Description
This simple honey glazed carrots recipe features tender baby carrots cooked to perfection and coated in a luscious mixture of butter, honey, brown sugar, and lemon juice. It’s a quick and delicious side dish that offers a perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors, topped with a hint of fresh ground black pepper or chopped parsley for a vibrant finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Carrots
- 1 1/2-2 lbs baby carrots
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Glaze
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 1/2 lemon, juice of
Garnish
- Fresh ground black pepper or chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Boil the Carrots: Rinse the baby carrots thoroughly under cold water. Place them in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the saucepan, and let the carrots cook for about 15 minutes or until they are tender when pierced with a fork. Drain the water and set the carrots aside.
- Prepare the Honey Glaze: In a sauté pan over medium-low heat, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Add 4 tablespoons of honey and 3 tablespoons of packed brown sugar to the melted butter. Stir continuously until the brown sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is smooth and glossy. Add the juice of half a lemon and stir gently to combine all the flavors.
- Glaze the Carrots: Add the drained carrots to the sauté pan with the glaze. Gently stir to coat all the carrots evenly with the honey-butter mixture. Keep heating the carrots on medium-low, stirring occasionally, until they are thoroughly warmed and beautifully glazed.
- Garnish and Serve: Transfer the glazed carrots to a serving dish. Garnish with freshly ground black pepper or chopped parsley according to preference. Serve immediately as a sweet and flavorful side dish.
Notes
- For extra flavor, you can add a pinch of cinnamon or a few sprigs of fresh thyme to the glaze while cooking.
- If you prefer, substitute baby carrots with sliced regular carrots, adjusting cooking time until tender.
- This recipe can be doubled or halved depending on the number of servings needed.
- Make sure not to overcook the carrots to retain their slight crunch and natural sweetness.
- Use unsalted butter if you want to control the saltiness more precisely.
