Parmesan Smashed Carrots

They're crispy, cheesy, and made for dipping in ranch dressing.

By
Candace Nagy
Candace Nagy, portrait
Candace Nagy
Candace Nagy is a passionate food writer who gets excited about sharing new ways of looking at the foods we eat, from food origins and heritage to systems and science, and everything in between.
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Updated on 02/20/24
A round platter of parmesan smashed carrots topped with chopped parsley served with a small bowl of aioli

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Total: 40 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 40 carrots

When I was a kid, I used to call mashed potatoes “smashed” potatoes. It made sense then and still makes sense now. Yet, I was corrected on more than one occasion. Flash forward a couple decades later and actual smashed potatoes became a thing. I instantly fell for them (and not just because I could finally stand uncorrected). So when I recently saw this recipe that swapped out the potatoes for carrots, I thought, “hmm, I bet these would be just as good.” And, guess what? I was totally right.

What Do You Need To Make Parmesan Smashed Carrots?

While the original recipe calls for ranch seasoning, I’m so used to making my smashed potatoes with an Italian twist, that I wanted to stick to the flavors I knew before experimenting, so I went ahead and dressed up the carrots with my usual go-to’s: olive oil, garlic, parmesan cheese, parsley, and nutmeg. 

If you’ve ever made a lasagna recipe that calls for béchamel sauce, you know that the nuttiness of that last ingredient has a smooth way of drawing out the other Italian flavors.

How To Make and Serve Parmesan Smashed Carrots

Aside from these parmesan smashed carrots being ridiculously quick and easy to make in only four steps—steam, smash, season, and bake—I love that they make for a delicious and effortless weeknight side dish, and that they also double as a healthy-ish snack or impressive-looking appetizer when paired with a creamy dip.

What I’m getting at is that you really must give them a try. And even if you don’t have any baby carrots on hand, don’t let that stop you; break out the regular carrots, parsnips, turnips… really, almost any root you’ve got will work.

Tips for Making Parmesan Smashed Carrots

  • Smash with care—That might sound like an oxymoron, but gently squishing the carrots while moving the cup in a slightly circular motion helps evenly smash the carrots and prevents them from sticking to the bottom of the cup. If you happen across sticky carrots, place a small piece of parchment paper between the bottom of the cup and the carrots as you smash them.
  • Choose the perfect cheese—Steer clear of shelf-stable parmesan cheeses. They don’t taste the best and don’t melt well either. Instead, look for grated parmesan cheese varieties in the refrigerated case of your supermarket. Blocks of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese are even better, just remember that you'll need to measure out a little extra since freshly grated parmesan cheese tends to be airy.
  • Sprinkle while hot—If you decide to go with the garnish, sprinkle on the parsley as soon as the carrots come out of the oven. The heat will help release the herby flavor.

Ingredients

  • 40 "fat" baby carrots (about 1 pound)

  • 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg, optional

  • 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (1 1/2 to 2 cups, if freshly grated)

  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 400 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

    Ingredients to make parmesan smashed carrots

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Steam 40 “fat” baby carrots (about 1 pound) until the centers are soft enough to easily pierce with a knife, 10 to 12 minutes.

    A steamer pot of baby carrots, with a fork piercing a carrot to test for doneness

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Place the carrots on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer with about 1 inch of space between each carrot. Then smash them with the bottom of a tumbler or large glass until they are about 1/4-inch-thick.

    A parchment paper-lined baking sheet with evenly spaced smashed baby carrots, with a hand holding a drinking glass pressing down a carrot

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Drizzle the carrots with 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and dust them evenly with 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg, if using.

    A parchment paper-lined baking sheet with smashed baby carrots topped with olive oil, salt, garlic powder, and nutmeg

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Evenly distribute 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (1 1/2 to 2 cups, if freshly-grated) over each carrot, about 3/4 to 1 teaspoon each.

    A parchment paper-lined baking sheet with seasoned smashed baby carrots topped with shredded parmesan cheese

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Roast the seasoned carrots for about 25 minutes or until the edges are crispy and the parmesan has turned golden brown.

    A parchment paper-lined baking sheet of roasted parmesan smashed carrots

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Remove from the oven, immediately garnish with the parsley, and serve.

    A parchment paper-lined baking sheet with roasted smashed parmesan carrots, topped with chopped parsley

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

How To Store

Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days in an airtight container. When ready to enjoy, pop them in the oven at 400 F for 5 to 7 minutes or until heated completely through.

Feeling Adventurous? Try This:

  • Use a different vegetable—If you don’t have any baby carrots on hand or just prefer to use regular carrots or another favorite root vegetable, feel free to do that! Just peel and cut them into a similar size as a big baby carrot (about 2 inches in length).
  • A pesto twist—For a tasty shortcut that still delivers on Italian flavors, brush the steamed carrots with pesto sauce and then top them with the cheese before baking. Because the pesto is already herb-packed, you can skip the parsley garnish.
  • Ranch flavored carrots—You might remember these smashed carrots were inspired by the recipe in this social reel. While I wanted to do something a little different, the ranch seasoning used in the original recipe is another great way to pack in the herbs with a slightly tangy flavor from the buttermilk.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
200 Calories
14g Fat
13g Carbs
6g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 200
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 18%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Cholesterol 16mg 5%
Sodium 570mg 25%
Total Carbohydrate 13g 5%
Dietary Fiber 4g 14%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 8mg 41%
Calcium 206mg 16%
Iron 2mg 8%
Potassium 356mg 8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)