Grilled Carrots

Grilled Carrots are an easy summer side! They grill up in under 20 minutes, are perfectly tender, and get slightly caramelized. They’re great just with simple oil, salt, and pepper but you can also add other seasonings.

Why These are Great

• Naturally Sweet – When carrots are grilled, their natural sugars are highlighted and they even get slightly caramelized.
• Easy Vegetable Side Dish – This is the easiest way to cook carrots!
• Simple Ingredients – All you need is oil, salt, and pepper to season carrots for grilling.

Ingredients You’ll Need for Grilled Carrots:

• Large Whole Carrots – I like to peel them but you can also clean and scrub them
• Canola Oil – or another neutral high heat oil like avocado oil
• Salt and Pepper

How to Grill Carrots

1. Prep- Get the grill preheating (for zone cooking – ie a direct heat and indirect heat section). Prep the carrots by peeling them and cutting off the leafy stem.
2. Season Carrots – Toss the carrots with the oil and salt and pepper.
3. Grill – Place the carrots over the direct heat and grill for about 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally. Once the carrots have grill marks to your preference, move the carrots to the indirect heat zone and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes until fork tender.
4. Serve – Serve immediately and enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to peel carrots?

You can either peel carrots or clean/scrub them. Peeling them gives them a cleaner appearance while just scrubbing them gives a more rustic look. It’s up to you!

How long do carrots last in the fridge?

Whole raw carrots will stay fresh for around 3 weeks in the fridge. If you slice or chop up the carrots, then they will stay fresh for about 2 weeks in the fridge. It’s best to store carrots in a container or zip top bag for maximum freshness.

Leftovers and Reheating

Leftovers – Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Reheating – To crisp them up again, you can reheat them in the air fryer or oven at 375 degrees F for about 5 minutes until warmed.

Variations

This recipe is so simple, yet flavorful, but here are some of my favorite variations:

• Herbs – Try tossing them with dried rosemary or dried thyme along with the salt and pepper. Or sprinkle with fresh herbs after grilling.
• Lemon Juice – After grilling, give them a spritz with some fresh lemon juice for a kick of brightness.
• Baby Carrots – If you prefer to use baby carrots, you’ll want to use a grilling basket so they don’t fall through the grill grates.

Recipe Notes and Tips

• Test for Doneness – The grill time will vary based on the carrot’s thickness. You can pierce one with a fork to test for doneness.
• Use Direct and Indirect Grilling – Direct Heat grilling (placing the food over the flame) is great to give the carrots grill marks and char, while Indirect Heat grilling (placing the food on the grill that isn’t over the flame) lets the carrots finish cooking without getting too charred on the outside.

More Easy Grilling Recipes

Check out some of my favorite easy recipes for grilling season!

• Asparagus in Foil – There are so many options for seasoning and the asparagus packet grills up in as little as 10 minutes!
• Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken Thighs – Perfect paired with rice and beans or a southwest-style salad.
• Caesar Grilled Chicken Sandwiches – Juicy, flavorful chicken breasts smothered in Caesar Dressing atop perfectly charred brioche buns.
• Grilled Lemon Chicken Thighs – The zesty, citrus marinade uses only 3 ingredients (plus a few simple spices) and takes only minutes to mix up. 
• Shrimp Kabobs – The lemon marinade for grilled shrimp is so flavorful and fresh tasting.

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