simply scrape them, but either way, wash well before cooking.)
Olive Oil: 2 tablespoons of olive oil, for roasting the carrots.
Salt and Pepper: Sprinkle to taste on the carrots, and add ½ a teaspoon of each to the sauce.
Butter: To make the Cajun butter sauce, you’ll need about 5 tablespoons of butter. Salted or unsalted is up to you. You may need to slightly reduce the amount of salt used in the sauce if you choose salted butter.
Garlic: Finely mince or press the garlic cloves.
Brown Sugar: You’ll need 2 teaspoons of light brown sugar, or you can substitute monk fruit sweetener, Swerve, or experiment with other sweeteners.
Dried Oregano, Paprika, and Cajun Seasoning: These signature spices just make the dish.
Thinly Sliced Green Onions and Chopped Parsley: For garnish.

melting butter and adding cajun seasonings in a skillet

HOW TO MAKE ROASTED CARROTS WITH CAJUN BUTTER

Roast the Carrots. Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Toss the carrots with olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Transfer the carrots to a sheet pan or baking dish, and roast until tender, about half an hour, stirring halfway through cooking.
Make the Cajun Butter. While the carrots are roasting, melt the butter in a large skillet. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 20 seconds. Then whisk in the brown sugar, dried oregano, paprika, Cajun seasoning blend, salt, and pepper. Remove from the heat.
Toss the Carrots in the Sauce. Add the roasted carrots to the skillet and gently toss to combine. Taste for salt and pepper, and adjust as needed. Garnish with green onions and parsley.
Enjoy!

prepping cajun butter sauce in a skillet

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

This roasted carrots recipe is pretty easy to make, but there are a few tips I can share to make sure you enjoy the best roasted carrots of your life!

Make Ahead: This is actually a great dish to make ahead, because you can get the peeling, washing, cutting, and even cooking all out of the way in advance, leaving just a delicious and easy dish to reheat. And reheating roasted veggies is quite easy.
Use Baby Carrots: Want an even easier dish? You can substitute a couple of pounds of baby carrots for the regular carrots. Baby carrots are pre-cut and peeled, so all you’ll need to do is rinse them a bit, pat dry, season, and roast.
Timing Is Key: Because the size and thickness of the carrots will vary, the roasting time is approximate. It’s a good idea to start checking for doneness at about 20 minutes, using a fork to pierce the thickest part of several carrots. If the carrots are too hard, give them another five minutes at a time until fork-tender.

WHAT GOES WITH ROASTED CARROTS?

Ham: I love serving these carrots at the holidays, alongside a big beautiful main course dish like roasted ham. My Slow Cooker Honey-Mustard Glazed Ham is a perfect example!
Parsnips: Like two delicious sides of the same coin, a pan of roasted parsnips in garlic butter makes an unusual and super crave-able accompaniment to these Cajun carrots. Try my Easy Garlic Butter Roasted Parsnips for another side dish you’ll love!
A Special Dessert: I mean, if you’re talking holiday dishes, how can you go wrong with a decadent chocolate dessert? My Peppermint Mocha Fudge makes a lovely addition to any menu, but especially during the holidays!

overhead shot of roasted carrots in cajun butter sauce

HOW TO STORE AND REHEAT LEFTOVERS

To refrigerate, place leftovers in airtight containers and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To freeze, place in freezer bags and remove as much air as possible before sealing. Roasted carrots will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months. However, when thawed, they will have a very soft texture, so frozen roasted carrots are best if used in soups, pot pies, purees, pasta sauces, and other dishes. They do not reheat well on their own.
To reheat, place the desired portion on a baking sheet and bake at 375˚F until heated through.

ENJOY!

Tools Used in this Recipe

close up shot of roasted carrots in cajun butter sauce

ROASTED CAJUN BUTTER CARROTS

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time35 mins

Fresh carrots are roasted and tossed in a flavorful sauce of melted butter, garlic, Cajun spices, and brown sugar.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375˚F.
Toss carrots with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Transfer carrots to a sheet pan or baking dish.
Roast for 25 minutes to 30 minutes, or until fork tender, stirring halfway through cooking.
In the meantime, melt butter in a large skillet set over medium-high heat.
Stir in the garlic and cook for 20 seconds, or until fragrant.
Whisk in brown sugar until combined.
Whisk in dried oregano, paprika, cajun seasoning blend, salt, and pepper.
Remove from heat.
Add roasted carrots to the skillet and gently toss to combine with the butter sauce.
Taste for salt and pepper and adjust accordingly.
Garnish with green onions and parsley.
Serve.