Sweet Carrots Recipe • Longbourn Farm (2024)

08/11/21 | , Side Dish

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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)

Table of Contents

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

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.
Add in the water or broth and the honey. Stir to combine and bring the liquid to a boil.
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.
When the carrots are tender add in the remaining butter, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking.

Sweet Carrots Recipe • Longbourn Farm (2)

Sweet Carrots Recipe • Longbourn Farm (3)

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?

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

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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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Equipment

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 Customary – Metric

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

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

Sweet Carrots Recipe • Longbourn Farm (2024)

FAQs

What is a sweet carrot? ›

Select carrot varieties known for their sweet flavor. Dantes, Little finger, Short 'n Sweet, Sweetness, and Tendersweet are just a few to consider. Be sure to plant carrots early in the season for an early summer harvest, midseason for a fall harvest or fall for a winter harvest in milder climates.

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How do you steam carrots in a steamer basket? ›

Fill a medium wide-mouthed pot with 2 inches of water. Set a collapsible steamer basket insert into the pot, then bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Put the carrots in the steamer basket and cook, covered, until tender when pierced with a knife, about 8 minutes.

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.

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

Lunar White carrots are very sweet, mild flavored and nearly coreless. This variety is decorative, with straight roots averaging 6 to 8 inches in length. White Carrots are typically sweeter than the orange variety and have a mild, natural taste making them perfect for eating raw.

Explore More ›

Why do carrots get sweet when you cook them? ›

They way we chew soft, cooked carrots will cause different flavours to be released, according to food scientist Lindsey Bagley. 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.

Tell Me More ›

Does freezing carrots make them sweeter? ›

Loss of Water: Freezing can cause the vegetables to lose water content. This loss of water can lead to a more concentrated taste of the vegetable's natural sugars and flavors, making them taste sweeter when compared to their original state with higher water content.

Tell Me More ›

How do you store sweet carrots? ›

When stored properly, whole carrots can last for about three to four weeks in the fridge. Wrap unpeeled, unwashed carrots in a dry paper towel, and store them in an airtight food storage container or bag.

Learn More ›

Is it better to steam or bake carrots? ›

No matter which way you cook them, carrots are a healthy choice. Steaming is a slightly better pick since the carrots don't lose as many of their nutrients to the water. (Steaming is also more environmentally friendly since it uses less water.)

Is boil better than steaming carrots? ›

“Steaming allows you to retain more of the nutrients compared with boiling,” Jenna Hope confirms, because leaching, whereby some nutrients draw out into the water, doesn't occur as much. “Naturally, it may not provide as much flavour as, for example, roasting, so serve with a pesto or tahini.”

Find Out More ›

Can you steam carrots in a Ziploc bag? ›

directions. Put baby carrots in medium or large Ziploc steamer bag. Microwave for 6 minutes. Carefully open bag (the steam is very HOT!) and add the butter sprays, seasoning mix and cheese.

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How can you tell if carrots are sweet? ›

Some carrots are sweeter than others. The fresher they are, the more you can taste the natural sugar. Also, they're best when they're small or medium sized. The ones that get left in the ground too long turn woody and bitter.

Tell Me More ›

Are sweet carrots a thing? ›

Glazed carrots or candied carrots are a vegetable side dish in Europe and the United States made with carrots caramelized in butter and brown sugar, sometimes with the addition of an acidic ingredient like orange juice. It is considered a traditional food, similar to scalloped potatoes or dinner rolls.

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Are baby carrots sweeter than regular carrots? ›

These farms originally developed food for World War II, but wanted to sell food for civilians. A team of two led the research. According to Dole, baby carrots are sweeter and more tender than full-grown carrots.

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Are all baby carrots sweet? ›

Baby carrots are in fact full-grown carrots, whittled down into earplug-shaped cylinders. They aren't sweeter, fresher, or younger than the bunches of carrots they're sold alongside. In fact, they're often made from older carrots, hence the starchy, not-very-sweet flavor you get from some bags.