Glazed Carrots: a family-table method

A skillet of glazed carrots with brown sugar and butter sauce.

These glazed carrots are tender carrot coins simmered in a mixture of brown sugar and butter and topped with a sprinkling of parsley. An straightforward and inexpensive side dish that’s reliable for a holiday meal or an everyday dinner.

My kids love carrots, especially silky carrot salad, honey roasted carrots and candied carrots. We also really enjoy unfussy glazed carrots which take just minutes to put together. This is one of my go-to side dishes!

I always keep a bag of carrots in my fridge. They’re inexpensive, stay fresh for weeks, and you can do so many things with them! One of my go-to ways to prepare carrots is this straightforward glazed carrots recipe. All you need is 5 ingredients and about 15 minutes and they’ll be ready to serve. Offer your carrots alongside hearty main course dishes such as stuffed bell peppers or lemon pepper chicken.

Glazed Carrots Ingredients

Carrots: I typically cut whole carrots into slices for this recipe. You can also cut your carrots into sticks, or use bagged baby carrots.
Butter: Salted or unsalted butter will both work just fine.
Brown Sugar: I typically use light brown sugar, but dark brown sugar is also great if you prefer a more pronounced molasses flavor.
Salt: A bit of salt helps to balance the sweetness of the brown sugar.
Parsley: I like to add a sprinkle of fresh parsley for flavor and color, but this is an optional step.

How Do You Make Glazed Carrots?

Place your sliced carrots in a pan with water, then simmer them until they are just tender. Drain off the water, then add butter, brown sugar and salt to the pan. Cook the carrots for 4-5 minutes or until a glaze forms. Add the parsley if you’re using it, then serve immediately and enjoy.

Tips for the Reliable Dish

Make sure your carrots are cut into uniformly sized pieces so that they cook at the same rate.
Leftovers will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. You can reheat your leftover carrots on the stove over low heat for 5-7 minutes.
You can cut and peel your carrots up to 3 days before you plan to make this recipe.

Quick Tip

Want a hands off approach to glazed carrots? Try my slow cooker glazed carrots.

Sliced cooked carrots with butter and brown sugar.

Recipe FAQs

What are the health benefits of carrots?

Carrots are a super healthy vegetable. Carrots are loaded with fiber, Vitamin K, beta-carotene, and antioxidants. These veggies are also thought to improve your vision, prevent certain types of cancer, slow down the aging process and they also help prevent infection.

What are glazed carrots made of?

The primary ingredients in glazed carrots are fresh carrots, butter, brown sugar, water and seasonings.

Can you cook glazed carrots a day in advance?

You can prepare your carrots up to 2 days before you plan to serve them. Reheat the leftovers in a skillet on the stove until warm, and add the parsley right before serving.

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Glazed carrots in a skillet with a serving spoon.

Flavor Variations

This is a unfussy recipe that is straightforward to customize to suit your tastes.

Sweetener: You can substitute honey or maple syrup for the brown sugar if needed.
Vegetables: I sometimes add other root vegetables to this dish such as parsnips, thinly sliced sweet potatoes and even yellow beets.
Toppings: Finish your carrots with a sprinkle of nuts such as chopped pecans or toasted sliced almonds.
Add-Ins: Feel free to add other flavors such as a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon of fresh grated ginger, a squeeze of lemon juice or even a dash of vanilla extract.

A bowl of glazed carrots topped with parsley.

Whether you choose to serve glazed carrots for a special holiday dinner or serve them alongside a unfussy roasted chicken on a busy weeknight, this dish is sure to be welcomed by all.

More Side Dish Ideas

Glazed Carrots Video

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Add as Google preferred source Authorthe Makdob kitchen A skillet of glazed carrots with brown sugar and butter sauce.

These glazed carrots are tender carrot coins simmered in a mixture of brown sugar and butter and topped with a sprinkling of parsley. An straightforward and inexpensive side dish that’s reliable for a holiday meal or an everyday dinner. Time Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes

Course Side
Cuisine American
Serves 6

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs carrots peeled and cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped parsley optional

Instructions

Place the carrots in a large pan and add 1 1/2 cups of water. Bring the carrots to a simmer
Cook for 8-10 minutes or until carrots are tender. Drain off any excess water.
Add the butter, brown sugar and salt to the pan. Stir to coat the carrots.
Cook for an additional 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until a sauce has formed.
Sprinkle with parsley if desired, then serve.

Notes

Make sure your carrots are cut into uniformly sized pieces so that they cook at the same rate.
Leftovers will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. You can reheat your leftover carrots on the stove over low heat for 5-7 minutes.