Difficulty level: easy (only prep work – peel and cut carrots; then hands-off roasting in oven)
This recipe may sound fancy, but guess who I make it for most often?
That’s right, the resident toddler. I offer this tidbit as proof that the recipe is both easy to make on a regular basis and will satisfy the pickiest taste buds with its tanginess, sweetness, and (depending on how much pepper you use) heat. My mom originally made this recipe for us adults to eat using baby carrots—actual young carrots, not the machine-made nubs with cracked skin—and a hefty dose of pepper.
Using more readily available large carrots cut into smaller pieces converts this recipe into a staple mealtime side and makes it a toddler friendly finger food. This does require more peeling and chopping than using baby carrots, however. So if you’ve got baby carrots, use them, just make sure to cut some of the larger ones in half lengthwise to ensure even thickness and adjust the bake time downwards a little.
After tossing the carrots in oil, vinegar, and seasonings, line them up on a lined baking sheet 
When done, the carrots will be slightly wrinkled and browned
One other note: in the past, I’ve talked about using high quality balsamic condimentos for salad, etcetera. Don’t do that here. When roasting the carrots, the heat will destroy many of the volatiles that make high quality balsamic vinegar so flavorful, needlessly wasting an expensive ingredient. Also, a full-bodied aged vinegar will make this recipe overly sweet. The everyday balsamic vinegar stocked on the shelf of your neighborhood grocery store is thus both sufficient and preferred for this recipe. But still make sure to read the ingredient label when purchasing: avoid any balsamic vinegars with added sweeteners, sulfites, or colorants.
Balsamic Glazed Herb Roasted Carrots
Ingredients
- Two pounds carrots
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- Salt to taste
- Coarse ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp dried parsley flakes
- ½ tbsp dried thyme leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400⁰F.
- While the oven heats, peel and cut carrots into finger-length sticks of equal thickness, about ½ inch thick.
- Toss carrots sticks with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, parsley flakes, and dried thyme leaves
- Arrange on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, until carrots are soft enough to slice with the side of a fork. They will be slightly wrinkled and browned when done. If not done, toss carrots on sheet to ensure even browning and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes.