Roasted Carrots with Brown Butter & Tarragon
Whole small carrots roasted to caramelized, bathed in nutty brown butter, finished with tarragon and honey. A splash of sherry vinegar balances the sweetness — the move most home versions miss.
- small carrots, scrubbed; peeled only if skins are rough. Leave a small green stub. If using large carrots, cut on a sharp bias into uniform 2-inch batons.3 lb
- neutral oil, for roasting2 tbsp
- unsalted butter, 85g; use a light stainless or steel skillet so you can see the milk solids change color6 tbsp
- honey, a good floral variety2 tsp
- sherry vinegar, range 1–2 tsp; lemon juice works as a substitute1 tsp
- fresh tarragon, roughly torn2 tbsp
- kosher salt
- flaky salt, for finishing at the table
- black pepper
- carrot-top fronds, tender fronds only, finely chopped — for optional gremolata(optional)
- lemon zest, for optional carrot-top gremolata(optional)
- garlic, a little, for optional carrot-top gremolata(optional)
- fresh parsley, finely chopped, for optional carrot-top gremolata(optional)
- 1
Place a heavy rimmed sheet pan in the oven and preheat to 425°F (220°C), convection if available. Toss the carrots with neutral oil, kosher salt, and black pepper. Spread in a single layer on the preheated pan with space between pieces — uniform size ensures everything finishes together. Roast for 25–35 minutes, turning once, until deeply caramelized and tender with blistered edges.
high425°F (220°C) - 2
While the carrots roast, melt the unsalted butter in a light stainless or steel skillet over medium heat. It will foam as water cooks off, then quiet. Keep swirling. When you smell hazelnuts and the milk solids turn golden-brown, immediately pull the pan from the heat and scrape every dark speck into a bowl — residual heat keeps cooking it and it goes from nutty to acrid in seconds.
medium - 3
Off heat, whisk the honey and sherry vinegar into the brown butter. Taste — it should be nutty, faintly sweet, and brightly balanced.
- 4
Toss the hot carrots in the brown-butter glaze on the pan or in a warm bowl, spooning the dark milk solids over the top. Shower with fresh tarragon and flaky salt just before serving.
- 5
Optional carrot-top gremolata: finely chop the tender carrot-top fronds with lemon zest, a little garlic, and fresh parsley. Scatter over the finished dish. Ties to an herb gremolata on a braise and wastes nothing.
Cook it with a chef at your shoulder.
Sous scales it without breaking the seasoning, coaches you through it for your gear, and remembers how it went. Fork this into your own library and make it yours — free.
Sous is an AI cooking assistant, not a food-safety authority. Use a thermometer for doneness — especially meat, poultry, eggs, and seafood — and trust your own judgment.