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This foolproof glazed carrots recipe makes tender, sweet, perfectly cooked carrots in a glossy, buttery sauce. The carrots cook in less than 15 minutes on the stovetop and could not be easier to make. Serve them up on a platter with a squeeze of lemon and some chopped herbs.

Glazed carrot pieces in a skillet. — Deliciously tender carrots in a sweet butter sauce — so good!

Carrots are basic — so much that they can almost seem boring. But you have to give them credit for being versatile, inexpensive and readily available, any time of year.

Read on to learn one of the best ways to cook carrots. Put them in a skillet on the stovetop for a few minutes, along add some butter, water and a little bit of sugar that will simmer and thicken to a light glaze. Sometimes keeping it simple is the key!

Carrots with their leafy tops on a surface, next to pats of butter on a plate, and dishes of salt and sugar.

About the ingredients

Carrots: If you can find bunches of carrots with their green tops attached, grab those for this recipe — they will be the freshest. The greens are proof that they have recently been pulled from the ground, not sitting in storage. Plus you can use them as a garnish to finish the dish. Carrots that come in a bag (not trimmed baby carrots) also work perfectly and will still taste great!
Butter: I usually cook with unsalted butter, but salted high butterfat butter has an amazing rich, nutty flavor that is especially delicious for glazed carrots.
Sugar: Combined with butter, sugar is the secret to a glaze and it enhances the naturally sweet taste of the carrots. As the water in the pan reduces, dissolved sugar molecules concentrate to form a light syrup that binds with the melted fat, creating a delicious pan sauce. You can use regular white granulated sugar, light brown sugar, honey or maple syrup.
Lemon juice: A squeeze of lemon adds a tangy counterpoint that really pleases the taste buds. Use fresh lime instead, or try a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar.
Water
Fresh herbs: As an option, garnish the glazed carrots with parsley, tarragon, thyme or rosemary.

Making glazed carrots, step by step

Glazing vegetables is a pro technique I learned as a cook in restaurant kitchens, but it’s not at all fancy. It’s actually kind of a retro recipe that Julia Child might have cooked back in the day.

1. Peel the carrots and trim off the stem and tapered ends. Tip: Save the peels for homemade chicken broth!
2. If some of the carrots are thicker, slice them in half so they’re all about 1/2-inch in diameter.
3. This will ensure they cook quickly and evenly.

4. Cut the carrots into pieces about 1 1/2-inches long, on the diagonal.
5. Put the carrots in a large skillet. Stir in the water, butter, sugar, salt and pepper. Place over medium-high heat, cover and cook 8 minutes.

6. The carrots should be fork-tender at this point (not mushy), with a liquid sauce in the pan.
7. Bring the sauce to a boil over high heat and cook about 5 more minutes, uncovered, until the liquid reduces and a glaze forms.

8. Squeeze lemon wedges over the carrots and sprinkle with fresh parsley or carrot top greens.
9. Serve the carrots on a platter, with the sauce poured over.

Make ahead directions

To make glazed carrots a day or two before, don’t reduce the pan liquid. Cool and store in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, heat the carrots in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the liquid is reduced and the glaze forms (step 5).
Glazed carrots can be served anytime, but they’re especially good for Thanksgiving side dishes or to go with a roasted whole chicken recipe.

Sweet and Buttery Glazed Carrots

Karen Tedesco

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5 from 35 community reviews

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 13

Total Time 23

Course Vegetables

Cuisine American

Servings 4 servings

Equipment

12-inch nonstick skillet

Ingredients

▢ 1 pound (450 g) carrots, preferably with greens attached
▢ ¾ cup (175 ml) water
▢ 4 tablespoons (56 g) butter
▢ 2 tablespoons (30 g) granulated sugar, or light brown sugar, honey or maple syrup
▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
▢ Freshly ground pepper, to taste
▢ ½ fresh lemon

Garnish

▢ 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, carrot top greens, or other soft herbs such as chives or tarragon

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Peel the carrots, if you like. (My mom would say that's where the vitamins are :). Trim off the tops and tapered bottom tips of the carrots. Reserve a few sprigs of the greens for garnish if they look fresh and not slimy (give them a quick rinse to remove any sand or grit, then pat dry).
Cut the carrots into pieces about 1-½-inches long by ½-inch diameter — this will ensure they cook quickly and evenly.
Put the carrots in a large (12-inch) skillet, preferably nonstick for easy clean-up. Pour in the water, and add the butter, sugar, salt and pepper.
Place the skillet over medium-high heat. As soon as the water begins to simmer, cover the pan and lower the heat to medium. Cook 8 minutes. The carrots should feel firm-tender when poked with the tip of a knife.
Turn the heat up to high and bring the liquid to a boil. Cook the carrots, uncovered, until the sauce reduces by about half, about 5 minutes. Once large bubbles begin to form, that's a sign the sauce has reduced enough and the glaze is done. Remove the pan from the heat before the liquid totally evaporates or the butter will begin to brown (or burn).
Transfer the carrots and pan sauce to a platter or large bowl. Squeeze the lemon wedges over the carrots, scatter the herbs or carrot top greens on top and serve.

Karen’s Notes and Tips

Make ahead: To make glazed carrots a day or two before, prepare to Step 4. Cool and refrigerate. When ready to serve, heat the carrots in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the liquid is reduced and the glaze forms (step 5).
To make brown sugar or honey glazed carrots, simply substitute an equal amount for the granulated sugar.
A squeeze of lemon adds a tangy counterpoint that really pleases the taste buds. Use fresh squeezed lime juice instead, or try a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar.

Nutrition

Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.

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Recipe developer Karen Tedesco of the popular website Familystyle Food in her kitchen making a kale salad.

Hey, I’m Karen

Creator of Familystyle Food

I’m a food obsessed super-taster and professionally trained cook ALL about creating elevated dinners with everyday ingredients. Find simplified recipes made from scratch and enjoy incredibly tasty food! Read more about me here.

5 from 35 votes (32 ratings without comment)

5 Comments

Ron says:

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Very simple to make. Added extra tbs of brown sugar. Oh ogood

Kerb K. says:

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I’m with your mom when it comes to peeling carrots, but my spouse disagrees. (C’est la vie!) More troubling is the fact that I cannot tolerate butter. Is it worth it to substitute olive oil? Equal quantity?

1. Jill says:
  
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  Can you reheat the carrots the next day in the oven.
  
  Thank you
  
  1. Karen Tedesco says:
    
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    Hi Jill, Yes you can. Cover the glazed carrots with foil or another type of lid and put them in a 325 degree oven about 10 minutes, or until they’re warm.
    
Abel says:

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Love these carrots! Easy to make and the perfect soft texture and sweetness.

15-Minute Glazed Carrots (Sweet and Buttery)