Though these brown sugar-glazed carrots are simple enough for busy weeknight meals, they are delicious and impressive enough for the Thanksgiving dinner table, other holiday meals, and dinner parties. Double the easy side dish recipe for large gatherings and get ready for guests to ask for seconds because there’s no way to go wrong with serving this recipe! For more easy side dish recipes, check out my recipe for creamed spinach, mashed sweet potatoes, and duchess potatoes recipe.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Carrots – choose whole carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch thick slices, or baby carrots that have been cut in half lengthwise. Make classic brown-sugar glazed carrots with traditional orange carrots, or add additional color, flavor, and a beautiful presentation by using the rainbow variety. Butter – unsalted butter is best for this recipe, but salted can be used if necessary. Reduce the additional salt in the recipe by a pinch if making this substitution. Otherwise, the butter doesn’t need to be brought to room temperature before making this dish and can be used straight from the fridge. Brown Sugar – light brown sugar, packed firmly to measure. Brown sugar adds caramelized and light molasses notes to the classic dish, making it homey, sweet, and comforting. Use dark brown sugar for additional depth and molasses flavor, or opt for maple syrup to give this easy glazed carrots recipe an autumnal twist.
How to Make Glazed Carrots
- Place the carrots in a large skillet and add enough water so all the pieces are submerged by about half an inch.
- Heat the skillet on the stove top over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until the carrots are fork-tender, then drain.
- Add the butter, sugar, salt, and pepper to the empty skillet. Place over medium-low heat and stir until the butter is melted. Stir in the carrots and toss to coat.
- Increase to medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the glaze thickens, about 5 minutes. Garnish with minced parsley and serve warm.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
Cut the carrots uniformly. This will ensure that they cook evenly. If some of the carrots are thicker than the others, cut them in half before slicing them into ½-inch thick pieces. If any of the carrots are narrower, cut them into slightly thicker coins or at a diagonal so all of the carrots are the same approximate size. Add enough water before simmering. The carrots should be submerged in at least ½ inch of water before cooking, allowing them enough water to cook up fully while simmering. Don’t overcook the carrots. Simmer the carrots just until they are fork-tender but still slightly firm, not mushy. The carrots will finish cooking in the brown sugar glaze as it thickens, or until they are perfectly tender. Make ahead directions. You can make these carrots ahead of time. To do so, cut, simmer, and drain the carrots according to the recipe directions. Store the carrots in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. Once ready to serve, melt the butter, sugar, salt, and pepper in the large skillet, and add the refrigerated carrots. Then, continue with the recipe as directed.
If you’ve tried this glazed carrots recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
