Roasted Asparagus and Carrots Recipe (Café-Style)
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 herbs (dill is my herb of choice, though thyme, rosemary and parsley work beautifully too) bring out the natural flavors of these vegetables. The natural sweetness of the carrots deepens as they roast in the oven or air fryer, while the asparagus stays nicely green with just the right tenderness.
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You can serve this as an easy side dish with practically anything, but it’s substantial enough to be a light meal when sprinkled with feta or goat cheese or paired with bruschetta and whipped lemon ricotta, or served with potatoes, beans or nuts for extra protein.
The best part? Unlike some vegetables, leftovers retain their flavor and texture when reheated the next day.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- Simple ingredients: The fresh flavors of carrots and asparagus and fresh herbs really shine.
- The combination of orange carrots, green asparagus and fresh herbs makes for a beautiful café-style presentation with minimal effort.
- Quick and easy meal prep in advance – prep your veggies in 15 minutes or less.
- It’s a simple recipe almost impossible to mess up – just toss with oil, garlic, shallots and fresh herbs, then roast the veggies.
- Perfect for a busy weeknight meal or when you’re cooking multiple dishes at once or to go with a roast for a special occasion such as Christmas or Thanksgiving.
- Goes with practically anything – just adapt the fresh herbs (dill, thyme, rosemary, parsley,…) to your main dish – or leave them out altogether.
- The combination of olive oil, garlic and shallots creates a rich flavor base that transforms these spring vegetables into something special, while fresh dill adds a bright, distinctive taste that particularly complements the asparagus.
- Easy clean up – just your cutting board and baking tray. This is a one pan wonder.
- Leftovers are genuinely good the next day – serve them cold in a salad, quickly reheat them for another dinner, or chop them up to add to an omelet or grain bowl for lunch.
If you are looking for more asparagus recipes, try this asparagus quiche with phyllo dough or this creamy pasta Alfredo with asparagus. I also have some great asparagus soup recipes – give this creamy Baltic style asparagus dill soup, this broccoli and asparagus soup or this sweet potato and asparagus soup a try.
Or if you are looking for more carrot recipes, try this easy French style carrots and cucumber salad recipe.
Ingredients for Roasted Asparagus and Carrots
- Asparagus – Fresh is best, especially if the tips are still tight. I have not tried frozen asparagus, but I think that canned asparagus would definitely not work.
- Carrots – You can use regular carrots or baby carrots. I can’t always buy organic produce, but if I can, I always buy organic carrots. I really notice the difference in taste and texture. Organic carrots are so much meatier and full of flavor than regular carrots, which can taste a bit watery. So if you can, use organic carrots.
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh herbs – dill, thyme, fresh parsley or herbs of choice
- Garlic
- Shallots
- Salt
- Black pepper
Substitutions
Fresh herbs – I love using dill with this recipe, because as you may know, my parents are from the Baltic States, and they use dill in everything. I find dill also compliments rather than competes with the natural flavors and looks beautiful, especially if you sprinkle some fresh dill at the end. But you can also use thyme, rosemary, tarragon and parsley.
Dried herbs – yes, you can absolutely use dry herbs. They are not quite as flavorful and fresh is always best, but they will still enhance the roasted carrots and asparagus. Just use 1 tsp for every tablespoon of fresh herbs.
Olive oil – you can also use avocado oil or vegetable oil in a pinch.
Shallots – you can use a quarter of a red onion as well.
Additions
There are so many things that you can add to this recipe…here are a few ideas:
- Sprinkle with Feta or goat cheese
- Scatter toasted rye bread crumbs over top
- Sprinkle with nuts and seeds
- Roast with other spring veggies such as zucchini, potatoes, parsnips, onions, green beans, mushrooms…
Serving Suggestions
- Goes great with any roast – beef, chicken, pork, lamb, turkey, fish…
- Perfect as a side to pasta, quiches, hamburgers,…
- Serve with whipped lemon Ricotta cheese dip on the side or with bruschetta
- Serve alongside boiled new potatoes with dill
How to make Roasted Asparagus and Carrots
Prepare all the veggies:
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.
Roasting asparagus and carrots in the right order:
First roast carrots in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
Then add the asparagus and remaining olive oil and herbs on top of the carrots.
Bake for another 20-35 minutes. Keep a close eye on the roasting carrots and asparagus the first time you make this recipe. Check how done they are after 20 minutes. This is really going to depend on your taste and how hot your oven gets.
I cooked my vegetables for another 30 minutes (after the original 10 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 20 minutes and see how done it is. Then keep checking every 5 minutes.
After you take them out of the oven, sprinkle fresh dill (or your fresh herb of choice) on top of the roasted carrots and asparagus.
Tips and 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 – roasting veggies 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 to having them on one layer.
- 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.
Storage
- Refrigerate for up to 3 days. The roasted asparagus and carrots stay fresh for 2-3 days in an airtight container.
- Reheat in an airfryer for a few minutes orf enjoy cold with a salad, bruschetta with whipped lemon ricotta or with a just as is.
I love these roasted asparagus and carrots served with some whipped lemon ricotta dip or sour cream mixed with some fresh chives 😋
FAQ for Roasted Asparagus and Carrots
Roasted Asparagus and Carrots (Café-Style)
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
Daily life
These are some of the scallions (or spring onions in Australia) I used in my whipped ricotta dip. I love how I can go out and just pick some fresh from my garden. Super gardener I am definitely not, but I have come a long way from living in our apartment in Paris where all I had were some geraniums on our balcony.
I have been calling these green things you see growing “spring onions”, as they are thicker than chives, but don’t seem to have any oniony bit to them. But I have now looked it all up and here is the deal:
In the USA, you call these long round green things “scallions” or “green onions”. In Australia, they are called “spring onions”. Hopefully I can remember that!
