Roasted Carrots with Smoked Paprika, Rosemary, and Thyme

Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Position a rack in the center and let the oven fully heat for at least 15 minutes with a heavy baking sheet inside to build radiant heat.

Peel the carrots and cut them in half lengthwise. If the carrots are very thick, quarter them so all pieces are roughly equal in size for even cooking.

In a large bowl, toss the prepared carrots with olive oil, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated. Add smoked paprika, chopped rosemary, and thyme sprigs, and toss again to distribute the seasoning throughout.

Carefully remove the preheated baking sheet from the oven and spread the carrots in a single layer, cut-side down. The hot pan will immediately begin caramelizing the bottoms—do not move them for the first 10 minutes.

Roast for 20-25 minutes, until the carrots are tender when pierced with a knife and have developed deep golden char at the edges. For extra caramelization, flip them halfway through the final 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let rest on the baking sheet for 3 minutes. Serve immediately while they are still hot and fragrant.