Glazed Carrots
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Quick and easy Glazed Carrots – Made with fresh sliced carrots, sweet brown sugar or honey and a few dabs of rich butter. This recipe is proof that it doesn’t take much to upgrade a simple vegetable and make it beautifully shine, both in taste and presentation!
Sweet Brown Sugar or Honey Glazed Carrots
You may find these are reminiscent of sweet potatoes but with a fraction of the time effort! And you only need 5 ingredients (plus salt and pepper).
Carrots are sliced on a biased, steamed in a skillet until nearly tender, then sautéed with butter and brown sugar or honey.
It’s a simple method that has plenty of leeway for adaptations (variations I’d recommend are adding spices, tossing in dried nuts or dried cranberries, and finishing with other herbs such as chives or dill).
You’ll find it to be a quick go-to side dish that will compliment so many of your favorite entrees, they may even take center stage for favorite item on the dinner plate. Even kids will love these!
It’s often the simplest things that are the best.
Glazed Carrots Recipe Ingredients
- Fresh carrots
- Vegetable broth
- Salt and black pepper
- Brown sugar or honey
- Butter
- Parsley (optional)
How to Make Glazed Carrots
- Pour broth into a 12-inch skillet. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Add carrots, season with salt cover skillet with lid and let simmer until nearly tender, about 6 – 8 minutes. Drain off excess liquid well.
- Add brown sugar and butter to carrots, toss and cook 2 minutes longer. Season with more salt as needed and sprinkle with pepper and parsley. Serve warm.
Helpful Tips for the Best Glazed Carrots
- Work to cut the carrots to an even thickness so they cook evenly and some don’t end up undercooked or overcooked.
- So sauce isn’t overly runny be sure to drain the vegetable broth off well before adding the brown sugar and butter.
- Don’t be tempted to use water in place of vegetable broth or the carrots won’t be quite as flavorful.
- Only cook carrots until just tender for the best texture. You want a faint bite to them, not mushiness.
- For the healthier option here use honey in place of brown sugar.
How to balance with tartness?
- For another layer of flavor and for some tang to balance the sweet you can add 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice to the carrots after cooking.
- Another option would be to toss in 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar.
Can I use frozen carrots?
- Unfortunately no, frozen carrots will not work in this recipe. They are too wet and too soft since they are partially cooked.
- Stick with fresh carrots for the best results.
What about substituting maple syrup?
- I like the stickiness of the brown sugar or honey but maple syrup will work well too.
- They sauce may just be a bit runnier (if you’d like you could thicken with 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 Tbsp vegetable broth for a sauce that clings better).
More Delicious Ways to Use up Carrots
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Glazed Carrots
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs carrots, peeled, sliced on a bias 1/4-inch-inch thick
- 3/4 cup vegetable broth
- 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 Tbsp brown sugar (or sub honey)
- 2 Tbsp butter, diced into small pieces
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Pour broth into a 12-inch skillet. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Add carrots, season with salt cover skillet with lid and let simmer until nearly tender, about 6 - 8 minutes. Drain off excess liquid well.
- Add brown sugar and butter to carrots, toss and cook 2 minutes longer. Season with more salt as needed and sprinkle with pepper and parsley. Serve warm.
Notes
- Optionally if you'd like a little acidity to pair with the sweetness you can also add 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon in with the brown sugar.