Maple and Miso Glazed Roasted Carrots

1. Arrange a rack in the middle position of the oven and preheat the oven to 425°F (220ºC). Gather all the ingredients. If your carrots still have some moisture after washing, be sure to pat them as dry as possible; the drier the vegetable, the better it will roast.
2. In a small bowl, mix together 1 Tbsp maple syrup, 1 Tbsp miso, and ½ tsp soy sauce.
3. Peel 1 lb carrots (and if they are large, cut them into uniform slices so that they will roast evenly and finish cooking at the same time). Place the carrots in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper for easy clean-up. If the carrots are arranged too closely together or are on top of one another, they will steam, making them mushy rather than caramelized. In that case, use two baking sheets or a bigger baking sheet.
4. Drizzle the carrots with 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. You want each carrot to have a light coating of oil (the oil keeps some moisture in for that interior tenderness). A good rule of thumb is about 2 Tbsp of oil per full-sized baking sheet (I‘m using a half sheet).
5. Toss or roll the carrots in the oil and seasonings.
6. Place in the oven and bake for 20–30 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through to ensure that the carrots are getting equal exposure to the heat and have an equal chance at getting crispy and caramelized. The roasting time may vary depending on the size of the carrots (young thin carrots require less cooking time). When the carrots are lightly browned and almost tender when pierced with a wooden skewer, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Why almost tender? We still need to roast for 5 more minutes after brushing with the sauce.
7. Brush the maple and miso mixture on one side of the carrots. Then, flip over the carrots and coat the other side. Put the carrots back in the oven to finish cooking, about 5 more minutes. The vegetables will start to brown on the bottom first (the side in contact with a hot surface will brown faster), so you‘ll need to flip over the carrots for even browning.
8. Remove from the oven. Garnish with fresh thyme if desired and serve warm.

To Store

1. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days. They do not freeze well.