Food Recipes Roasted Carrot Salad Will Be the Unexpected Star This Thanksgiving Be the first to rate & review! This colorful and flavorful Thanksgiving side dish comes together with just a handful of ingredients. By Jenna Helwig Jenna Helwig Jenna is the food director at Real Simple and the author of Bare Minimum Dinners, a cookbook featuring more than 100 low-lift, high-reward recipes. Previously, Jenna was the food director at Health and Parents. She is also the founder and operator of Rosaberry, a boutique personal chef services company, and the author of four other cookbooks, including the bestselling Baby-Led Feeding. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Published on October 27, 2023 Rate PRINT Share Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Greg Dupree Prep Time: 30 mins Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Servings: 8 servings This roasted carrot salad recipe is proof that you don’t need a long list of ingredients to cook a scrumptious dish. In this simple salad, rainbow carrots are roasted alongside shallots, thyme sprigs, and a touch of crushed red pepper for gentle heat. Once the shallots are melt-in-your-mouth tender and the carrots caramelize slightly, a dusting of lemon zest and a pinch of flaky sea salt add vibrancy and texture before serving. Topping the salad with carrot greens allows you to use the whole vegetable, therefore reducing waste while adding a pop of color and bite to the finished dish. If your carrots don’t include the greens, top the dish with fresh parsley instead. Chopped flat-leaf parsley is a winner, or use curly parsley for a similar texture to the carrot greens. A sprinkling of fresh thyme leaves would also be a fragrant and pretty option. 25+ Easy Carrot Recipes That Taste Delicious Ingredients 2 lb rainbow carrots (from about 3 bunches), trimmed, green tops reserved 4 large shallots, peeled, trimmed, and quartered 5 sprigs fresh thyme 2 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for topping 1 tsp kosher salt 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper 2 tsp. lemon zest (from 1 lemon) Flaky sea salt, for topping Directions Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Peel carrots and halve them lengthwise. Place carrots, shallots, and thyme on prepared baking sheet. Toss with oil, kosher salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Cover baking sheet tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, wash and dry several green carrot tops. Very roughly chop carrot greens to yield about 1/3 cup. Remove foil; continue baking until carrots are tender and lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Let vegetables stand on baking sheet for 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, discarding any thick thyme stems. Top carrots evenly with lemon zest, oil, flaky sea salt, and chopped carrot greens. Serve warm or at room temperature. Including a side that can be served at room temperature in your Thanksgiving feast reduces some of the pressure of those final minutes before everyone sits down. Rate It Print