Something about the flavors of roasted carrots and fennel just go together. Both are sweet but while carrot is sweet and earthy, anise-flavored fennel becomes sweet and floral with roasting. Together they make a delicious and beautiful pairing that seems to belong together.
Roasted fennel and carrots are not only tasty, but also a very elegant and versatile side dish perfect for roasts, braises or let them shine as the star component in a vegetarian main course, maybe served atop a mound of golden cheesy polenta or served with a poached egg.
If you like fennel, you may also like:
- Braised Fennel in Creamy Pan Sauce
- Creamy Fennel Gratin with Cheese Sauce
- Tuscan Kale Soup with Fennel Sausage and Potatoes
Instructions
Start by preheating the oven to 200°C / 400°F and line a metal baking sheet with parchment paper.
Equipment: Metal pan is best
A metal baking sheet is best for crisp roast vegetables. Glass or ceramic is not as good but will do. Silicone is not recommended.
Parchment paper makes for easier cleanup but you can also use a bare metal pan if that's what you are accustomed to.
Wash, trim and cut the vegetables
Wash the fennel, carrot and fresh thyme. Trim the fennel and carrot of any mushy, dry or brown bits. Before cutting, pat the fennel and carrot dry. This helps for better roasting and is easier to do before cutting.
Cut the fennel across the widest part, and then cut the halves into thin wedges. The segments will come apart like an onion. Thinner wedges have more surface area and are better for roasting.
Cut the carrot into batons a similar width and length as the fennel.
Mince, mash or grate the garlic. It will be tossed with the fennel and roasted. For stronger garlic flavor you can also thinly slice some of it and sprinkle it in near the end.
Toss together
Once the vegetables are cut, toss them in a large bowl along with the olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Gently pull the fresh thyme leaves off the stems and add them as well.
Toss everything until evenly coated then spread it in one even layer on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
Roast
Roast in the hot oven for about 25-30 minutes or until everything is golden. You really need dry heat to get the beautiful golden roasted color so use the convection setting (fan) if you have it.
An air fryer can also work (and should take around 15 minutes) but if they overlap, you'll get steaming, not roasting so you may need to cook in batches.
Serving Suggestion
These golden roasted carrots and fennel go perfectly with rich meals like roasts. Mashed potatoes are a perfect pairing too. Polenta is especially tasty.
You can make an easy polenta bowl meal by heaping roasted veg onto creamy polenta and serving with crispy roasted chicken legs or poached eggs to keep it vegetarian.
Related
If you like this recipe you may also like:
Recipe
Golden Roasted Carrots & Fennel
Ingredients
- 1 fennel bulb
- 2 large carrots
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme or 1.5 teaspoon dried
- 2 cloves garlic
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
Equipment
- parchment lined metal roasting pan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F.
- Wash the fennel and carrot. Trim off any mushy, dry or brown bits. Before cutting, pat them dry. This helps for better roasting and is easier to do before cutting.
- Cut the fennel across the widest part, and then cut the halves into wedges. The segments will come apart like an onion.
- Cut the carrot into matchsticks a similar width and length as the fennel.
- Mince, mash or grate the garlic. Wash the fresh thyme.
- Put the cut fennel and carrot in a large bowl with the rest of the ingredients (olive oil, thyme, garlic, salt, black pepper) and toss until evenly coated.
- Spread the vegetables on a parchment lined sheet pan in one layer.
- Roast uncovered until golden or about 20-25 minutes (convection setting) / 25-30 minutes (conventional). Toss once in the middle for even browning. For stronger and brighter garlic flavor, sprinkle in sliced garlic during the last 5 minutes of roasting.
- Taste and adjust salt to your liking. Serve hot with more fresh cracked black pepper if you like.
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