Cumin-Roasted Carrots

These Cumin-Roasted Carrots go in the oven with coconut oil and spices for an easy, healthy side dish.

There’s something soothing about the process of peeling root veggies, chopping them into uniform pieces, and dousing them with oil and seasonings. The smells that waft from the oven during a veggie roast are comforting, and in the winter, the process warms the whole kitchen up.

From time to time, my best friend and I will text each other when one of us has a bad day. “It’s time for a healing root vegetable roast,” one of us will inevitably suggest. (This is not a joke. We really say this.) One of the reasons we’re such good friends is that we connect through food and cooking, and typically, one or both of us has a pile of root vegetables languishing in the fridge at any given time.

Carrots are my obvious first choice for a root veggie roast. Whole carrots are cheap, so I always have them. They go with everything, and they outlive nearly every other vegetable in my fridge. Roasting carrots brings out their sweet flavors, and I’d argue it’s the best way to eat a carrot. One of the best parts about this roasted carrot recipe is the smell of the toasted cumin and coriander seeds before anything even goes in the oven. And once roasted, the earthy, spicy flavors of cumin and coriander mix with the tender, caramelized carrots, making a perfect side for virtually any main dish.

Are Cumin-Roasted Carrots Healthy?

Yes, this dish is healthy. Carrots bring a lot of fiber and vitamin A to the table along with other essential nutrients, and whole cumin seeds provide a surprising amount of iron. Coriander seeds are a source of antioxidants. This recipe is low-fat, low-calorie, dairy-free, vegan, and relatively low-carb overall, so it’s suitable for many types of diets.

Why Use (And Toast) Whole Spices?

One central part of this recipe is toasting cumin and coriander seeds whole. I know some of you might be tempted to skip all that and simply use ground spices or un-toasted seeds on your carrots, and that’s fine too. But you’ll be missing out!

Toasting whole cumin and coriander seeds for recipes like this one adds a depth of flavor and a different, crunchy texture to the dish that you simply won’t get using ground or untoasted spices. The flavor of toasted cumin is nuttier and more intense than untoasted cumin, and toasted coriander is similarly intensified.

The difference between buying ground spices and crushing your own whole spices is comparable to coffee: pre-ground coffee is always going to be more stale, less flavorful, and diminished overall compared to freshly-ground coffee beans. So if at all possible, use fresh, whole spices and process them yourself!

Serving Suggestions

These carrots make a tasty, fancy side for many main proteins. I love pairing them with these Paleo Sheet Pan Za’atar Chicken Thighs or this Keto Steak With Garlic Butter Mushrooms. Sometimes, I use roasted carrots as an ingredient in a dinner bowl with short-grain brown rice, feta or goat cheese, and this Herby Air-Fryer Chicken Breast sliced up on top. Since we’re talking about rice, I also think this Harvest Black Rice Salad would go great with these carrots, especially when the weather is cool.

Recipe