Description
Roasted Carrots with Candied Pecans and Goat Cheese elevates simple vegetables into a gourmet side dish with Mediterranean flair. Crisp pecans, creamy goat cheese, and caramelized carrots create a harmonious blend you’ll crave at every meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 pounds carrots, peeled
- 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped
- 4 ounces (113 grams) goat cheese, crumbled
Spices and Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon flaked sea salt
Sugars and Fats:
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons (56 grams) unsalted butter, cut into pats
- 2 tablespoons butter (for candied pecans)
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar (for candied pecans)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare the oven environment by heating to 350°F and lining a baking sheet with protective covering to prevent sticking and ease cleanup.
- Distribute carrots evenly across the baking surface, ensuring each piece receives direct heat exposure. Generously coat with brown sugar, butter, aromatic seasonings like salt, pepper, and cinnamon to enhance natural sweetness and flavor profile.
- Roast the carrots for approximately one hour, periodically rotating them to ensure uniform caramelization and tender texture. Monitor closely to achieve golden-brown edges without burning.
- Simultaneously craft candied pecans using a low-heat technique in a small saucepan. Gently combine butter, maple syrup, and brown sugar, allowing ingredients to meld and create a rich, glossy coating for the nuts.
- Stir the pecan mixture continuously for roughly two minutes until the sauce transforms into a thick, luxurious glaze that clings perfectly to each nut fragment.
- Remove the pecan mixture from heat, sprinkle with flaked sea salt to introduce a sophisticated flavor contrast, then set aside to cool and crystallize slightly.
- After carrots complete roasting, transfer to an elegant serving dish, creating an inviting presentation that showcases their caramelized exterior.
- Finish the dish by generously scattering crumbled goat cheese for creamy richness, distributing candied pecans for textural crunch, and garnishing with fresh thyme leaves to introduce a herbaceous note.
Notes
- Customize sweetness by adjusting brown sugar quantity for different flavor intensities.
- Ensure even roasting by cutting carrots into similar-sized pieces to promote uniform caramelization.
- Swap pecans with alternative nuts like almonds or walnuts for dietary preferences or allergies.
- Use vegan butter and dairy-free cheese alternatives to create a plant-based version of this dish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 298
- Sugar: 16 g
- Sodium: 230 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 18 mg