Brown Sugar Honey Glazed Carrots
Brown sugar honey glazed carrots are a great side dish for your next holiday dinner but can be made any time of the year. This recipe comes together from start to finish in under 20 minutes.
Tender carrots are parboiled first and then cooked in the sticky glaze on the stove top.
This easy carrot side dish has a sweet and savory flavor and is made with only a few simple ingredients. The vibrant orange color against the green herbs adds a beautiful pop of color to any holiday table. You don’t need a special occasion to make this dish though, it’s also great for busy weeknights since it comes together so quickly.
Serve with braised beef, roast pork, pork chops, turkey, or pistachio crusted chicken.
Ingredients
- Whole carrots – use fresh carrots over frozen for this particular dish. I also suggest using large carrots (not baby carrots).
- Sticky sweet glaze – a combination of olive oil, melted butter (I used dairy-free butter), light or dark brown sugar, and honey. The additional sweeteners help bring out the natural sweetness of the carrots.
- Fresh rosemary – this savory element pairs well with the sweet carrots and the glaze.
- Kosher salt & freshly cracked black pepper – to taste.
See the recipe card for the full recipe.
How to Make Brown Sugar Honey Glazed Carrots
Step 1. Trim the carrots and scrub them well to wash the dirt off. You don’t need to peel them, but you can if you’d like. Cut the carrots on the bias (an angle) into roughly 1 1/2 inch pieces.
Step 2. Bring a Dutch oven or large pot of salted water to a boil. Add in the cut carrots and bring them back to a boil. Boil for 7 minutes or until they’re partially softened. Drain in a colander.
Step 3. Place the pot back on the stove over medium heat and add the olive oil, butter, brown sugar, and honey. Stir to combine then add in the parboiled carrots. Toss to coat the carrots and cover the pot with a lid. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add in the minced rosemary when there’s 1 minute left.
Step 4. Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Spoon the honey mixture over the carrots and serve immediately.
Make It Your Way: Substitutions & Variations
Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.
How can you make these brown sugar-glazed carrots using what you already have? Here are some ideas…
- No honey? – you can also use maple syrup.
- No fresh rosemary? – you can also use other fresh herbs such as fresh thyme, fresh parsley, or even dried herbs if that’s all you have on hand.
- Add-ins – fresh orange juice for more dimension of flavor.
Helpful Tips
The cooking time may vary depending on the size of your carrots.
How to store. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Making ahead? – I suggest only parboiling the carrots ahead of time and then cooking them in the sauce the day of. Otherwise, the carrots can get mushy during the reheating process.
More Side Dishes
- Vegan Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Crispy Roasted Potatoes With Onions
- Sweet and Spicy Roasted Butternut Squash
- Quick Sauteed Broccoletti
Brown Sugar Honey Glazed Carrots
Ingredients
- 2 pounds whole carrots 907 grams or 32 ounces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons dairy free butter or unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons honey see notes
- 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh rosemary or another herb
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Trim the carrots and scrub them well to wash the dirt off. You don’t need to peel them, but you can if you'd like. Cut the carrots on the bias (an angle) into roughly 1 1/2 inch pieces.
- Bring a Dutch oven or large pot of salted water to a boil. Add in the cut carrots and bring them back to a boil. Boil for 7 minutes or until they're partially softened. Drain in a colander.
- Place the pot back on the stove over medium heat and add the olive oil, butter, brown sugar, and honey. Stir to combine then add in the parboiled carrots. Toss to coat the carrots and cover the pot with a lid. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add in the minced rosemary when there's 1 minute left.
- Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Spoon the honey mixture over the carrots and serve immediately.