Home » Recipes » Vegetable Sides » Maple Glazed Carrots
by Joanne February 5, 2023
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In only 15 minutes and using 5 ingredients, you can cook up a batch of these wonderful Maple Glazed Carrots. They have great flavor and are equally worthy of weeknight dinners and holiday meals.
Usually I try to reserve certain recipes solely for the holidays so that they feel special. I only make Beef Wellington for Christmas dinner, and I only make these Cinnamon Rolls for Christmas morning.
But this carrot recipe is too good and too quick and easy to just have for holiday dinners, even though I do love them for Easter, Thanksgiving dinner, and Christmas.
So I make them for weeknight dinners here and there, especially in the fall when I want extra maple in my life. It’s the perfect side dish, made with only a handful of ingredients!
What’s Great About This Recipe
15 minutes – As far as vegetable sides go, this is truly one of the quickest dishes I know of. The carrots are thin and cook quickly.
Only 5 ingredients – It’s amazing how much flavor, crunch, and texture you can get from only 5 ingredients. But the ingredients are all very complimentary, and that harmonious pairing is where the magic happens.
SO delicious – The carrots get beautifully blistered and sticky sweet with this preparation, and it tastes very classic and cozy. They are the best!
One Pan – The entire dish is made in one skillet, for minimal dishwashing.
The 5 Ingredients You’ll Need:
- Carrots – Just like in myRoasted Carrotsrecipe, I strongly recommend buying the bunched variety that comes with the tops on.This kind of carrots has the best flavor, and also tend to be smaller, which is best for quick cooking. Fortunately they’re only$1.50 per bunch at my grocery store, so even on a budget, they’re very affordable.
- Maple syrup – The flavor is incredible here and echoes the natural sweetness of the carrots. You may substitute with honey or brown sugar, if desired.
- Butter – It has the best flavor, but feel free to use ghee or any other cooking fat of your choice.
- Almonds – I think sliced is best here, but you could also chop whole almonds.
- Salt – Intensifies the flavor and balances out the sweetness.
How to Make It Step by Step:
The process is quite simple and boils down to three steps.
- Trim and wash carrots.
- Cook them, covered in the pan, to soften.
- Finish with real maple syrup, almonds, and salt.
Trim the Tops
Using kitchen shears (affiliate) or a sharp knife, trim the leafy green tops off, leaving an inch or two of green at the top if you like the look of it.
Rinse the carrots well, and note that I do not peel them. This is the best way to enjoy them.
Why I Recommend Not Peeling Them
I talk in-depth in my Roasted Carrots post about why leaving the skin on is so great, but in short:
- the texture is better
- it’s more flavorful
- more nutritious
- it saves time and hassle
Cook!
Melt some salted or unsalted butter (or the cooking fat of your choice) in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, and add the whole carrots in a single layer.
It’s important to not overcrowd the pan and have them piled up on each other.
(Side note: Feel free to let the melted butter brown for a minute or two first for extra flavor, but know that it is very pronounced).
Cover the pan with a lid and cook over medium for about 5 minutes, giving them a toss partway through.
Once the carrots are a bit browned on the edges and are almost fully tender, that’s your cue to add pure maple syrup (no imitation syrup, please!):
You can see that the maple syrup will bubble. Toss everything around for one minute, then add sliced almonds and sea salt:
I do not pre-toast the almonds, as I find they toast during the continued cooking.
Keep cooking for another 3-5 minutes, until the maple syrup has mostly stuck to the carrots and the almonds are golden.
I love serving this easy side dish right in the skillet on the dinner table, but transfer to a fancy dish if you prefer, especially for a holiday meal.
What to Serve With This
These Maple Glazed Carrots work so well for numerous meats as the main course, but especially for the following:
- Glazed Spiral Ham
- Prime Rib
- Leg of Lamb
- Roasted Pork Tenderloin
- Poultry, including a big turkey or roast chicken like Spatchco*ck Chicken
Enjoy!
Recipe Variations
This carrots recipe is very flexible with ingredients. Here are some nice variations for switching up this easy recipe.
Fresh herbs – Add 1 tablespoon of finely chopped rosemary or fresh thyme leaves.
Red pepper flakes – Add 1 teaspoon of pepper flakes for a spicy kick. Or use black pepper for a milder spice.
Orange – For a light citrus flavor, add 2 tablespoons of orange juice and 1 tsp orange zest along with the sweet maple syrup.
Recipe FAQ and Tips
How long can you keep leftover Maple Glazed Carrots?
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
How do you reheat leftover Maple Glazed Carrots?
Microwave for 1 minute at 70% power, then check if it’s warm. Repeat, if necessary, until warmed through.
What substitutions may be made here?
Instead of maple syrup, you can use honey or brown sugar. For the butter, you may use ghee, olive oil, or any desired cooking fat. And instead of sliced almonds, you may use chopped whole almonds.
Can you use larger carrots?
Cook time will increase significantly if you use regular large carrots here, and they won’t cook as evenly. By the time you have tender carrots on the inside, the outside will likely be overcooked. I’d recommend cutting them lengthwise instead.
Can you use frozen carrots?
Fresh carrots are best, and it will be difficult to find properly shaped frozen options. You need slender carrots that cook quickly.
Did you enjoy the recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. Or, follow me on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest!
Maple Glazed Carrots
Servings: 3 people
Prep Time: 5 minutes mins
Cook Time: 10 minutes mins
Total Time: 15 minutes mins
Carrots with a sweet maple glaze and crunchy almonds
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Ingredients
- 1 lb organic carrots with tops on*
- 2 tbsp butter (or ghee, or other cooking fat of choice)
- 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
Prepare the carrots: Trim the green leafy tops from the carrots, either leaving an inch or two on top for decorative purposes or trimming the tops off entirely. Wash the carrots well, but do not peel.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, and melt the butter. Add the carrots in a single layer to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes, with a lid on, tossing them halfway through to cook more evenly. You want to cook the carrots until they are mostly tender. A good sign to watch for is if you're tossing them with tongs and they start to cut into the carrots too much (and that's also an indicator that it's time to switch to a spatula). Also, cook time will vary depending on the thickness of the carrots you purchase, so cook for a few minutes more if necessary.
Add the maple syrup to the pan (it should sizzle and bubble up), and toss the carrots for a minute. Then add the almonds and salt. Cook for another 3-5 minutes until the carrots are glazed and sticky, and they are fork tender. Enjoy!
Notes
*This is 1 lb of carrots weighed without the greens, and equivalent to 2 bunches.
Leftovers: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheating: Microwave for 1 minute at 70% power, and check if warm. Repeat, if necessary, until warmed through.
Nutrition
Calories: 210kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 26mg, Sodium: 196mg, Potassium: 129mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 1IU, Calcium: 53mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Author: Fifteen Spatulas
Post updated in April 2020. Originally publishedMarch 2013.
posted in: All Recent Posts, Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Vegetable Sides 15 comments
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Myrtle — Reply
Oh, these look positively delicous: I’ve made something very similar before and they were simply fantastic. I especially love your almond addition, it’ll add a great crunch to offset the tenderness of the carrots.
I really want to eat these right now…but we don’t have any carrots! 🙁 Oh well, looks like I’ll have to get someone to run to the store. 😉
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Jocelyn @BruCrew Life — Reply
Oh how I love cooked carrots with that sticky maple glaze! These look gorgeous!!!
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Kim Beaulieu — Reply
Squee, I love carrots. I get so excited when I see them. Even the family knows if they are thin ones with stems attached it will result in crazy squealing. If they are rainbows I may do cartwheels. For these I’d do a full on floor routine. Fabulous.
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Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust — Reply
This would get me to love cooked carrots!!
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Judy @Savoring Today — Reply
I love everything about this–the richness of the butter, which it perfect for assimilation of Vitamin A in carrots, maple syrup to accent its natural sweetness, the almond for pleasing texture–love, love, love. 🙂
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Kiran — Reply
Brown butter and maple syrup definitely makes this a delish Easter side dish!
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Julie — Reply
Yumm, now can you help me out with making beans attractive to hubby too?
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Chris — Reply
I place frozen green beans (up to 3 one pound bags for our extended family Sunday dinners) in a large covered microwave safe casserole dish. Add chopped raw onion and four to eight pieces cut up raw bacon. Microwave on high 25-30 min. Stop every 5 min to shake up really good and turn dish a quarter turn. Easy and yummy.
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Anita at Hungry Couple — Reply
Gorgeous carrots. And I get it. Both Mr. Hungry Couple and his brother get all excited when I make maple glazed carrots or squash. 🙂
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Nanajoy — Reply
Those carrot tops make our laying hens very happy! We keep a “brood food” bowl on the kitchen counter to collect any fresh trimmings from veggies. The rewards: incredibly rich and beautiful eggs for all our cooking needs.
Add a couple tablespoons of dark brown sugar to the browned butter and stir until melted, then add carrots. Oh, Yum!
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Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet — Reply
I have quite a few carrots fans here so I am saving this recipe. The maple brown butter glaze sounds perfect!
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Averie @ Averie Cooks — Reply
The Easter bunny approves! These are gorgeous! And I want some!
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Jen @ Savory Simple — Reply
I’ve never been a fan of carrots but this is one of the few ways I enjoy them!
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Jocelyn — Reply
You definitely had me at maple and brown butter, two of my fave things ever invented!
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Charlie — Reply
Good morning Joanne!
I love anything w/ maple syrup.
These carrots look so good I Must give them a try.
I throw my carrot greens into any stock that I am making. Especially good w/ chicken.
Great with a vegetable stock also.
Also brings out the flavour for cream of carrot.
Have a Joyful Day :~D
Charlie
