If peas and carrots are your go-to veggie combo, you’ve never tried Roasted Asparagus and Carrots. This simple side looks elegant and tastes delicious as well.
In the spring, when asparagus and carrots are at their peak freshly harvested goodness, there’s no reason to submerge them in spices or heavy ingredients that disguise their delicious flavors. Instead, serve them as a simple dish in which their flavors shine through.
Good chefs know that simple, clean cooking of vegetables is what good eating is all about. The wonderful thing about roasting is that it’s not only a healthy form of cooking, it caramelizes the vegetables’ natural sugars and starches, bringing them to the surface, and eliciting their flavor.
How to Make Perfect Roasted Vegetables
Roasting is all about evaluating the level of heartiness of the vegetable and deciding how to make them cook to the ultimate tenderness. Since asparagus and carrots have different levels of tenderness, they also have different cooking times. To make sure your carrots are just as done as your asparagus, cut your carrots into thin strips. If you have smaller asparagus spears, you might want to pop your much heartier carrots into the microwave with some water until they have tenderized. Then you can roast both safely for the allotted time and assure they’ll both be fork-tender and delicious.
How do I prep and store these veggies?
You can refrigerate these vegetables in an airtight container for up to three days. Don’t freeze these veggies for too long after baking. One month tops! Then let them thaw in the fridge overnight.
Serving Suggestions
I love these roasted veggies with virtually everything, though I’m partial to my Baked Mediterranean Chicken or my Easy Ahi Tuna.
Roasted Asparagus and Carrots
Ingredients
- 1 pound asparagus ends trimmed
- 1 pound carrots peeled and cut into strips
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Place the trimmed asparagus and carrot strips on the baking sheet, ensuring they are in a single layer for even cooking.
- Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil, then sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper. Toss everything together to coat the vegetables evenly.
- Roast in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned.
- After removing from the oven, squeeze fresh lemon juice over the vegetables for a bright, citrusy flavor.
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