Oven Roasted Carrots and Asparagus | Easy Recipe

Oven roasted carrots and asparagus is an easy and healthy side dish that goes well with most main dishes! Flavored with garlic, lemon, nutritional yeast and good old salt and pepper. This simple recipe comes together in under 30 minutes!

In my house, we eat a ton of vegetables, mainly because of my husband's health issues. We're kind of obsessed with healthy recipes in general.

We've both found that we just feel better when incorporating veggies into our diet all the time. What does this look like? Two veggies at every dinner. Occasionally three.

If you're looking for some of the easiest ways to add vegetables to your life, you've come to the right place!

There are only so many veggies available to us, especially during the winter, so it's fun to switch things up by combining them sometimes instead of always eating them as separate dishes.

This roasted asparagus and carrots recipe is an example of that! It's easier and takes less time than making both separately. Everything goes together on the sheet pan and cooks for the same amount of time.

Throw on some simple seasonings. Garlic. Lemon. Nutritional yeast (or parmesan cheese if you do dairy). Salt and pepper. Easy recipe, yet delicious.

We eat it with meatloaf, crispy chicken thighs, venison steak or even fish! It goes with pretty much anything and is quick enough to incorporate into any weeknight meal.

If all you've got is asparagus, you could also try this pan-fried asparagus recipe!

Are Roasted Carrots and Asparagus Healthy?

Carrots

Carrots are highly nutritious, being rich in beta-carotene (Vitamin A), fibre, vitamin K, potassium and more!

Beta-carotene - This antioxidant converts to Vitamin A in the body and supports eye and immune health, among other things.

Fibre - Can reduce blood sugar levels, promote a healthy gut and lower cholesterol.

Vitamin K - Promotes bone health and is essential for blood clotting.

Potassium - Assists with digestion, blood pressure, muscle contraction, heart rhythm and more!

Asparagus

Just like most other green vegetables, asparagus is jam-packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, making it full of potential health benefits.

Vitamin K - Essential for blood clotting and maintaining good bone health. Half a cup of asparagus contains more than 50% of the RDI of this vitamin!

Folate - Essential for pregnant mamas, as it plays a vital role in cell production and DNA formation. It can also prevent changes in your DNA which could lead to cancer. Even though it's super important for pregnant mothers, everyone else needs folate too.

Vitamin A - An antioxidant that does many jobs, including maintaining bone and eye health, boosting the immune system and reducing the risk of cancer by neutralizing free radicals.

Vitamin C - Supports a healthy immune system. It's also an antioxidant, so helps to combat free radicals and reduce the risk of cancer. Vitamin C also helps with the absorption of iron from plant-based sources and assists with skin, brain and eye health!

Fibre - Very important for digestion and keeping you regular! Fibre also helps lower the chance of many diseases, such as cancer, heart problems and brain disease.

Can You Roast Carrots and Asparagus Together?

It's really easy to roast carrots and asparagus together as one vegetable side dish. It just requires creating thin carrots that are about the same size and thickness as the asparagus, so they cook in the same amount of time.

I love combining different vegetables to make side dishes. It adds more nutrients and makes the meal more interesting. It's also easier than cooking the two vegetables as separate dishes, using different cooking methods.

I don't recommend using baby carrots, just because it would take way too long to cut them into little strips, but it would work if you have the time for all that chopping.

How to Trim Asparagus

Asparagus spears are tough at the bottom end and no fun to try to chew. It's nasty. So, you must remove them! It can be difficult to see exactly where the tender asparagus ends and the woody part starts! There are 2 methods you can try

Method #1: Grasp the end of the asparagus spear with one hand and the middle of the spear with the other. Bend the spear until it breaks. The breaking point is apparently where the woody bit starts. I've found that often the asparagus breaks far above the woody part and I end up wasting good asparagus along with the woody stuff. This method is really time-consuming and not any better than the alternative, in my opinion. I would recommend this method if you are deathly afraid of eating woody asparagus ends.

Method #2: Bundle up all of your fresh asparagus spears. Hold the bundle with the spears laying down on a cutting board and cut about 1 inch off the bottom of the bundle (a sharp knife is useful here). If there are any ends that still look woody to you, you can of course trim off a little bit more. Easy peasy and just as effective as method #1.

How Do YOu Know When Carrots and Asparagus Are Done?

If the vegetables are easily pierced with a fork and the edges are starting to brown, they are finished cooking!

Tools You May Need

Cutting board

Mixing bowl

Baking sheets

Tongs

How to Make Roasted Carrots and Asparagus

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch asparagus
• 2 large carrots
• 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ¾ teaspoon sea salt
• ¾ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast or parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice or 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Wash and trim asparagus to remove the woody ends.

Peel carrots and cut off the ends. Cut the carrots into long, thin strips, about the size of asparagus stalks (so they cook at about the same rate).

Toss asparagus and carrots in a large mixing bowl with olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder.

Spread out in a single layer on baking sheets (you'll need two). Bake for 10 minutes. You can line the sheets with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easy clean-up, but I find the best results (vegetables get crispier!) if cooked directly on the pan.

Remove from the oven and toss using tongs, then spread out again in a single layer. Bake for another 5-10 minutes, or until the edges start to crisp and the veggies are tender. The cooking time will depend on how thick your asparagus and carrots are.

Sprinkle with nutritional yeast and lemon juice/zest. Toss and serve!

How to Store Roasted Carrots and Asparagus

Leftover carrots and asparagus can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a pan on the stovetop.

Did you try this recipe? If so, I would really appreciate a 5-star rating and your comments below! Thanks!

Serve With...

• CRISPY BAKED CHICKEN THIGHS
• THE BEST VENISON STEAK WITH OREGANO
• GARLIC VENISON AND PORK SAUSAGE
• BEEF STROGANOFF WITHOUT SOUR CREAM
• SKIPJACK TUNA

More Side Dishes

• INSTANT POT MUSHROOM RICE
• ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH BACON AND BALSAMIC VINEGAR
• OAT BISCUITS
• GERMAN RED CABBAGE
• EASY ROASTED CAULIFLOWER FLORETS