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I can’t wait for you to make this double-decker side. I can’t wait for you to bask in the glory of the most efficient two side dishes to grace your special mealtime table. I also can’t wait for you to come up with your own spin-offs and creations …and I hope you’ll share them with us here. In this one, bacon-y potatoes and whole carrots roast together, but get plated separately (each with their own garnishes) for the most efficient, time-saving, flavor-wielding hosting hack!
Why This Side Dish Recipe is So Ideal
I am pumped to formally share all about my double-decker side. There’s a chance you’re thinking, “this sounds silly.” Or maybe you’re thinking, “I think I like it, please tell me more.” OR MAYBE you’re thinking, “I’m already obsessed, count me all the way in.” In any case, I’m so excited to finally share this ultimate hosting hack.
The double-decker side dish came to be because I, a mostly-overwhelmed-at-any-given-moment-mom-of-3-young-kids, was hosting Easter for my family. I LOVE hosting friends and family for dinner, so don’t think I was put-upon, but I was also overwhelmed. I wanted to be able to plate a fabulous meal for us all to enjoy, to give thanks over, and do it with minimal effort and stress.
So, I made a slow-roasted lamb, fabulous herby salad (it’s really so good), and this double-decker side. I did a bit of prep early that morning to get things into the oven, and then I plated it all at the end. Maximum credit with minimum effort – THAT IS THE HOSTING GOAL, Y’ALL.
I knew I wanted at least 3 side dishes with this meal, so I settled on potatoes for our main starch, carrots, and that fresh salad. Knowing that both potatoes and carrots can be roasted, I noodled on how I could do that …together, at the same time, in the same dish, but separately.
Enter: the double-decker side dish.
Bacon-y potatoes go on the bottom with a touch of broth, carrots are placed on top, and they all roast together, taking full advantage of the shared aromatics (and minimal dishes, YAY US). The carrots get their own plate with a sprinkle of fresh goat cheese and cilantro, while the bacon-loaded potatoes get their own plate with a drizzle of an (easy, always easy) crema and green onion. Two different dishes, minimal effort, you are a hero.
Ingredients for Roasted Potatoes and Carrots
- 1 pound of bacon, chopped
- 2 pounds of baby Yukon gold potatoes
- 6 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 cup of chicken broth
- 2 pounds of whole carrots, peeled and trimmed
- 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt, divided
- 2 lemons, halved
- ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper
- ¼ cup of crumbled goat cheese
- ¼ cup of fresh cilantro, roughly torn
- ¼ cup of sour cream
- ¼ cup of green onion, chopped
How to Roast Potatoes and Carrots in the Oven
- Prep – preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Crisp the bacon – crisp the bacon in a large (6-quart) enameled cast iron pot. Don’t drain.
- Add the potatoes, garlic, broth, and salt – add the potatoes, garlic, broth, and half of the salt, then stir to combine.
- Add the carrots – place the carrots on top, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with the remaining salt and pepper.
- Add the lemons – nestle the lemon halves along the sides.
- Bake – cover and bake for 1 hour.
- Plate and garnish the carrots – pull the carrots out and plate them on their own with half of the lemon wedges, then garnish with lemon juice, goat cheese, and cilantro.
- Plate the potatoes + bacon and garnish – plate the potatoes and bacon. Then, mix the sour cream with the lemon juice and drizzle over the potatoes. Garnish with the green onion.
- Serve and enjoy!
Roasted Potatoes and Carrots Flavor Variations
Feel free to change things up and make the side dish (dishes!) your own. Here are our best ideas:
- Make it dairy-free – if you need a dairy-free side, feel free to omit the goat cheese garnish on the carrots and the sour cream sauce on the potatoes (or sub for a dairy free sour cream). Both dishes will still be full of flavor!
- Swap the garnishes – don’t want goat cheese garnished carrots? No prob! Omit the cheese or replace it with a different cheese that you enjoy. As for the potatoes, feel free to omit the sour cream sauce completely or replace it with another sauce you like! A homemade ranch (or spicy ranch) would be really yummy.
- Switch up the veggies – feel free to swap the carrots for another veggie. Broccoli or Brussel sprouts would be delicious here.
- Use a different potato – swap the baby Yukon gold potatoes for any other potato variation you love. Just be sure to chop any potatoes that aren’t a “baby” variety. Chopped sweet potatoes would be great!
Tips for the Perfect Side Dish
I have a few tips for the perfect side dish!
- Don’t rush them. Let the roasted carrots roast, let the veggies get crispy, let the potatoes get soft, etc. Nobody likes mashed potatoes that aren’t smooth because you rushed them. Don’t rush it, but make it simple (see next step).
- Great side dishes are simple. REPEAT AFTER ME: great side dishes are SIMPLE. You may only need the veggie, salt, pepper, and a bit of time in the oven (that’s how I make the roasted broccoli my family is obsessed with).
- A little fresh garnish can make it seem really fancy. While garnishes are optional, a touch of something fresh (like cheese, herbs, or even nuts and seeds) can really elevate a side dish.
How many people does this side dish feed?
GREAT question! There are 12 servings total (6 carrot servings + 6 potato servings) in the finished pot, but because this recipe makes two different side dishes, it’ll feed 6 people (assuming that everyone wants a helping of both sides). The nutrition facts below are for a serving of potatoes AND a serving of carrots.
Roasted Potatoes and Carrots FAQs
Sure! We chose regular carrots because they’re beautiful, but baby carrots would work great here and shouldn’t change the cooking directions/timing much at all.
This recipe calls for baby Yukon gold potatoes – these are actually my very favorite potatoes for roasting because they’re nice and creamy. If you can’t find the “baby” variety, feel free to use regular Yukon gold (or any other potato) chopped into bite-sized pieces.
You actually do not need to peel the baby potatoes, but if you’re using whole carrots, be sure to peel those.
You can! If you have a pot big enough for double the potatoes and carrots, go for it!
Just for You
Side Dish Recipes
Want more recipe ideas like this?
Ingredients
- 1 pound bacon chopped
- 2 pounds baby Yukon gold potatoes
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 pounds whole carrots peeled and trimmed
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt divided
- 2 lemons halved
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup crumbled goat cheese
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro roughly torn
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup green onion chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Crisp the bacon in a large (5 quart) enameled cast iron pot. Don't drain.
- Add the potatoes, garlic, broth, and half of the salt, then stir to combine.
- Place the carrots on top, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with the remaining salt and pepper.
- Nestle the lemon halves along the sides.
- Cover and bake for 1 hour.
- Pull the carrots out and plate them on their own with half of the lemon wedges, then garnish with lemon juice, goat cheese, and cilantro.
- Plate the potatoes and bacon. Then, mix the sour cream with the lemon juice and drizzle over the potatoes. Garnish with the green onion.
- Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Recipe Notes
- Make it dairy-free – if you need a dairy-free side, feel free to omit the goat cheese garnish on the carrots and the sour cream sauce on the potatoes. Both dishes will still be full of flavor!
- Swap the garnishes – don’t want goat cheese garnished carrots? No prob! Omit the cheese or replace with a different cheese that you enjoy. As for the potatoes, feel free to omit the sour cream sauce completely or replace it with another sauce you like! A homemade ranch (or spicy ranch) would be really yummy here.
- Switch up the veggies – feel free to swap the carrots for another veggie. Broccoli would be delicious here.
- Use a different potato – swap the baby Yukon gold potatoes for any other potato variation you love. Just be sure to chop any potatoes that aren’t a “baby” variety. Chopped sweet potatoes would be great here!
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