Don't Boil Or Steam Carrots: Roast Them With A Pinch Of Baking Soda For Amazing Results

Carrots are wonderfully versatile. You can eat them raw, grate them into a salad, toss them into a stir-fry, or even boil or steam them for a softer bite. But if you really want to take this humble root to the next level, try roasting them with a pinch of baking soda for mind-blowing results.

Roasting carrots is simple and rewarding. Just peel and prep, season well (try tajin and red pepper flakes if you're feeling adventurous), drizzle with olive oil, maybe toss in a few cloves of garlic, and let the oven do its work. Even without much work, roasted carrots turn out sweet, tender, and deeply flavorful. But add just a pinch of baking soda while seasoning, and their natural sweetness is lifted to a whole new level. That tiny sprinkle acts as a catalyst for two key food reactions: It speeds up caramelization of the natural sugars and jump-starts the Maillard reaction at a lower temperature.

The Maillard reaction is a chemical process that happens when amino acids (from proteins) and natural sugars interact under heat. It's what gives seared steak its savory crust, bread its golden-brown color, coffee its roasty depth, and roasted vegetables their nutty, complex flavor. A pinch of baking soda makes the carrots' surface more alkaline, triggering the Maillard reaction at a lower temperature and helping them brown faster and develop richer flavors. The payoff? Carrots with richer bittersweet flavors, a gorgeous golden-brown finish, and toasty aromas that are impossible to resist.

The best roasted carrots are those that bring out the maximum natural sweetness while achieving a crisp, caramelized exterior. A few key factors are within your control. First, carrot quality matters. One Reddit user recommends using small, organic carrots for roasting: "The usual large carrots have lost much of their natural sweetness and can taste almost metallic. When you roast them, the flavors concentrate, so if you start with big, old carrots, they only get worse." 

If you're adding garlic, wait until halfway through the roasting process — after the carrots have cooked on one side and are flipped. This ensures the garlic becomes nicely toasted without burning, so it complements the sweet, caramelized carrots instead of overpowering them with a bitter taste. Alternatively, try roasting a whole head of garlic with your carrots instead of chopping it.

To get that perfect roast on the outside, keep a few things in mind. Use just a light drizzle of oil (you're roasting, not frying), and give your carrots space. Spread them in a single layer on the baking sheet so they roast evenly. Finally, don't go low and slow: crank the oven above 400 degrees Fahrenheit to achieve a beautifully caramelized crust.