In my family (of two), one of us is a Thanksgiving/holiday traditionalist who likes things the way they always have been and one of us is not, so we compromise. These cilantro lime carrots are a perfect example. Traditional roasted carrots are jazzed up by bright and tangy colors and flavors that are the perfect contrast to the rest of the white-ish/grey-ish, decadent, indulgent foods. Go ahead and make some, share some and live a little outside of tradition!
Cilantro Lime Roasted Carrots
Makes 8 Servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
2 Pounds of Carrots
Juice From 2 Limes – About 1/3 Of a Cup
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tsp Honey (Substitute Maple Syrup, Etc. to Make This Vegan)
½ Cup Packed Chopped Cilantro
Salt
Pepper
Instructions:
- Pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees.
- Wash and peel carrots. Cut them into halves (or thirds depending on their length.) Cut each of those pieces into halves, lengthwise this time and each of those pieces into lengthwise halves.
- Toss the carrots with 1/2 tbsp olive oil.
- Arrange carrots on a baking sheet. I line mine with parchment paper so they don’t stick. Season with a quick sprinkle of salt and pepper. Pop them in the oven to bake for 20-25 minutes until, flipping them halfway through.
- While your carrots roast, prepare the dressing in a glass (or other microwave safe) bowl by mixing together the cilantro, lime juice, honey and remaining 1/2 tbsp of olive oil. Add a pinch of salt and black pepper.
- Take the carrots out of the oven and place in a bowl. Microwave the dressing for thirty seconds.
- Pour the dressing over the carrots and toss to coat. At this point, I like to remove my carrots from the excess dressing and place in a serving dish so they are not swimming in the dressing. Feel free to pour the excess dressing into a container and serve it along side the carrots!
If cilantro is not your thing, try this recipe with other herbs such as parsley or basil or even a combination of the two! If you prefer flavor but in a more subdued way, try tossing the carrots in the dressing and then baking them.
