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roasted asparagus and carrots on baking tray with fresh dill

Roasted Asparagus and Carrots (Café-Style)

Marissa
This café-style roasted asparagus and carrots recipe makes a simple yet delicious side dish that you can prep in 15 minutes or less. A mix of garlic, shallots, extra virgin olive oil and fresh dill, thyme, parsley or rosemary bring out the best roasted carrots and asparagus flavors. Sprinkle with fresh herbs and this is a beautiful side dish for a busy weeknight meal or a fancy Christmas dinner.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Course dinner, lunch, Side Dish
Cuisine Baltic, French
Servings 4
Calories 156 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 veggie peeler
  • 1 Chopping board
  • 1 medium bowl
  • 1 Baking tray or air fryer

Ingredients
  

  • 1 bunch asparagus peeled or trimmed of woody parts,
  • 4-5 medium carrots cut on the diagonal and halved
  • 4 tablespoons good quality olive oil extra virgin
  • 3 Tablespoons fresh dill or Thyme, parsley, rosemary or 3 tsp dried
  • 1-2 shallots finely sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Pepper

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C), or 380°F (193°C) for an air fryer
  • Prepare all the veggies:
  • Finely chop the garlic, shallots and dill (or thyme if you are using thyme).
  • Peel carrots and cut into smaller pieces. If I am using large carrots, then I like to cut diagonal chunks that I then cut in half (length wise). If you are using baby carrots, then you can just use those thin carrots whole.
  • Wash the fresh asparagus spears. Get rid of the woody ends of the asparagus by either chopping them off or peeling them. Dry the asparagus on a clean towel.
  • Prepare the olive oil sauce and pour over veggies:
  • Add garlic, shallots and dill to the olive oil and mix together in a small bowl with salt and pepper.
  • Pour olive oil and herb preparation on to the carrots and asparagus. Mix with your hands until all the veggies are well coated with the mixture.
  • Remove the carrots and spread them on parchment paper on a large baking sheet in a single layer, making sure the veggies aren't crowded.
  • Roast the veggies in the right order:
  • First roast carrots in preheated oven or air fryer for 10 minutes.
  • Add the asparagus and remaining olive oil and herbs in between the carrots (best) or on top of the carrots.
  • Bake for another 15-35 minutes. Keep a close eye on the roasting veggies the first time you make this recipe. Check how done they are after 15 minutes.
    This is really going to depend on your taste. I cooked my vegetables for another 30 minutes (after the original 15 minutes of roasting the carrots on their own), and they were tender but firm inside and browned on the outside.
    If you like your roasted vegetables to be more "cooked" then increase the cooking time for another 10 minutes or so. If you like them more firm, cook them for about 20 minutes.
    The best thing to do is to take out a carrot after 15 minutes and see how done it is. Then keep checking every 5 minutes.
  • After you take them out of the oven, sprinkle fresh dill on top of the roasted carrots and asparagus.

Notes

    • Use organic carrots if possible. They really do taste better.
    • Choose asparagus stalks that are similar in thickness for even cooking. Thicker stalks actually work better for roasting than very thin ones, which can dry out quickly. If you are using thinner asparagus, make sure you cook the carrots a bit longer before adding the asparagus.
    • Cut your carrots into similar pieces no larger than the size of your thumb - this size roasts well and stays tender inside, while getting nicely caramelized on the outside.
    • Make sure you completely coat the veggies with the olive oil mixture, so they don't dry out.
    • Don't crowd the pan - vegetables need space to roast properly. While roasting carrots and asparagus today, I placed the asparagus on top of the carrots to highlight the fact that I start by roasting the carrots. Normally, I sort of scatter the carrots and make some room for the asparagus, so they are all on the same level. But actually, I found it did not make any difference, so either way I think will be fine, as long as your veggies have "room to breathe" so to speak.
    • Temperature tips: 400°F (200°C) for the oven, or 380°F (193°C) for the air fryer.
    • You'll know they're done when you can easily pierce the carrots with a fork, but they still have a slight bite. Look for light browning on the edges and tender-crisp texture. The asparagus should be bright green with lightly browned tips.
    • If you're reheating leftovers, a quick blast in the air fryer works better than the microwave.

Nutrition

Calories: 156kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 1gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gSodium: 916mgPotassium: 233mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 10244IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 27mgIron: 0.5mg
Keyword asparagus, Christmas, easy
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