This sweet and tender honey glazed carrots recipe is one of our favorite side dishes! While they look fancy, these buttery carrots only need 5 ingredients and 15 minutes of effort. Cooked with a little brown sugar, honey and fresh orange juice, they disappear quickly!
Why You’ll Love This Honey Glazed Carrots Recipe
Glazed carrots are a classic vegetable side that everyone loves. We recommend making a double batch as they disappear off our families plates in no time! Here’s why you’ll love them too:
- Quick and Easy: All you have to do is simmer the carrots until tender and add the glaze. Bonus: They take just 15 minutes, from start to finish!
- Impressive: Both the flavor and presentation will wow everyone at the table. Whether it’s a weeknight or a holiday dinner, these carrots literally go with everything!
- Sweet, Tender and Buttery: These glazed carrots are well balanced with a brightness from the fresh orange zest and juice.
Looking for more easy vegetable side dishes? Try these roasted root vegetables, flavorful sautéed zucchini and squash and our favorite roasted cauliflower!
What You’ll Need
Veggie sides are meant to be simple and this one is no exception! Here’s what you’ll need. Scroll down to the recipe card for exact amounts.
- Carrots: To save time, you can use baby carrots. Just cut them once longways in half before adding to the pot. However, we find fresh whole carrots to be worth the extra effort as they have a lot more flavor!
- Butter
- Brown Sugar: We prefer light brown sugar, but you can use dark for a more intense flavor.
- Orange: You will need one orange, we will use the zest and the juice! If you prefer, lemon juice can be used instead.
- Honey: You can use honey or maple syrup. Agave works too!
- Salt
How to Make Glazed Carrots
These carrots can’t get much easier! All you have to do is boil, glaze and serve! Scroll to the recipe card at bottom of the post for full detailed instructions.
- Boil: Place carrots in a deep sided pan and add water. Cover and bring to a soft boil for 10 minutes. Drain the water.
- Glaze: Add the butter, brown sugar, juice, honey, and salt to the pan. Stir until the butter is melted. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Enjoy: Serve warm with a drizzle of honey, orange zest, and fresh parsley on top!
Cook’s Tips and Tricks
A few tips and variation ideas to ensure these tender glazed carrots turn out perfect!
- Thick vs Thin: We left our carrots on the thicker side because it gives more surface area for all that tasty glaze. But if you prefer thinner sticks, go ahead! Just be sure to adjust the cooking time. If using sliced carrots, watch them carefully as they will cook much faster!
- Fresh Herbs: Topping your carrots with freshly minced parsley or fresh thyme will add a gorgeous pop of color. Fresh herbs also brighten up the flavor!
- Variations: Add a teaspoon of cinnamon or ginger (fresh or dried) for a fun twist. You can also skip the honey and use only brown sugar for brown sugar glazed carrots.
- Make Ahead: Prepare and let them cool, then store in an airtight container for up to a few days. Reheat on the stovetop or microwave, spread on a serving platter, garnish and serve!
What to Serve With Honey Glazed Carrots
Glazed carrots go with just about anything! Here are some ideas:
- Chicken: Easy baked chicken legs are a great pairing. We also highly recommend trying this smothered chicken.
- Pork: Try our dijon brown sugar ham glaze for the holidays, or these southern fried pork chops for an easy weeknight!
- Beef: For an ultra comforting meal, serve them alongside beef tips and gravy or hearty salisbury steak!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Glazed carrots make great leftovers! We usually make extra for another easy dinner later in the week.
- Store: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
- Reheat: Reheat carrots on the stovetop, adding a little extra butter if needed, or in the microwave.
- Freeze: We don’t recommend freezing glazed carrots as they will get mushy once thawed. Thankfully they cook so quickly, you can whip them up any time!
Yield: 6 servings
Honey Glazed Carrots
Honey Glazed Carrots are one of our favorite veggies sides. These sweet and tender carrots are cooked with a little brown sugar, honey, and freshly squeezed orange juice for a brightness that makes these carrots totally addicting.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- ¼ cup honey, more for drizzling on top when serving
- Pinch of salt
- Orange zest, optional for serving
Instructions
- Place carrots in a deep sided pan, add water until carrots are covered. Loosely cover and bring to a soft boil.
- Cook the carrots for about 10 minutes, until they are fork tender. Drain off the water.
- Add the butter, brown sugar, orange juice, honey and salt. Stir until the butter is melted and the carrots are coated. Cook uncovered for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Serve warm with a drizzle of honey, fresh orange zest and chopped parsley.
Notes
Store: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Reheat: Reheat carrots on the stovetop, adding a little extra butter if needed, or in the microwave.
Make Ahead: Prepare and let them cool, then store in an airtight container for up to a few days. Reheat on the stovetop or microwave, spread on a serving platter, garnish and serve!
Carrots: To save time, you can use baby carrots. Just cut them once longways in half before adding to the pot. However, we find fresh whole carrots to be worth the extra effort as they have a lot more flavor! If using sliced carrots, watch them carefully as they will cook much faster!
Fresh Herbs: Topping your carrots with freshly minced parsley or fresh thyme will add a gorgeous pop of color. Fresh herbs also brighten up the flavor!
Variations: Add a teaspoon of cinnamon or ginger (fresh or dried) for a fun twist. You can also skip the honey and use only brown sugar for brown sugar glazed carrots.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 211kcal, Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 20mg, Sodium: 168mg, Potassium: 526mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 29g, Vitamin A: 25513IU, Vitamin C: 14mg, Calcium: 62mg, Iron: 1mg
