Simple Honey Glazed Baby Carrots Recipe (2024)

By

Diana Rattray

Simple Honey Glazed Baby Carrots Recipe (1)

Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.

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Updated on 02/9/23

Tested by

Young Sun Huh

Simple Honey Glazed Baby Carrots Recipe (2)

Tested byYoung Sun Huh

Young Sun is a freelance recipe developer, tester, and food stylist with over 15 years of experience in the food industry.

Learn about The Spruce Eats'Editorial Process

Prep: 5 mins

Cook: 35 mins

Total: 40 mins

Servings: 8 servings

101 ratings

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Beautiful baby carrots make an elegant side dish that's a great accompaniment for meats like ham, pork, chicken, or veal. These flavorful carrots have the perfect balance of sweet and tangy thanks to the addition of honey and lemon juice. You don't need too many ingredients to bring out the best in fresh carrots, but you might need to double the amounts as your family will be asking for seconds. What's more, they're vegetarian, with a simple swap to make them vegan.

Commonly mislabeled, true baby carrots are young carrots that are harvested before reaching their mature state. As such, they have the appearance of miniature carrots, with ridges, wrinkles and all, plus bright green tops. What is usually found in stores is baby-cut carrots, or mature big carrots that are cut into baby carrot shapes and sizes to imitate the real product. If possible, try finding baby carrots, as their flavor is incomparable. In a pinch, use baby-cut carrots or larger carrots cut in 2-inch chunks.

Quick and easy to prepare, these carrots are best when cooked al dente, just enough so they still have a bite; the crunch is part of their appeal. Use these carrots as part of a salad, adding them to kale, pine nuts, and crumbled feta. Or make them into a puree by adding an extra pat of butter and processing right before serving. With great amounts of vitamins A and C, carrots should be a staple in your kitchen. They're high in fiber and low in calories, with only 38 calories in a 100-gram serving.

If using true baby carrots, trim the tops if preferred, or leave them on for a beautiful presentation.

Simple Honey Glazed Baby Carrots Recipe (4)

“These glazed carrots were delicious and easy to make. The glaze is perfectly balanced with just the right amount of lemon juice to offset the honey and brown sugar. I used 1 1/2 pounds of carrots, but there's definitely enough glaze for 2 pounds." —Young Sun Huh

Simple Honey Glazed Baby Carrots Recipe (5)

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Simple Honey Glazed Baby Carrots Recipe (6)

  2. Place the baby carrots in a large saucepan. Cover with water and add the salt. Bring to a boil.

    Simple Honey Glazed Baby Carrots Recipe (7)

  3. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and continue cooking until crisp-tender, about 15 minutes (begin checking for doneness after 10 minutes). Drain and set aside.

    Simple Honey Glazed Baby Carrots Recipe (8)

  4. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the honey and brown sugar and cook, stirring continuously, until the sugar is dissolved.

    Simple Honey Glazed Baby Carrots Recipe (9)

  5. Stir in the lemon juice. Increase the heat to medium-high. Return the reserved carrots to the pan. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the glaze thickens slightly and coats the carrots.

    Simple Honey Glazed Baby Carrots Recipe (10)

  6. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Serve garnished with the parsley.

    Simple Honey Glazed Baby Carrots Recipe (11)

    Oven-Glazed Carrots Variation

    If you don't have time to be near the stove, follow these steps:

    • Preheat the oven to 350 F.
    • Blanch the carrots in boiling water with salt for 5 minutes.
    • In a bowl, mix melted butter, honey, sugar, lemon juice, and salt and pepper.
    • Add the carrots to the butter and mix well. Transfer to a baking dish.
    • Bake, covered, for 15 minutes and uncovered for an extra 10.
    • Garnish with parsley and serve.

    Crunchy and Tangy Toppings

    Crunchy ingredients can bring a whole different experience to these tasty carrots. Chose one addition and add 2 tablespoons of it:

    • Sesame seeds, black or white
    • Sliced almonds or chopped cashews
    • Pepitas or sunflower seeds—great for nut-free diets.

    The addition of cheese can also give an extraordinary tang to the dish. Simply mix in 1/4 cup of Parmesan or Pecorino Romano.

    Can I Make These Carrots Vegan?

    Yes, and it's very simple. Vegan and plant-based diets stay away from animal products, including honey. For this recipe, you simply need to swap the butter for margarine or vegan butter—even olive oil can do the trick—and the honey for maple syrup, agave syrup, date syrup, or molasses. Both changes can be done at a 1:1 ratio.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
139Calories
6g Fat
22g Carbs
1g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories139
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g8%
Saturated Fat 4g18%
Cholesterol 15mg5%
Sodium 328mg14%
Total Carbohydrate 22g8%
Dietary Fiber 3g12%
Total Sugars 18g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 5mg24%
Calcium 44mg3%
Iron 1mg6%
Potassium 291mg6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Article Sources

The Spruce Eats uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. Carrots. FoodData Central. United Stated Department of Agriculture.

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Simple Honey Glazed Baby Carrots Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long does it take for baby carrots to soften when boiling? ›

Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until carrots are tender, about 15 minutes.

How to make Gordon Ramsay carrots? ›

Cooking instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan, then add the carrots and parsnips and toss to coat in the oil. Add the thyme, cinnamon, star anise and some seasoning. Cook over a medium heat for 15-20 minutes, turning the vegetables frequently, until golden brown and almost cooked through.

What do they do to make baby carrots? ›

To make "baby-cut" carrots, large carrots are put into a machine and cut into two-inch (51 mm) sections, then abraded (scraped) down to size, their ends rounded by the same process.

Is it better to steam or boil baby carrots? ›

While you can boil carrot sticks, steaming is a better method, as it helps to keep more of the antioxidants and vitamins in the carrot. Peel carrot and cut into batons. Add the carrot sticks to a steamer and steam for 5-10 minutes until soft and tender.

Should carrots be started in cold or boiling water? ›

Other foods that are best starting in cold water: root vegetables like carrots and turnips, butternut squash, and beans #stovetopcooking #boiledpotatoes #howtocookpotatoes #cookingscience #foodscience #kitchentechniques #bestpotatoesever #yukongoldpotatoes #cookingtutorials.

What cooking method is best for carrots? ›

Roasting really brings out carrots' best qualities. To make them, just toss carrots with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake until they're golden on the edges and tender throughout. Serve these simple roasted carrots with traditional or heavy main dishes, like standard Thanksgiving fare, lasagna or mac and cheese.

What not to mix carrots with? ›

Also, fruits have more sugar content, something that can hinder the digestive process of vegetables. For the same reason, one shouldn't mix orange with carrot as when taken together, they may cause heartburn and excess bile reflux.

What is the difference between baby carrots and baby cut carrots? ›

They're not actually “baby.” The package might claim otherwise, but most carrots sold as “baby carrots” are just regular carrots that have been cut into two-inch pieces, shaved, and polished down to that snackable size.

How many baby carrots equal one carrot? ›

But here's the big secret about baby carrots: They're actually pieces of carrots. "Cut into two-inch pieces and peeled, and put in a bag," explained Jeff Huckaby, the CEO of Grimmway Farms, the biggest carrot grower on Earth. One regular carrot might be cut into two, three, even four baby carrots.

Why are my baby carrots slimy? ›

Carrots that have gone bad have an off smell, slimy exterior, and can sometimes be rubbery or bendy. Once they've reached this state, unfortunately, they can't be brought back.

How long do glazed carrots last in the fridge? ›

Store glazed carrots in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat them on the stovetop with a little added butter or in the microwave. We do not recommend freezing glazed carrots because their texture after defrosting will be mushy and unappealing.

Do glazed carrots freeze well? ›

But having them in the freezer as well will make dinner even easier. These honey maple-glazed carrots can be made ahead and frozen. Doing the work ahead of time, especially if you make several bags of these at one time, makes suppertime so much easier. They make a perfect side dish to go along with most mains.

What happens if you overcook carrots? ›

Overcooked vegetables are mushy or dry, sometimes both at the same time! What's happened, is the cell structures of the vegetables have been damaged creating mushiness and the liquid inside may have been released to cause dryness.

How long does it take baby carrots to soften in soup? ›

Reduce heat to medium, and simmer, partially covered, 15 to 20 minutes or until carrots are tender. Remove from heat, and let cool 10 minutes.

What takes longer to cook baby carrots or potatoes? ›

Be Strategic with Your Vegetable Size.

Typically potatoes take longer to cook than carrots. To make sure the vegetables are finished at the same time, cut the potatoes smaller to speed their roasting along.

How long do carrots need to get soft? ›

Here's how long to cook carrots on the stove top depending on how they're cut: 7 to 9 minutes for ¼-inch slices. 4 to 6 minutes for strips. 8 to 10 minutes for baby carrots.

How do you soften carrots quickly? ›

Microwave the carrots on high for 3-5 minutes or until tender. Cooking times may vary depending on the power of your microwave and the size of the carrot pieces, so keep an eye on them to avoid overcooking. Higher wattage microwaves will cook the carrots faster, as will smaller carrot pieces.

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