Spring is such an exciting time! It means gorgeous flowers, beautiful sunshine, and, most importantly, lovely garden fresh, spring vegetables! This Balsamic Roasted Asparagus and Carrots dish highlights the inherent flavors of the vegetables and allows them to shine. The beauty of spring is all natural, so your veggies should taste that way too. Fresh, crisp, and flavorful. This recipe is ready in 20 minutes and you can use any fresh veggies that are available to you. Asparagus and carrots are just the start. Get creative and let your spring inspiration shine!
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Note: This post was originally published on my food blog, A Bite of Inspiration (read more about it in this post here). It’s been slightly edited and modified to make the content even more inspiring and the recipe even more delicious! Enjoy! 😀
The way the weather has been, I honestly thought that spring would never get here. Good news, though! It’s finally here… mostly. We did get a little bit of snow two weeks ago, but—well, whatever. I’ll take it. At least my daffodils are starting to bloom!
I love spring! It’s the season of growth, beauty, and new beginnings. Nothing gives you hope and joy like spring does. All those beautiful flowers, gorgeous weather, and more daylight. What’s not to love?
Seeing the beginnings of spring always gets me excited for fresh, spring vegetables like asparagus and carrots. So, surprise! This dish is all about asparagus and carrots. Saw that one coming, huh? 😉 My favorite way to cook vegetables is by enhancing their natural flavors, while still maintaining texture. I don’t usually cook vegetables into a mush or dump a lot of heavy sauces on them, unless there’s a specific reason for it. I like my veggies to taste fresh, clean, and crisp—just like spring! I’ve also recently read in Dr. Mark Hyman’s (he’s one of my functional medicine heroes) newest book, Food: What the Heck Should I Eat?
, that the less time you cook veggies and the more texture they have, the more nutritious they are. Bonus!
This Balsamic Roasted Asparagus and Carrots dish is so simple, yet so delicious! Balsamic vinegar
is the secret (or not-so-secret—I did put it in the title) ingredient for the delicious flavors in this dish. Balsamic has such an enticing balance of sweet and sour that turns any old dish into an exciting one! The ingredients for this dish are: asparagus, carrots, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, vegetable broth, salt, and pepper. No, really. That’s it. But, that’s all that these gorgeous spring veggies need to taste amazing.
You toss all the ingredients in a baking dish
, crank the temperature to 425 degrees, and let the oven work its magic. Within 10 minutes, the flavors have melded and the veggies have caramelized (pictured above: before roasting on top, after roasting on the bottom). That’s the beauty of balsamic vinegar—it has sweetness in it, so you get that lovely caramel flavor without adding any actual sugar. You’ll be surprised at how complex this dish tastes considering the small number of ingredients. A little sweet, a touch of sour, a bit of salt, and a lot of tasty, freshness. Perfect!
Another great thing about this dish is that you can use the same recipe to cook lots of other vegetables besides asparagus and carrots. Olive oil and balsamic vinegar complement practically any fresh vegetable. Brussel sprouts, onions, tomatoes…even fennel! Discover your own veggie inspiration with this recipe– the sky’s the limit! Just adjust the cooking time a bit for whichever vegetable you’ve chosen and follow the rest of the recipe as written. Done– so easy! (If you have specific questions about a certain vegetable, feel free to comment below.)
Spring doesn’t need a lot of fanfare to get people excited. It gets its popularity from simply being beautiful. Shouldn’t your spring veggies be served the same way? So, go ahead. Welcome spring with this easy, gorgeous side dish!
Not springtime yet? Try my Dairy-Free Chicken & Gnocchi Soup, a healthy winter classic that will warm you right up!
Balsamic Roasted Asparagus and Carrots
This simple and healthy springtime side dish is the perfect accompaniment to any meal! Fresh veggies with a flavorful and slightly sweet balsamic glaze-- perfect!
Ingredients
- 1 lb asparagus, woody ends snapped off
- 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon vegetable broth
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
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Mix olive oil and balsamic vinegar togther in a small bowl.
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Add asparagus and carrots to a 9x13 inch baking dish. Pour the olive oil and balsamic vinegar mixture over the top. Toss well to coat evenly.
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Add vegetable broth. Season generously with salt and pepper. Toss to coat again.
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Put baking dish in the pre-heated oven. Bake for 8-12 minutes until veggies are cooked through, but still crunchy. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
I recommend using a high quality balsamic vinegar for this recipe. I love MiaBella Balsamic Vinegar. It has great flavor and you only need a little bit. I've had my bottle for at least a year! Use a tablespoon or two in salads or drizzle a small amount on meat/tofu for easy, healthy flavor.
You can substitute the vegetable broth for chicken broth, if that's what you have available.
yum! i haven’t had asparagus yet this year, and now you’ve got me adding it to my grocery list (:
Yes Heather! I love it! Asparagus is one of my absolute favorite veggies and I’m sure you’ll love this recipe. Thanks for stopping by!
What a great recipe! Roasted veggies are so amazing, and balsamic vinegar truly does work magic on veggies
I absolutely agree Jenni! Thank you so much!
Oh, I can hear you, how spring brings that feeling of joy in your mind. Yes, the flowers, the vegetables, and the weather everything you fell in love with. I love asparagus and will give your recipe a try soon
Thank you Swati! Spring definitely does bring joy to the heart doesn’t it? Hope you enjoy this recipe!
I’m always excited for Spring as well. Love this combination of vegetables with the balsamic. I’m going be making this in the very near future.
Thank you Stephanie! I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
This looks wonderful! I can’t wait to try your recipe! Asparagus is my favorite veggie!
Asparagus is one of my favorites too! Hope you enjoy Sara!
Very excited about fresh spring asparagus, But can you believe we are expecting a snowstorm for Easter! I’m just gonna make this and pretend it’s sunny and warm outside!
Oh no Kitty! The weather has been crazy this year. Sorry about the snowstorm, but this dish will definitely make you feel “spring-y” no matter what the weather is outside! Enjoy!
I’m a sucker for anything balsamic. I don’t know why I’ve never thought to use balsamic with asparagus! Such a smart combo. I can’t wait to try this out.
Right?? I love balsamic. It’s definitely one of my favorite condiments, especially for veggies. Thanks for stopping by Jordan!
What a great side dish! Balsamic is so delicious on veggies!
I agree Madi! Thanks! 🙂
Delicious ! Such a great way to eat veggies, especially asparagus. Can’t wait to try this for a side dish !
Thank you Tara! I love balsamic with veggies. And it’s so easy too! Hope you try it soon! 🙂
Yum, I love roasted veggies! And balsamic is such a great staple ingredient, it makes everything more delicious.
Yes absolutely! I’m all about balsamic, especially on asparagus! The sweetness of the balsamic complements the natural sweetness of the asparagus perfectly! 🙂 Thank you so much for your comment!
I love roasted vegetables and these look beautiful! I love combining them together on a platter the way you have!
Aww thank you Paige! I’ve found with veggies it always helps to make them look beautiful! 🙂
All of this balsamic makes me happy, and with my favorite veg as well! I can’t wait to try it!
Thank you Stacey! It’s a great combination. I’m sure you’ll love it! 🙂
So excited spring is finally here, too!! (even though it might snow a bit here tomorrow; WHAT). One of the reasons I’m most excited is for asparagus and this side dish looks just perfect!!
Thank you Sues! Ugh I know, the weather has been so frustrating this spring. But hopefully this dish will brighten your day! Enjoy! 🙂
So simple but so delicious! Balsamic pairs perfectly with carrots and asparagus – such a great spring side dish.
Thank you Julie! Yes– balsamic, carrots, and asparagus all have a natural sweetness that makes them the perfet combo. Enjoy!
These are so very spring!! Roasted veggies are always the best – I have never tried doing it with balsamic so thank you for that!! These would be a perfect side for an Easter dinner!
Thank you so much Katherine! Hope you enjoy. 🙂