Sandra Ina Garten Glazed Carrots Recipe is a classic American side dish featuring fresh carrots simmered in a buttery sugar glaze. This vegetarian recipe uses unsalted butter, caster sugar, and fresh parsley to create a bright, sweet finish for any roast dinner.
If you do nothing else, cut your carrots into uniform diagonal slices. That’s the difference between a pan of vegetables where every piece is tender and one where the small bits turn to mush while the thick rounds stay hard. I learned that keeping the thickness consistent allows the sugar to penetrate every slice at the exact same rate.
The caster sugar is doing more work than you’d think. Without it, the water and butter won’t thicken into that glossy coating that sticks to the vegetables. This is one of those recipes that looks harder than it is, but the whole thing comes down to watching the pan during the last few minutes. I love making these for Sunday lunch because they add such a vibrant orange colour to the plate.
Ina Garten Glazed Carrots Recipe Ingredients
- 900g (2lb) carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally into 1.5cm (1/2 inch) thick rounds
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 75g (2.5oz) caster sugar
- 30g (1oz) unsalted butter
- 250ml (9fl oz) water
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
How To Make Ina Garten Glazed Carrots Recipe
- Prepare the vegetables: Peel the carrots and slice them into diagonal rounds about 1.5cm (1/2 inch) thick to ensure they cook evenly.
- Start the simmering process: Put the carrots, salt, sugar, butter, and water into a large wide pan or a deep sauté pan.
- Bring to the boil: Turn the hob to medium-high heat and wait for the liquid to bubble, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.
- Cook until tender: Lower the heat to medium-low and leave the pan uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes until a fork slides easily into the carrots.
- Create the glaze: Keep cooking over medium heat until most of the water has evaporated and the butter and sugar form a thick, shiny coating.
- Finish the dish: Take the pan off the heat and stir in the chopped parsley before serving the carrots whilst they are still hot.
Recipe Tips
Choose large whole carrots. Avoid using bagged baby carrots as they lack the deep flavour and natural sugars found in full-sized garden carrots.
Watch the liquid closely. If the water evaporates before the carrots are tender, add two more tablespoons of water and continue cooking until they soften.
Try a citrus twist. Swap two tablespoons of the water for fresh orange juice to add a sharp note that cuts through the heavy sugar glaze.
Keep the pan uncovered. Leaving the lid off is essential because it allows the steam to escape so the liquid can thicken into a syrup.
Add a pinch of spice. Stir in a tiny bit of ground ginger or cinnamon at the end if you want a warmer flavour for a winter roast.
Store them properly. If you have leftovers, they keep well in the fridge but do not freeze them or the carrots will go rubbery.
What To Serve With Glazed Carrots
These carrots are a natural partner for a roast chicken or a thick slice of baked ham. They provide a sweet contrast to salty meats and look beautiful next to a pile of fluffy mashed potatoes.
You can also serve them alongside grilled salmon or a beef pot roast. The sugary glaze helps balance the earthy flavours of roasted root vegetables or bitter greens like sautéed kale.
How To Store Glazed Carrots
Fridge
Put the carrots in a sealed container and keep them in the fridge for up to three days. The glaze will thicken and turn solid when cold, which is normal for butter-based sauces.
Reheat
Place the carrots in a small pan over a medium heat with a splash of water or a tiny knob of butter. Stir them gently for three to five minutes until the glaze melts and the carrots are hot through.
Freeze
Do not freeze this dish. Carrots have a high water content and the freezing process breaks down their cell walls, making them mushy and unpleasant when thawed.
Ina Garten Glazed Carrots Recipe Nutrition Facts
Per serving (1 of 4): Calories: 165, Protein: 2g, Fat: 6g, Carbohydrates: 28g, Sugar: 17g, Sodium: 640mg. Estimated. May vary based on ingredients and cooking methods.
FAQs
Yes, you can use three tablespoons of runny honey, but keep the heat low to prevent the honey from burning as it reduces.
Make sure you are cooking the carrots uncovered so the steam can escape, and give it a few extra minutes for the sugar to thicken.
Yes, but you should taste the water before it boils and potentially reduce the extra sea salt so the dish isn’t too salty.
Ina Garten Glazed Carrots Recipe
Description
Vibrant diagonal carrot rounds coated in a glossy, buttery sugar syrup and finished with fresh green parsley.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Peel the carrots and cut them into 1.5cm diagonal rounds.
- Place the carrots, salt, sugar, butter, and water in a wide pan.
- Bring the liquid to a boil over a medium-high heat.
- Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Stir occasionally until the liquid evaporates and a thick glaze forms.
- Remove from the hob and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
