Baked Carrots Recipe with Brown Sugar Glaze
Make the best baked carrot recipe with brown sugar glaze. Sweet and spicy side dish with a fresh garnish of carrot tops, parsley, and orange zest.
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds of raw carrots of similar size
Brown Sugar Glaze
- 4 tablespoons of butter
- 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
- 1 orange juiced (about ⅓ cup of orange juice)
- 1 sprig of rosemary
- ½ to 1 teaspoon of chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Garnish
- ¼ cup reserved carrot leaves finely chopped
- ¼ cup parsley ½ cup if not using carrot tops, finely chopped
- Zest from the orange about 1 tablespoon
Instructions
- Prep Work
- PREHEAT the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- WASH and PEEL the carrots. Cut off all but about ½-inch of the greens (if using carrots with tops).
- CUT larger carrots lengthwise, so their width is more uniform. If you prefer smaller carrots, cut them into bite-sized quarters. Your goal is to make them equal in size, so they are all done baking simultaneously.
- ZEST the orange and then JUICE it. Set the juice and zest aside separately.
- Make the Glaze
- HEAT a small saucepan over medium-high heat on the stovetop. Melt the butter and turn down the heat to medium-low. Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, orange juice, rosemary, chili powder, and nutmeg to the melted butter.
- MIX well and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the sauce begins to thicken. Remove the butter glaze from the heat and let it cool slightly. Pull the rosemary sprig out and discard it.
- COAT the carrots with the glaze. Place the carrots and glaze in a zip-top bag. Squeeze the glaze around to coat the carrots. Alternately, use a large mixing bowl to toss the carrots and the glaze. If your carrots are small enough, this is effective. However, you may find a zip-top bag easier to use.
- LINE a baking sheet or casserole dish with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Alternately, use a grooved roasting pan if you like to see the roast marks on your carrots.
- Bake
- PLACE the carrots on the sheet pan in a single layer. Cover the carrots with the leftover brown sugar mixture from the bowl or bag. Generously sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- BAKE for 20 to 30 minutes until the carrots begin to brown around the edges. The cooking time depends on the size of the carrots.
- While the carrots bake, MIX the reserved carrot leaves (if using), parsley, and orange zest in a small bowl.
- REMOVE the carrots from the oven. Top them with the fresh herbs and serve immediately.
Notes
- If available, use carrots with tops for this recipe. They are much more aesthetically pleasing and the tops have a wonderful earthy flavor to them.
- Extra carrot greens can be put into fresh green juices or smoothies.
Nutrition
Calories: 108kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 1gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 297mgFiber: 3gSugar: 8g
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