Smashed Roasted Carrots Are Crispy, Caramelized, and Totally Irresistible

Your new favorite way to eat carrots.

By Madalyn Bendgen

Published on October 29, 2025

Credit:

Carson Downing | Food Styling: Annie Probst

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Bring out carrots' natural sweetness by roasting them in the oven. Although it takes longer than steaming or microwaving, the tender, caramelized outcome makes the extra cook time worthwhile. Simply roast the carrots until they’re fork-tender, then smash them (without breaking), sprinkle with a little cheese, and roast again until the edges are nice and crispy and the cheese is melted.

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Ingredients

  • 1 lb. medium carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise

  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided

  • 1/2 tsp. salt

  • 1/4 tsp. smoked paprika

  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper

  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup shredded Manchego cheese (1 to 2 oz.)

  • 2 Tbsp. chopped toasted hazelnuts

  • 1/2 tsp. orange zest (optional)

  • 1 orange wedge (optional)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a 15x10-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Place carrots in prepared pan. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp. of the oil. Sprinkle with salt, paprika, and pepper; toss to coat.

  2. Roast until carrots are fork tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Use the bottom of a heavy glass or measuring cup to smash carrots, without breaking them, to about 1/2-inch thickness. Drizzle with remaining 1 Tbsp. oil. Sprinkle with cheese. Roast until edges of carrots are lightly browned and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes more.

  3. Sprinkle with hazelnuts. If you like, top with orange zest and squeeze orange wedge over carrots.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

190 Calories
14g Fat
11g Carbs
6g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Calories 189.8
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 14.3g 18%
Saturated Fat 4.6g 23%
Cholesterol 14.9mg 5%
Sodium 416.7mg 18%
Total Carbohydrate 11g 4%
Dietary Fiber 4g 14%
Total Sugars 4.8g
Protein 5.8g 12%
Vitamin D 0.1mcg 0%
Vitamin C 7.1mg 8%
Calcium 168.8mg 13%
Iron 0.9mg 5%
Potassium 313.6mg 7%
Fatty acids, total trans 0g
Vitamin D 3.7IU
Alanine 0.2g
Arginine 0.3g
Ash 2.2g
Aspartic acid 0.5g
Caffeine 0mg
Carotene, alpha 4283.1mcg
Choline, total 12.6mg
Copper, Cu 0.2mg
Cystine 0.1g
Energy 794.8kJ
Fluoride, F 53.9mcg
Folate, total 21.2mcg
Glutamic acid 1.3g
Glycine 0.1g
Histidine 0.2g
Isoleucine 0.3g
Leucine 0.5g
Lysine 0.4g
Methionine 0.1g
Magnesium, Mg 26.3mg
Manganese, Mn 0.4mg
Niacin 1.2mg
Phosphorus, P 150.2mg
Pantothenic acid 0.4mg
Phenylalanine 0.3g
Phytosterols 20.4mg
Proline 0.6g
Retinol 67.8mcg
Selenium, Se 1.7mcg
Serine 0.2g
Starch 0.2g
Theobromine 0mg
Threonine 0.4g
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) 2.8mg
Tryptophan 0.1g
Tyrosine 0.2g
Valine 0.4g
Vitamin A, IU 19647.9IU
Vitamin A, RAE 1039.3mcg
Vitamin B-12 0mcg
Vitamin B-6 0.2mg
Vitamin K (phylloquinone) 20.4mcg
Water 110.3g
Zinc, Zn 0.6mg

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.