Honey roasted carrots, sliced carrots roasted until tender and then tossed with a sweet and sticky honey butter sauce, are a simple and crowd-pleasing side dish that you can have ready for the oven in just minutes.
Honey roasted carrots are a fantastic way to dress up classic roasted carrots. Roasting carrots already brings out their natural sweetness, and tossing them with a sticky-sweet honey butter sauce makes them completely irresistible.
You can prep them in just a few minutes, and unlike honey carrots cooked on the stovetop, these carrots are pretty much hands-off once they go into the oven.
Give the pan a shake halfway through, but other than that, they roast up tender and beautiful with next to no babysitting.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Olive oil: For convenience sake, I like to use olive oil when roasting the carrots, but you can replace the olive oil with the same amount of melted butter.
- Salted butter: For the honey butter sauce, substitute unsalted butter if that’s what you keep on hand, just up the salt in the recipe by a pinch.
- Balsamic vinegar: A bit of balsamic vinegar mixed with the honey and butter adds a little tang and sophistication to the buttery sweet coating. But if you don’t have any, you can skip it.
Chef’s tip: Give your measuring spoon a quick spritz with cooking spray before measuring out your honey and it will slide right out, making measuring quick and easy.
How to Make Honey Roasted Carrots
- Prep the carrots: Peel and trim the tops from your carrots and slice them into 2-inch chunks. For larger carrots, slice the thick upper part in half lengthwise before cutting into chunks so everything roasts evenly. Transfer the carrots to a rimmed baking sheet and toss them with the olive oil and salt until well-coated. Arrange the pieces on the baking sheet in a single layer.
Roast: Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, shaking the tray vigorously to toss the carrots once halfway through, until the carrots are beginning to caramelize around the edges and are fork-tender.
Make the honey butter sauce: In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine honey and butter. Microwave until honey begins to bubble, 20 to 30 seconds. The mixture will be hot, so very carefully remove it from the microwave. Add optional balsamic vinegar if desired, and stir until everything is well-combined.
- Mix with sauce: Pour honey mixture over the hot carrots and toss to coat. Serve and enjoy!
Variations
- Less-sticky roasted carrots: As written, this recipe makes roasted carrots that are then coated with a sticky, syrupy glaze. If you prefer your honey roasted carrots with a more baked-in honey flavor, omit the olive oil, and melt together 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of honey. Add the optional balsamic vinegar and toss the raw carrots in the mixture and then bake according to recipe instructions.
- Quick honey carrots: If you like this glaze and you’re short on time, you can also steam carrots in the microwave and toss them with the honey butter glaze.
Can I make these with baby carrots instead of cut carrots?
Absolutely. Baby carrots work great with this recipe.
Can I cook these at the same time as my main dish?
Yes. Just like when making regular roasted carrots , as long as your dish is cooking at 450°F or lower, you can cook your carrots at the same time as your main dish, however the carrots may not get as browned and may need a slightly longer roasting time than when cooked alone.
Roast the carrots on a rack below the main dish and extend the baking time as needed for the carrots to become tender.
More Easy Side Dishes
- The BEST Oven-roasted Broccoli
- Smashed Red Potatoes
- Microwave Corn on the Cob
- Zucchini in the Oven
Ingredients
- ▢ 2 pounds carrots
- ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
- ▢ 2 tablespoons honey
- ▢ 1 tablespoon (14g) salted butter
- ▢ 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Peel and trim the tops from your carrots and slice them into 2-inch chunks. For larger carrots, slice the thick upper part in half lengthwise before cutting into chunks.
- Transfer the carrots to a rimmed baking sheet and toss them with the olive oil and salt until well-coated. Arrange the pieces on the baking sheet in a single layer.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, tossing the carrots once halfway through, until the carrots are beginning to caramelize around the edges and are fork-tender.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine honey and butter. Microwave until honey begins to bubble, 20 to 30 seconds. Carefully remove from the microwave. Add optional balsamic vinegar if desired, and stir until everything is well-combined.
- Pour honey mixture over the hot carrots and toss to coat. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Penne alla vodka for one is the ultimate quick and easy meal if you’re craving something rich and indulgent but really don’t feel like cooking.
There are a handful of single-serve pasta recipes on the site: mac and cheese , fettuccine Alfredo , buttered noodles , etc. These recipes have always been pretty popular because sometimes you just want a bowl of carbs for dinner even if you’re flying solo.
And since I’ve been having so much fun working with vodka sauce the last couple of months, I thought this would be the perfect time to shrink things down and post penne alla vodka for one.
This recipe makes just a single serving of my favorite smooth and creamy vodka sauce that you can serve over penne, rigatoni, or whatever pasta you currently have stocked.
This is pretty much the ultimate quick and simple meal if you’re craving something rich and indulgent but reeeeeeally don’t feel like cooking.
There’s no chopping required (as long as you own a garlic press ) and the sauce takes about 15 minutes to make including prep time.
So start prepping your ingredients while your pasta water comes to a boil, and the sauce will be finished, ready to go, and beautiful by the time your noodles are done.
Ingredient Notes
- Pasta: Even though this is called penne alla vodka, feel free to use your favorite tubular pasta here. I’m a big fan of rigatoni.
- Tomato paste: This recipe will only use a tablespoon of tomato paste, so you’ll definitely have some left over. Check out my post What to Do With Leftover Tomato Paste for storage tips and recipe ideas for the rest of the can.
- Heavy cream: And you’ll also probably have leftover heavy cream. Might I recommend, What to Do With Leftover Whipping Cream ?
How to Make Penne alla Vodka for One
- Cook pasta: Bring a small pot of water to boil and salt generously. Add pasta and cook until al dente.
Brown the garlic: While your pasta boils, to a small pot, add olive oil and butter. Heat over medium heat until butter melts. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for about 1 minute, until garlic is lightly golden and aromatic.
Cook the tomato paste: Whisk in tomato paste and cook, whisking frequently, until tomato paste darkens in color and begins to caramelize on the bottom of the pot, 2 to 4 minutes. This will cook the raw flavor out of the tomato paste as well as deepen the flavor.
Add vodka: Turn heat to low and add vodka (sauce will pop and sizzle when vodka hits the hot pan). Whisk, scraping any cooked-on bits from the bottom of the pot, until vodka is incorporated into the sauce.
Add heavy cream: Whisk in the heavy cream. Turn the heat back up to medium-high and bring the sauce up to barely a simmer (do not allow the sauce to come to a full boil.) Adjust the temperature as needed to keep the sauce barely simmering and cook for 3 minutes to help cook the alcohol taste out of the sauce.
Add pasta water: When your pasta is almost done cooking, use a heat-proof measuring spoon to scoop out two tablespoons of pasta water and stir it into your sauce. Taste and add salt as needed.
Add pasta: Once pasta is cooked, scoop out a little of the pasta water and set aside. Drain pasta or use a slotted spoon to transfer pasta from the water to the sauce. Stir until the pasta is well-coated and let it sit for 2 or 3 minutes for the sauce to thicken slightly. If the sauce thickens too much or is too thick after you add parmesan, add a little of the reserved pasta water back to the pasta until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
Plate: Serve, top with shredded parmesan if desired, and enjoy!
Variations
- Chicken: Add 4 ounces of cooked, warmed chicken breast to the pasta. Shredded chicken or chopped up leftover roast chicken would work great.
- Tortellini or ravioli: If you’re feeling really wild, vodka sauce would be amazing over some cheese-filled pasta.
- Sausage: Slice 4 ounces of smoked sausage into rounds and brown them in 1 tablespoon of olive oil before stirring them into the pasta.
Do I have to use vodka in penne alla vodka?
You don’t have to use vodka in vodka sauce. The sauce will still be creamy and smooth and delicious without it. BUT, the vodka does bring out the flavors of the other ingredients, and the sauce without them is a little flatter tasting and less flavorful.
Can I double this recipe?
Absolutely. To double the recipe, hover over (or click if you’re on mobile) the serving size in the recipe below and slide the slider.
What to serve with penne alla vodka?
Serve the pasta with a side of garlic bread and a simple green salad or roasted veggies like roasted green beans , roasted broccoli or roasted zucchini .
More Small-batch Recipes
- Mac and Cheese for One
- Fettuccine Alfredo for One
- Buttered noodles for One
- Small-batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Small-batch Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
- ▢ 3 ounces penne or rigatoni
- ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ▢ 1 tablespoon ( 14g ) butter
- ▢ 1 clove garlic pressed with a garlic press or minced
- ▢ Pinch of red pepper flakes optional
- ▢ 1 tablespoon ( 16g ) tomato paste
- ▢ 1 tablespoon vodka
- ▢ ¼ cup heavy cream
- ▢ Shredded Parmesan cheese optional for topping
Instructions
- Bring a small pot of water to boil and salt generously. Add pasta and cook until al dente.
- While your pasta boils, to a small pot, add olive oil and butter. Heat over medium heat until butter melts.
- Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for about 1 minute, until garlic is lightly golden and aromatic.
- Whisk in tomato paste and cook, whisking frequently, until tomato paste darkens in color and begins to caramelize on the bottom of the pot, 2 to 4 minutes.
- Turn heat to low and add vodka (sauce will pop and sizzle when vodka hits the hot pan). Whisk, scraping any cooked-on bits from the bottom of the pot, until vodka is incorporated into the sauce.
- Whisk in the heavy cream. Turn the heat back up to medium-high and bring the sauce up to barely a simmer (do not allow the sauce to come to a full boil.) Adjust the temperature as needed to keep the sauce barely simmering and cook for 3 minutes.
- When your pasta is almost done cooking, use a heat-proof measuring spoon to scoop out 2 tablespoons of pasta water and stir it into your sauce.
- Taste and add salt as needed.
- Once pasta is cooked, scoop out a little of the pasta water and set aside. Drain pasta or use a slotted spoon to transfer pasta from the water to the sauce. Stir until the pasta is well-coated and let it sit for 2 or 3 minutes for the sauce to thicken slightly. If the sauce thickens too much, add a little of the reserved pasta water back to the pasta until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
- Serve, top with shredded parmesan if desired, and enjoy!
Learn how to shred cabbage the quickest and easiest way possible.
If you’ve never shredded cabbage before, it can be a little confusing to know where to start when faced with a whole head of cabbage on your cutting board.
No worries! Shredding cabbage is super quick and easy. Here’s how to do it…
How to Shred Cabbage
- Peel any loose or discolored leaves from the outside of the cabbage and rinse and dry it well. Cut the cabbage in half from top to the stem base.
Lay the flat side of each piece down and cut each of the halves in half again from top to bottom.
At the base of each wedge, is the hard, white heart of the cabbage. Cut that out of each piece at an angle.
- Finally, slice each wedge into shreds, starting at the tip and working down to the base until you have a perfect pile of shredded cabbage sitting on your cutting board.
Shredding Cabbage with A Mandoline
For very fine, perfectly even shreds, you can use a mandoline to shred your cabbage. Cut the cabbage into wedges and remove the core and then use the mandoline to shred each quarter into pieces.
Selecting Cabbage
Look: Choose a cabbage that is brightly colored, tightly closed, and mostly free of dark spots or blemishes. A couple loose and dull-colored outer leaves are okay.
Feel: When picked up, the cabbage should feel heavy for its size with crisp leaves. It should feel firm, not soft or spongy, which can indicate rotten spots inside.
Red or Green: While there are many types of cabbages, red cabbage and green cabbage (AKA Cannonball cabbage) are the varieties used most often in Western cooking. The two can be used interchangeably in recipes. Aside from the color, with cooking, their texture and flavor are very similar.
How to Store Shredded Cabbage
Shredded cabbage stores well. Transfer the cabbage to an airtight container or zip-top bag and store in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days.
What to Make With Shredded Cabbage
Coleslaw (great on BBQ Chicken Sandwiches ) Soups (like Ground Turkey Vegetable Soup ) Stir-fry
How much shredded cabbage will a head of cabbage produce?
Cabbage size varies a TON, so it’s impossible to say exactly how much shredded cabbage a single head will yield.
But, on average, a medium-sized cabbage will yield 8 to 10 cups of shredded cabbage.
Can you freeze shredded cabbage?
Yes! You can freeze shredded cabbage, but it will lose some of its crunch after freezing. Don’t plan on freezing cabbage to use fresh later in coleslaws or tacos, but it works okay if you plan on cooking with it for things like in soups or a stir-fry.
Tips and Tricks
- It can be a little difficult to make the first cut through a head of cabbage. A very sharp chef’s knife will make your job much easier.
Equipment
- Sharp Chef’s Knife
Ingredients
- ▢ 1 medium cabbage
Instructions
- Peel any loose or discolored leaves from the outside of the cabbage and rinse and dry it well.
- Cut the cabbage in half from top to the stem base.
- Lay the flat side of each piece down and cut each of the halves in half again from stem to top.
- At the base of each wedge, is the hard, white heart of the cabbage. Cut that out of each piece at an angle.
- Slice each wedge into shreds, starting at the tip and working down to the base.
- Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days.
Notes
Honey Roasted Carrots
Ingredients
- 2 pounds carrots
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon (14g) salted butter
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Peel and trim the tops from your carrots and slice them into 2-inch chunks. For larger carrots, slice the thick upper part in half lengthwise before cutting into chunks.
- Transfer the carrots to a rimmed baking sheet and toss them with the olive oil and salt until well-coated. Arrange the pieces on the baking sheet in a single layer.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, tossing the carrots once halfway through, until the carrots are beginning to caramelize around the edges and are fork-tender.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine honey and butter. Microwave until honey begins to bubble, 20 to 30 seconds. Carefully remove from the microwave. Add optional balsamic vinegar if desired, and stir until everything is well-combined.
- Pour honey mixture over the hot carrots and toss to coat. Serve and enjoy!
