Maple Dijon Roasted Carrots with Goat Cheese and Walnuts

Maple dijon roasted carrots with goat cheese, walnuts and thyme are a healthy, crave-worthy side dish full of flavor! They look elegant on your Thanksgiving table and are just as perfect for everyday dinners. (vegetarian, gluten-free)

Can I tell you a secret? I used to hate cooked carrots. (gasp!) I know. It's true. It was a texture thing to me. Mostly because I had only ever had them boiled too long to where they were mushy. So even when they were coated in cinnamon and sugar deliciousness, I refused to eat them.

But roasted carrots. Roasted carrots changed my whole outlook on cooked carrots. They are not a bit mushy. They are still somewhat firm when they come out of the oven with a delicious caramelized outside. I'll eat roasted carrots any day. Especially when they're bathed in a savory-sweet maple dijon glaze and topped with tangy, creamy goat cheese, toasted walnuts and fresh, earthy thyme. 

Why You'll Love These Maple Dijon Roasted Carrots with Goat Cheese and Walnuts

This incredible side dish takes roasted carrots to an even higher level of awesome. The maple dijon sauce and a stint in a hot oven results in a caramelized, flavorful outside and tender-but-not-mushy inside, while a pile of creamy goat cheese, toasty walnuts and thyme add a beautiful contrast of flavors and textures that all just work together. It's the ultimate fall side dish. These delicious maple dijon carrots are just as beautiful on your Thanksgiving table as they are on your weeknight dinner table. I've totally eaten them by themselves from the pan for dinner, won't lie.

Bonus: Carrots are naturally loaded with beta carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, which helps your eyesight and immunity, while walnuts are leaded with healthy omega-3 fatty acids. 

Healthy and tasty? Done.

How To Make Maple Dijon Roasted Carrots With Goat Cheese and Walnuts

• Start by giving your carrots a good scrub with a clean brush to remove any dirt and germs. You can use rainbow carrots like I did here, or regular orange carrots. 
• Whisk together the simple sauce - just maple syrup, dijon mustard and olive oil. 
• Coat the carrots in the sauce. You can brush it onto the carrots or place the carrots and sauce in a large bowl and toss to coat evenly. 
• Place the carrots on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone baking mat or in a large roasting dish. You want a large enough dish that you can leave some space between the carrots so that they roast and not steam. 
• Roast the carrots in a hot oven. Turn every 15 minutes or so, so that all of the sides of the carrots get some nice color. 
• Toast the walnuts during the last 10 minutes of cooking. 
• Top finished carrots with crumbled goat cheese, toasted walnuts and fresh thyme. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. 

Pro Tips For The Most Perfect Roasted Carrots

• Please don't ignore the parchment or silicone lining of the pan. Since maple syrup has natural sugars, it will stick and cook onto whatever surface it is on. I like easy clean up and I'm sure you do, too.
• Leave plenty of room between the carrots on the baking sheet or roasting dish. This way the carrots roast and get a nice caramelized exterior. Carrots packed too closely together will just steam.
• If you like your carrots a little more crisp like I do, roast for about 30 minutes. If you like your carrots more tender, leave them in for 45-50 minutes.
• Turn carrots every 15 minutes in the pan so that all sides of the carrots get a nice color.

Ingredient Substitutions

The ingredients in these maple dijon roasted carrots are very simple, but if you must, you can make some substitutions:

• If you don't have dijon, try spicy brown mustard.
• You can try toasted pecans or pepitas in place of walnuts if you'd like.
• Try finely chopped fresh sage or rosemary in place of thyme. 

If You Like This Recipe, You'll Also Love:

• Roasted Beet Goat Cheese Salad
• Roasted Plum Goat Cheese Toast
• Cinnamon Ginger Carrot Souffle
• Maple Dijon Salmon Sheet Pan Dinner

If you're tired of plain ol' boring vegetables, give these delicious maple dijon roasted carrots with goat cheese, walnuts and thyme a try!

If you made this recipe, please leave a star rating in the comments!

Maple Dijon Roasted Carrots with Goat Cheese and Walnuts

Print Recipe

Maple dijon roasted carrots with goat cheese, walnuts and thyme are a healthy and delicious side dish full of flavor! They look elegant on your Thanksgiving table and are just as perfect for everyday dinners. (vegetarian, gluten-free)

• Author: Kaleigh
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: side dish
• Method: roasted
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 lb carrots (about 10 medium), washed and scrubbed
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ¼ cup walnut pieces
• Pinch coarse sea salt
• Fresh cracked black pepper
• 2 oz goat cheese, crumbled
• 5-6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat. You can also use a lightly greased roasting dish.
2. In a small bowl, mix together maple syrup, dijon and oil. Brush or toss carrots evenly with mixture.
3. Place carrots onto baking sheet or roasting dish, leaving room in between so that they roast evenly.
4. Roast 30-45 minutes, until they reach desired softness, turning carrots every 15 minutes.
5. During last 10 minutes of roasting carrots, place walnuts on a small baking sheet or foil boat and toast in the oven until fragrant, watching carefully so they don't burn.
6. Remove carrots from oven and place on serving platter.
7. Sprinkle carrots with salt and pepper to taste, and then top with crumbled goat cheese, toasted walnuts and thyme. Serve immediately.

Notes

• Make sure carrots have plenty of room between them so that they roast, not steam. This will give you a better caramelization and flavor on the carrots.
• Parchment paper or a silicone baking mat place on a baking sheet makes cleanup much easier.
• You can toast the walnuts on the stove by heating in a small skillet, tossing occasionally, until golden, about 5-10 minutes.
• Try spicy brown mustard if you don't have dijon. You can also use finely chopped sage or rosemary instead of thyme.

Keywords: maple dijon roasted carrots, roasted carrots with thyme and goat cheese