This simple recipe combines carrots with the unique flavors of cumin, honey and ricotta for a slightly sweet, amazing tasting side dish!

Want to up your side dish game? These simple roasted carrots combine the interesting flavors of honey, cumin and ricotta to give you an easy fall side dish that can be whipped up in less than 30 minutes. The contrast of the smokey cumin, creamy ricotta and sweet honey in this dish will just blow you away!
I used to spend a lot of time in San Francisco for work, and I grew up in the Bay Area, so whenever I'm out there I always like to explore new restaurants. On a trip a few years ago, I met up with a friend for dinner and she took me to a place called Pizzeria Delfina in the Pacific Heights neighborhood. It's a farm-to-table restaurant that creates Neapolitan-inspired pizza and other seasonal dishes. Their pizza is amazing but I was blown away by the honey-roasted carrots served atop creamy ricotta cheese that we had as a starter. As I often do, I went home and created my version to share in a blog post!
Contents:
Why you'll love this recipe
Sometimes side dishes are a bit of an afterthought, but an outstanding side dish that's simple yet flavorful can really enhance a weeknight meal. These carrots are:
- Easy to make: With only 7 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep time they work for any day of the week.
- Packed with flavor: The combination of honey, cumin and ricotta gives these carrots a unique flavor profile that's slightly sweet yet a bit smoky.
Additional notes from the kitchen
- Smaller or baby carrots of this size don't necessarily require peeling. If you look at the image below you'll see that the carrots look a little shriveled, that's what happens if you don't peel them. They are fine to eat but if you want them to be more aesthetically pleasing, carefully peel them before you roast them.
- If you are using larger carrots I recommend peeling them as the skin can be a little bitter. If you use the smaller baby carrots, not the kind in the bag but those with the tops on, you don't need to peel them first. Just be sure to scrub them well.
- Be sure carrots are clean and dry before you roast them. Excess moisture can result in somewhat mushy vegetables.
- If you want to give this dish an extra pop of flavor try using wildflower honey. You'll find it at many high-end grocery stores as well as specialty food shops or maybe your local farmer's market. Regular honey works just fine too!
- Because of the ease of this dish and the unique flavors, it works as well for a weeknight side as it does for a dinner party or holiday meal.
Key Ingredients
The full list of ingredients and quantities can be found in the recipe card below.
- Baby carrots: You are looking for young or baby carrots with the tops on, NOT the type you find in a bag.
- Ricotta: Since it's a key ingredient, I recommend using full-fat ricotta.
- Italian parsley: Fresh Italian parsley adds a slightly peppery taste to this dish.
- Spices: ground cumin, sea salt
- Pantry staples: Honey, olive oil
How to Roast Carrots
See the recipe card below for full instructions
This recipe comes together in a few easy steps:
- Prepare the carrots. Start by scrubbing the carrots to remove any dirt or stringy bits. If you like, carefully peel the carrots. Cut off any stringy ends at the bottom of the carrots. Make sure the carrots are dry before you roast them. Arrange them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Leave some space between them so the heat can circulate while they are roasting.
- Season the carrots. Mix the oil, honey, cumin and salt together in a small bowl. Brush the carrots with the mixture, making sure they are well coated. You want to make sure they don't stick to the pan while they are roasting.
- Roast the carrots. Place the baking sheet in a preheated oven and roast the carrots for 25 minutes or until they are tender.
- Remove from oven. When the carrots are done roasting, remove them from the oven. Add the ricotta to a serving dish and top with the roasted carrots. Drizzle the carrots with the remaining honey and sprinkle with chopped Italian parsley. Serve immediately.
Recommended Tools
Large Baking Sheet - This rimmed pan is ideal for just about any type of roasting or baking task. The edges allow you to roast things using oil, juice or sauce without making a mess in your oven and they still work perfectly for baking cookies too!
Serving Suggestions
These carrots make a great side dish for just about any main course. I'd recommend serving them with these Turkey Meatloaf Muffins or this Skillet Lemon Chicken.
More side dish recipes
If you are looking for more unique side dishes check out these reader favorites:
- Miso Glazed Roasted Cauliflower. While this recipe is easy enough for a weeknight meal, the bright lemon flavor and parmesan breadcrumbs give it a touch of elegance.
- Parmesan Truffle Mashed Potatoes. These creamy mashed potatoes combine cauliflower, truffle and parmesan for a unique twist on a traditional side dish.
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Simple Roasted Carrots with Cumin, Honey & Ricotta
Ingredients
- 1 bunch baby carrots, with the tops on
- 3 tablespoons honey, divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ⅓ cup whole milk ricotta
- 1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
Instructions
- Heat the oven. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper.
- Prepare the carrots. Scrub the carrots to remove any dirt or stringy bits. If you like, carefully peel the carrots. Cut off any stringy ends at the bottom of the carrots.
- Roast the carrots. Mix the oil, 1 tablespoon honey, cumin and salt. Arrange the carrots on the jelly roll pan and brush with the cumin mixture. Roast for 25 minutes or until carrots are tender.
- Remove from oven. Add ricotta to a serving dish and top with carrots. Drizzle with remaining honey and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in November 2019. It was updated in October 2024 with some new information and photos. No changes were made to the original recipe.
Patti
Roasting carrots makes them so much sweeter that I would never have thought of adding honey, but this idea is amazing, and I love that you've paired this sweet vegetable with the salty taste of the Ricotta. Great recipe!
Allison - Celebrating Sweets
These look like the best carrots EVER! I love the combination of flavors. Gorgeous photos too!
Saima Zaidi
These carrots with cumin, honey and ricotta look delish! Your pictures make me want them right now! A side dish I'm sure to try.
Ashima
I love roasted carrots (and other veggies). With winters finally here, I always make a side of roasted vegetables during dinner and tonight it is going to be cumin roasted carrots!
I have never tried cumin in the roast mix... and given I use cumin in so many of my dishes, I am surprised why I never thought of it!
Thanks for sharing!
Ben Myhre
This looks tasty and I really like your photos here.
FoodieGirlChicago
Thanks Ben!
Kate
What a beautiful recipe! I love roasted veggies. I haven't roasted carrots for a while. I can't wait to try this recipe!
Tina
I love roasted carrots, this reminds me I need to make more of this. I have never tried cumin before or served with ricotta. Going to try this, thanks for the recipe!
Anne Murphy
Those sound amazing! Carrots are so good, and so often just taken for granted... I love finding new recipes for them!
Carrie @ Carrie’s Home Cooking
If these even taste 1/2 as good as they look we’ve got a winner! Great photos! Great flavors! I am trying these tonight!
Abby @ WinsteadWandering
I love how beautiful whole roasted carrots are. I've never tried them with ricotta, but your recipe sounds amazing!
Renee Gardner
I love the salty sweet combo of ricotta and honey, the spice of cumin would add a yummy third dimension! Thank you for sharing their inspiration. For a year and a half I lived 6 blocks away from Pizza Delfina, but the wait was always long so I never tried it. This makes me want to go back and wait in the line!
Debra
Simple for the win....wow that cumin was so good....excellent combo iwth the honey....and really elevated a simple carrot.
Urban Foodie Kitchen
Thanks Debra!So glad to hear you enjoyed them.