Maple Roasted Carrots and Apples with Bacon

A platter of roasted carrots and apples with bacon and feta cheese.

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Maple Roasted Carrots and Apples with Bacon

Maple Roasted Carrots and Apples will be the highlight of the holiday side dish table this year! This gorgeous platter delivers sweet caramelized apples, savory crispy bacon, feta cheese, dried cranberries and fresh sage, an incredibly delicious combination!

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: to 10

Calories: 196kcal

Author: Meryl Downing

Ingredients

1.5 pounds carrots
2 apples sliced
3 slices thick cut bacon
2 Tablespoons butter melted
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
8 grinds fresh black pepper
4 leaves fresh sage chopped
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup feta cheese crumbled

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425℉ convection bake.
Wash the carrots well, scrubbing them under running water so there is no need to peel (you can if you like). Trim the ends and slice them in half or quarters lengthwise, depending on thickness. Then slice them in half at a diagonal giving you about 3 inch sticks. Slice the apples.
Whisk together the melted butter, olive oil, maple syrup, cinnamon, garlic powder, salt and pepper to make the glaze.
On a large baking sheet, add the strips of bacon to the outside ends of the pan. Add the carrots and apples to the middle and toss well with the glaze. Spread into an even layer, coming right up to the edges of the bacon. Use 2 smaller pans if they don't fit.
Roast about 10 minutes, then check on the bacon. Don't burn the bacon! You'll need to keep an eye on it to get the bacon perfectly crisp. Remove the bacon strips to a plate, give the veggies a toss in the bacon fat with a spatula and spread them back out. Continue roasting, another 15 minutes or until tender and caramelized.
When the veggies are roasted and caramelized, sprinkle them with chopped sage and dried cranberries and toss lightly.
Use a slotted spatula to transfer the veggies to a platter (this will let you get some flavor from the bacon fat while leaving most behind on the pan).
Top with chopped bacon, feta cheese, and more sage leaves to garnish.

Notes

Don't Burn the Bacon! - Carefully watch the bacon, it will cook up quick and can burn easily! I used thick cut bacon, regular cut bacon will cook even quicker. Set a timer for 10 minutes, then check it every minute or 2 after that!
Ovens and Timing - This dish is roasted at a high heat, 425°F convection bake, which means the fan is blowing the hot air around making things cook even faster. This is essential for roasting to give the carrots and apples that crispy edged, deliciously caramelized finish, but it also means things can burn quickly. All ovens vary, so set a timer and check things often.
Warm the Craisins and Sage - This little tip makes a huge difference. The dried cranberries and sage don't need to be cooked, but just tossing them with the hot veggies on the pan, warms them slightly, making them aromatic and glistening with the maple glaze.
Use a Slotted Spatula - That little bit of bacon fat mixed with the veggies is delicious, but putting them on the platter with a slotted spatula will leave the excess behind on the pan.
Optional Ingredients - If your holiday guest list includes some special diets, the bacon or feta could be left out of this dish, and the butter could be subbed with more olive oil.

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