Sweet Carrots Recipe • Longbourn Farm (2024)

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If you’ve never had pan roasted carrots, then look out because this simple recipe is perfect for any occasion and comes packed with a lot of flavors.

Sweet Carrots Recipe • Longbourn Farm (1)

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This is THE recipe for Glazed Carrots!

Today, we’re making skillet carrots as you’ve never had before. While most recipes call for brown sugar we are using a combination of honey and thyme to give us a sweet and earthy flavor that pairs well with the naturally sweet veggies.

This flavorful combination will work great for holidays like Easter or Thanksgiving and also do well for a nice Sunday evening meal with the family. While these skillet roasted carrots may seem fancy, they’re really just another easy side dish to serve along with your meal and one that takes very little effort.

Glazed Carrots Stovetop Ingredients

  • Carrots: You will need about 1 pound of chopped carrots. This can be from baby carrots or long carrots from the garden (or grocery store).
  • Water: Adding in water or broth will help to steam cook the carrots so that the insides are cooked perfectly and a nice sauce is created.
  • Butter: Adding a little butter will help to make the sauce much richer in taste.
  • Honey: Use honey, agave, or even maple syrup. This makes the carrots sweet and perfect.
  • Thyme: Use fresh or dried thyme to help flavor your dish.
  • Salt and pepper: This is just added to taste so you can add in as much or little as you prefer.

Can I use any carrot for this Sweet Carrots Recipe?

Yes, any kind of sweet carrot that is used for eating can be used in this recipe.

How to make Glazed Carrots

  1. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet about 12 inches in size until melted. Add in the carrots and cook lightly until they start to brown a little bit. This should be about 5 minutes.
  2. Add in the water or broth and the honey. Stir to combine and bring the liquid to a boil.
  3. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer on low for about 30 minutes, until the carrots become tender. Periodically check in on the water and make sure to add in more liquid if it gets too low.
  4. When the carrots are tender add in the remaining butter, thyme, salt, and pepper.
  5. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking.
Sweet Carrots Recipe • Longbourn Farm (2)
Sweet Carrots Recipe • Longbourn Farm (3)
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Sweet Carrots Recipe • Longbourn Farm (6)

Caramelized Carrots Recipe FAQ

Can I make pan cooked carrots in a cast iron pan?

Absolutely! If you want to make some cast iron carrots, go for it. The cast iron may even help to cook the carrots more evenly if the chopped pieces are different in size. Just make sure that the pan size is large enough to accommodate all of your sliced carrot pieces and the liquid.

How long are leftover honey glazed carrots good for?

These carrots can be kept stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I recommend eating them sooner rather than later so that the carrots don’t have a chance to dry out. Reheating them is easy in a bowl in the microwave or on the stovetop. Add in a tablespoon of butter as they cook to add back some nice rich flavor and moisture.

Can I freeze honey-glazed carrots?

Yes, this is a side dish that actually does quite well in the freezer. This means that you can prepare your favorite dish in advance of a holiday to cut down on kitchen usage or simply store leftovers for later.
Place the cooked (and cooled) carrots in an airtight container in the freezer for up to two months before thawing and reheating.

How far in advance can you make glazed carrots?

If you don’t want to have to reheat the glazed carrots, I recommend making them just prior to serving time. They will cool quickly. If you don’t mind reheating them, they can be made the day before.

Can you reheat honey glazed carrots?

Yes, reheat honey glazed carrots on the stovetop by warming up in a pan with 2 tablespoons of water. Alternatively, you can microwave them in a microwave-safe dish in 1-minute increments, stirring between, until heated through.

How to serve Sweet Carrots

This easy side dish recipe would pair very well with some homemade biscuits and oven roasted chicken. Maybe even add in a nice green salad with a homemade creamy salad dressing on top, oh yum! Can’t you just picture the delicious possibilities?

How to store Caramelized Carrots

The best way to store caramelized carrots is in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

More favorites from Longbourn Farm

  • Pumpkin Spice Layer Cake
  • Crockpot Short Ribs
  • Fluffy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • BBQ Chicken in the Oven
  • Tuscan Creamy Chicken
  • Smoked Turkey Breast Brine
  • Gorgonzola Steak Salad
  • Zucchini Bread with Buttermilk
  • Mixed Berry Cobbler Recipe with Frozen Berries
  • Chili in Dutch Oven
  • Blonde Butter Syrup
  • How to cook Canned Corn
  • Can Green Beans with Bacon
  • Garden Planter Boxes
  • Mexican Style Pork Chops
  • Dutch Oven Cheesy Potatoes
  • Oven Baked BBQ Chicken Tenders

Sweet Carrots Recipe • Longbourn Farm (7)

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5 from 4 votes

Caramelized Carrots Recipe

These easy honey glazed carrots are made on the stovetop with a simple butter, honey and thyme recipe that is perfect for every day, or the holidays!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword caramelized carrots, honey carrots, honey glazed carrots

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 171kcal

Author Longbourn Farm • Alli Kelley

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Ingredients

  • 1 pound carrots chopped (see note)
  • 1 cup water or broth, extra may be needed
  • 3 tablespoons butter divided
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 4 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
  • salt and pepper to taste

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • In a large skillet (I used a 12 inch), heat 2 tablespoons of the butter until melted. Add carrots and cook lightly until they start to brown a little bit, about 5 minutes.

  • Add the water (or broth) and the honey. Stir to combine and bring the water to a boil.

  • Reduce the heat and simmer on low until the carrots become tender about 30 minutes. Check the water throughout this time and add more if it gets low.

  • When the carrots are tender and the liquid is reduced and thick (about 1/3 cup left), remove from the heat and add the remaining tablespoon butter, thyme, salt, and pepper.

  • Taste and adjust seasonings.

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Notes

Baby carrots or whole carrots can be used.

Nutrition

Calories: 171kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 157mg | Potassium: 375mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 19300IU | Vitamin C: 9.9mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 0.8mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @longbournfarm or tag #longbournfarm!

Sweet Carrots Recipe • Longbourn Farm (2024)

FAQs

What makes carrots sweet? ›

As carrots grow, they develop terpenoids which are what give carrots their flavour. The sugars develop later on and are stored in the root. Pick too early and you'll be eating the terpenoids, without the sugars.

What brings out the carrot flavor? ›

Seasoning carrots is a great way to help bring out their flavor. For a simple and versatile seasoning, stick with salt, pepper, and garlic. For an herbier taste, add rosemary, parsley, cumin, or coriander. Or, to bring out their fresh, woody flavor, add some anise.

How to make bitter carrots sweet? ›

By shredding them. "When you grate [root vegetables, like carrots]," he explains, "you break the cell walls down [and] they become very sweet. It really changes their flavor."

Why are my roasted carrots bitter? ›

Some varieties are naturally high in terpenoids, which make the carrots taste bitter. Because terpenoids develop earlier than sugars, a carrot that is harvested too young might taste bitter.

Why aren't my homegrown carrots sweet? ›

The reasons for the bitter taste of carrots can be late harvesting, irregular watering and bolting. If you leave carrots in the ground too long, they can lose their characteristic sweetness and become bitter.

How do you intensify carrot Flavour? ›

Flavourings: Amp up your carrots with:
  1. Ginger, garlic.
  2. Cinnamon, cloves, ground coriander, ground cumin, paprika, chili powder, cayenne pepper.
  3. Coriander, dill, thyme, tarragon, curry leaves, mint, oregano, parsley.
  4. Maple syrup, honey.
  5. Lemon juice, orange juice, apple juice.

How do you sweeten raw carrots? ›

Just toss the carrots in brown sugar (or honey or maple syrup), butter and oil with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Then just roast for 25 minutes in a hot oven (220C/425F) until the carrots are caramelised on the edges.

How do you make raw carrots sweeter? ›

Just cover them with water and sprinkle them with brown sugar. Boil them until the water boils off and your carrots will be sweeter than a virgin in Spring.

Why do my homegrown carrots taste bitter? ›

Why do some carrots taste bitter? Carrots taste bitter because they contain terpenoids. Terpenoids develop earlier in carrot roots than the sugar so carrots harvested early can taste bitter and soapy. Some varieties of carrots are naturally higher in terpenoids than others.

Does boiling carrots make them sweeter? ›

Furthermore, she says, "chemically, there are more sugars in a raw carrot than in a boiled carrot", which will have leaked sweetness into the cooking. As well as their inherent sweetness, she continues, "carrots can have a harsh, sometimes earthy or woody flavour character.

Why are roasted carrots so sweet? ›

Roasting caramelizes and concentrates the sugars that naturally occur in the carrots, making them taste really yummy.

How do you make carrots not bitter? ›

How can I leave the healthy peels on carrots when cooking, without having them taste bitter? Try adding salt while cooking. Salt can remove the bitterness.

Is it OK to eat bitter carrots? ›

Yes they should be ok, probably bitter. They are either still immature or had a nutrient deficiency or change in environmental conditions (sun/rain), during their growth period. Carrots contain pigments that are sensitive to changes in pH balance.

Why are some carrots bitter and some sweet? ›

Usually terpenes give a desirable taste to carrots, but in high concentrations can give undesirable taste. Factors influencing undesirable taste include genetics, growing conditions, diseases and insects, post-harvest handling and storage atmosphere.

Are carrots naturally sweet? ›

Carrots are a root vegetable and one of the most popular go-to vegetables. They are naturally sweet, low-calorie, and offer a satisfying crunch with each bite.

What fertilizer makes carrots sweet? ›

H-G Sweet 'N Grow is a plant supplement designed to increase the quality and sweetness of your carrots as well as other fruits and vegetables.

What's the difference between sweet carrots and regular carrots? ›

White or golden carrots are typically a yellow or cream color. These vegetables have a mild flavor with hardly any of the earthiness that the other colors of carrots typically contain. These types of carrots are also notably sweeter than orange, red, and purple carrots.

Why are some carrots sweet and others bitter? ›

Usually terpenes give a desirable taste to carrots, but in high concentrations can give undesirable taste. Factors influencing undesirable taste include genetics, growing conditions, diseases and insects, post-harvest handling and storage atmosphere.

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