The name says it all! Honey Glazed Carrots are sweet, tender, and so easy to make. Budget-friendly carrots get a glow-up after simmering in a sweet and savory honey-butter glaze. This side dish is as easy as it is impressive, so it’s perfect for everything from Thanksgiving dinner to a Wednesday supper.
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My youngest son nearly knocked me over with a feather the day he came home from daycare and promptly requested “carrots with ranch dippies!” as a snack.
This, from the child who turns his nose up at strawberries? Born to a mother who’s never met a vegetable she didn’t like? Needless to say, I took complete advantage of his newfound love for orange nibbles and attempted every recipe I could find for cooked carrots.
After he devoured an entire serving of honey roasted carrots, happily munched on roasted potatoes and carrots, and even tried carrot fries, I knew we were well on our way to one of my biggest parenting wins to date.
Knowing I can whip up these super simple glazed carrots in just 20 minutes makes every meal easier. Knowing that my picky little guy will eat them without complaint is the proverbial meal-planning icing on the cake!
Why This Recipe Works
I picked up this tip from Serious Eats – when making vegetable glazes, add just a bit of cornstarch to the water or stock. This helps stabilize the emulsion between the water, butter, and sweetener for a thick, rich glaze in just a fraction of the time.
The Best Way to Cut Carrots
An oblique (aka “angled”) cut creates more surface area, which means more delicious glaze coating each tender bite. It’s also a handy way to ensure that most slices will be roughly the same size and thickness for even cooking.
- Trim the ends, then peel the carrots.
- Use a sharp chef’s knife to make angled cuts, about ½″ wide, along the length of each carrot.
How to Make Glazed Carrots
Who couldn’t use another sweet and simple carrot recipe in their back pocket? Glazed carrots are a sure bet – quick, frugal, tender, and tasty! Don’t skip the cornstarch, and do be patient – a vigorous boil in the last five minutes is when the glaze really comes together.
- Whisk cornstarch into 1 cup of water. Pour the water over sliced carrots in a 2-quart saucepan.
- Top with butter, your choice of sweetener (see below), and a pinch of salt.
- Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
- Increase the heat to high and boil vigorously for 5 minutes, or until the glaze is thick.
- Season with more salt to taste, ground pepper, and parsley. Serve right away!
Essential Notes and Tips
- Slice the carrots into uniform pieces so they cook evenly.
- Be patient! The glaze will not form until the last step. Be sure to finish by increasing the heat to maintain a vigorous boil until the glaze forms.
- For an additional layer of seasoning, add 1 teaspoon finely grated garlic or ginger (or both!).
What Sweetener Should I Use?
We use honey, but an equivalent amount of maple syrup can be substituted for the honey.
Use brown sugar in place of the honey or maple syrup. Use 2 tablespoons of brown sugar in place of the honey, or use 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 1 tablespoon honey (or maple syrup) for a more deeply caramelized flavor. I found straight brown sugar too sweet for my taste, but half and half was just sweet enough.
Did you make these glazed carrots? We’d love to know how they turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below, or share with your friends and fam!
Simple Stovetop Honey Glazed Carrots
Description
Ingredients
- 6 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into ½” coins
- 1 cup water, or chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons honey, see Note 1
- 2 cloves garlic, minced, optional; see Note 2
- 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger, optional; see Note 2
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ground pepper, to taste
- chopped fresh parsley, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the carrots. Trim a half-inch from each end, peel away the skins, then slice on the diagonal into ½” coins.
- Place the carrots into a 2-quart saucepan. Combine the water (or broth) and cornstarch in a measuring cup or jar; whisk until smooth, then pour over the carrots.
- Add the butter, honey, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Turn the burner to high and bring the liquid to a simmer, tossing occasionally to help the butter and sweetener melt into the water. Once the butter melts, lower the heat to medium-low to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 12-15 minutes, or until the carrots just become tender; you should be able to insert the tip of a paring knife into the center of a carrot and meet just a little resistance.
- Increase the heat to high and boil 5-6 minutes more, or until the glaze is thick and shiny.
- Stir in the parsley, then taste for seasoning; adjust with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm, right away. See Note 3 for storage and reheating.
Recipe Notes
- Note 1. Use honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar to sweeten the carrots. You may also use any combination of the two, such as one tablespoon of brown sugar and one tablespoon of honey.
- Note 2. To add a more savory element, add garlic and/or ginger along with the butter in Step 3.
- Note 3. Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge; reheat single portions in the microwave for 45-60 seconds, stirring halfway though. Reheat larger portions in a saucepan on the stove; simmer over medium low heat until warmed through
Maura Lacelle
Your instructions are bang on. This dish will go nicely with the rest of a meal this evening with family. 🇨🇦 Thank you