This easy maple glazed carrots recipe is the perfect mix of sweet and savory. Made on the stovetop in one pan and cooks in about 15 minutes!
Maple syrup glazed carrots for dinner. If someone said that to you when you were a little kid, you would've thought they were trying to trick you. You can put maple syrup on carrots? Yes you can, and you definitely should!
Prep is so simple, all you have to do is peel the carrots and slice them in half. You only need 5 ingredients, it cooks quickly on the stovetop, and the recipe is open to some of your own flair in terms of spiciness and herb garnishes.
Carrots lend themselves well to a variety of savory spice combos, so try my Cumin Roasted Carrots, too. And if you just want to put maple syrup on everything, then Maple Roasted Acorn Squash is the recipe for you!
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Maple glazed carrots ingredients
- Carrots: Use whole carrots of any color! Make sure they are crisp, not limp, with no soft or bad spots on them.
- Maple syrup: You'll need 100% pure maple syrup for this recipe. Not the stuff with added sugar that you put on your pancakes.
- Apple cider vinegar: We need some vinegar to add some acid and to balance the sweeter flavors in the recipe. Apple cider vinegar goes so well with the other ingredients, but you can substitute red or white wine vinegar instead.
- Crushed red pepper or other spice: Here's your chance to bring some global flavors into the mix! Crushed red pepper is always handy in my house, but you could also use some harissa, Calabrian chili paste, or a pinch of Hungarian paprika.
- Fresh parsley: Parsley will add that hit of fresh herb flavor to brighten things up and balance the sweet and spicy of it all. You could also swap in some cilantro for the same effect.
- Extra virgin olive oil, kosher salt, water
How to make maple glazed carrots
Step 1: Peel and slice the carrots
Use a vegetable peeler to peel the carrots, then use a good chef's knife to slice them in half longways.
If you have some carrots that are much bigger around than others, you'll need to cut those slices in half again. We want them all to be relatively the same thickness.
Step 2: Chop the parsley
Chop the parsley finely and don't be afraid to use the tender stems, too. Lots of flavor there!
Step 3: Make the maple glaze
In a small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, water, and crushed red pepper. Set aside.
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Step 4: Pan roast the carrots
Place a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add olive oil and once shimmering, add the carrots in a single layer cut side down. You'll probably need to do this in two batches.
Cook the carrots on the stovetop until they are getting browned and caramelized on the cut side 3-5 minutes, then flip and cook on the other side for another minute or two. Don't overcook, you don't want them to be soft yet.
Step 5: Add the maple glaze to the carrots
Return all of the carrots to the cast iron skillet and add the maple glaze. Careful, because it will bubble and sizzle.
Continue to cook the carrots with the maple syrup, stirring frequently, until the liquid has reduced by about half, and the carrots have softened a bit more, but are not mushy.
Add kosher salt or flaky sea salt and transfer to a serving platter. Top the carrots with the maple syrup glaze remaining in the pan and freshly chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
Expert tips
- A cast iron skillet is your best friend: Use a cast iron skillet to pan roast the carrots. The even heat will help them caramelize and brown beautifully, and ensures that the maple glaze reduces quickly. Do not use a non-stick skillet, it just won't cook the carrots properly.
- Use the carrot tops for garnish instead of parsley: If you bought carrots with the tops on, use the carrot tops as your garnish for fresh, bright flavor. Be sure to cut the tops off the carrots as soon as you get home because they continue to steal water from the carrots themselves and cause them to go limp. Then store the tops in the refrigerator in a partially open zip top bag with a damp paper towel until ready to use to keep them crisp.
- Wait until the carrots are done to add the salt: Salting the carrots before they've been pan roasted will cause them to release too much water and they won't brown, so wait until the carrots are done cooking in the maple glaze to add salt.
How to serve maple glazed carrots
- Carrots glazed with maple syrup are a perfect recipe for holidays, so make them for Easter lunch or Thanksgiving dinner.
- For an easy weeknight dinner, serve them alongside Boneless Chicken Thighs with Garlic and Capers, or Slow Roasted Salmon.
- Make this glazed carrots with maple syrup recipe part of a vegan feast that includes Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Pan con Tomate (Spanish Tomato Bread.)
FAQ
I don't recommend baby carrots. They tend to be dried out and low on flavor. It only takes a couple of minutes to peel and slice fresh carrots yourself and you'll be rewarded ten fold!
I tried roasting these during my recipe testing and it didn't work very well. Carrots have a lot of water, so when they get coated with maple syrup, the natural sugars cause them to release all that water and they tend to steam and never caramelize. Cooking them on the stove top means you get that pan roasted bit of char, while also coating the carrots in the maple glaze and getting extra sauce, too!
You could pan roast the carrots one day ahead, then reheat in a skillet and add the maple glaze as directed. They may lose a little bit of their texture and be slightly softer if made ahead.
More vegan holiday side dish recipes
- Sautéed Beet Greens cook on the stovetop in minutes and they are a delicious way to get your greens and reduce food waste!
- This Butternut Squash Salad is a time saver because the squash can be roasted ahead of time.
- Try an Ottolenghi Green Bean Salad when you want to add some Middle Eastern flavors to your holiday meal.
Maple syrup glazed carrots are quick and easy!
- They cook in about 15 minutes, and hardly any prep work!
- Only 5 ingredients.
- Make the recipe your own by changing up the herbs and spices.
- Maple carrots are perfect for holidays because they're made on the stovetop and don't take up any oven space!
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free!
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Recipe
Maple Glazed Carrots
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Ingredients
- 1 pound whole carrots not baby carrots
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon water
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or more if you like it spicier
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt or flaky sea salt
- t tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Use a vegetable peeler to peel the carrots, then slice them in half longways. If you have some carrots that are much bigger around than others, you'll need to cut those slices in half again. We want them all to be relatively the same thickness.
- Chop the parsley finely and don't be afraid to use the tender stems, too. Lots of flavor there!
- In a small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, water, and crushed red pepper. Set aside.
- Place a cast iron skillet over medium high heat, add olive oil. Working in two batches, add the carrots in a single layer cut side down and cook until they are getting browned and caramelized on the cut side 3-5 minutes, then flip and cook on the other side for another minute or two. Don't overcook, you don't want them to be soft yet.
- Return all of the carrots to the cast iron skillet and add the maple glaze. Careful, because it will bubble and sizzle. Cook the carrots with the maple syrup, stirring frequently, until the liquid has reduced by about half, and the carrots have softened a bit more, but are not mushy. Add kosher salt or flaky sea salt and transfer to a serving platter.
- Top the carrots with the maple syrup glaze remaining in the pan and freshly chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
Notes
- A cast iron skillet is your best friend: Use a cast iron skillet to pan roast the carrots. The even heat will help them caramelize and brown beautifully, and ensures that the maple glaze reduces quickly. They're so easy to clean, too. Do not use a non-stick skillet, it just won't cook the carrots properly.
- Use the carrot tops for garnish instead of parsley: If you bought carrots with the tops on, use the carrot tops as your garnish for fresh, bright flavor. Be sure to cut the tops off the carrots as soon as you get home because they continue to steal water from the carrots themselves and cause them to go limp. Then store the tops in the refrigerator in a partially open zip top bag with a damp paper towel until ready to use to keep them crisp.
- Wait until the carrots are done to add the salt: Salting the carrots before they've been pan roasted will cause them to release too much water and they won't brown, so wait until the carrots are done cooking in the maple glaze to add salt.
- Change up your herbs and spices: Swap the crushed red pepper for harissa, Calabrian chili, cayenne, or even paprika. Use cilantro or tarragon instead of parsley.
Brittany
Delicious and so easy! Would definitely make again.
Debra
Hi Brittany,
So glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for reading and trying my recipes,
Debra