These amazing maple-glazed carrots provide a sweet and savory flavor that enhances any meal, making them an irresistible side dish. They are especially perfect for a holiday feast, pairing wonderfully with bourbon-orange glazed ham and creamy French au gratin potatoes for a festive dining experience.
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🥕 The Ingredients
With just a handful of ingredients, they come together harmoniously to create a delicious dish that delights the palate. Find ingredient notes (including substitutions and variations) below.
🌿 Substitutions and Variations
- Vegetables - The carrots can be cut into matchsticks or sliced into medallions. Frozen carrots can be substituted, but they need to be completely thawed, drained, and dried. We don't recommend canned carrots, but they can be used in a pinch. Fresh parsnips can be used in place of the carrots, or in addition to them.
- Herbs - Dried parsley can be substituted, but only go with 1 tsp. Fresh thyme adds additional flavor, too.
- Broth - Chicken broth is delicious, but vegetable stock is a great choice, too, which will keep the dish vegetarian.
- Maple Syrup - Be sure to use 100% pure maple syrup. We do not recommend pancake syrup.
See the recipe card (with video) below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
👩🏼🍳 How To Make Maple-Glazed Carrots
- Step 1: Sauté the chopped shallots in melted butter.
- Step 2: Add the carrots and season with salt and pepper.
- Step 3: Add the chicken broth and maple syrup.
- Step 4: Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until tender.
- Step 5: Cook and stir until sauce is reduced to a glaze.
- Step 6: Stir in the fresh parsley.
Expert Tip
This recipe serves four. If you are serving more folks, then the recipe doubles easily. You can prepare the dish in advance and then reheat before serving, but it's so easy to make, we recommend serving it fresh from the skillet.
🙋🏽♂️ Frequently Asked Questions
We love the matchstick version mostly because they are so attractive, but you can certainly slice them into small circular medallions. Since carrots vary in size, the cooking time may be less. Test for tenderness until you reach the desired texture.
In a pinch, yes. But they will be extremely soft, almost mushy. But, still tasty.
You can prep the carrots, shallots, and parsley in advance. You can prepare the dish a few hours in advance, and then reheat on the stove until hot, but we do recommend serving these fresh.
Ready to make the best side dish in town? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a photo, put it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowTofeedaLoon!
Maple Braised Carrots
Video
Equipment
- Large saucepan or skillet with a tight-fitting lid
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 shallot finely chopped
- 4 large carrots peeled, cut into ¼" match sticks
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- ¾ cup chicken stock or vegetable stock
- 1 tablespoon Italian parsley fresh, finely chopped
Instructions
- Heat the butter over medium heat in a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid.2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Add the shallots and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 4 minutes.1 shallot
- Add the carrots to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Raise the heat to high and add the pure maple syrup and broth.4 large carrots, ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ cup pure maple syrup, ¾ cup chicken stock
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-high, cover, and cook for 8 minutes.
- Uncover and continue to cook until the liquid has reduced to a glaze and the carrots are very tender, about 10 minutes longer.
- Stir in the parsley and serve at once.1 tablespoon Italian parsley
Notes
Nutrition
POST UPDATE: This recipe was originally published in November 2016, but was updated with improved tweaks to the recipe, new tips, photography, and a fabulous new video!
Sharon says
YUM YUM! So glad I went to your YouTube page to see if you had a recipe for carrots. I've tried a couple of your recipes and I'm never disappointed. The one I use all the time is your re-fried bean recipe though. I'll never buy a can of them again! Thank you for sharing the goodness!
Kris Longwell says
Hi Sharon! We are so so glad you found this carrots recipe! We love it so much (we're making it next Sunday for our family Easter feast!). And we LOVE that you make our refried beans! You are a great cook! Thank you so so much for sharing and for the wonderful review. That honestly means the world to us! Please stay in touch! All the best, Kris & Wesley
Frank N. says
I tried them last weekend. Absolutly delicious.
Kris Longwell says
Hi Frank! That's awesome! We love those carrots so much! We are so happy to hear you enjoyed them! Thanks for letting us know and for the great review! That really means the world to us! All the best, Kris & Wesley
Stacy says
These were lovely. The kids loved them.
Kris Longwell says
HI Stacy! That is a major win! We served these on Easter and the kids loved them, too!! That gives you a real feeling of accomplishment, right? Thanks so much for letting us know and for the great review! All the very best, Kris & Wesley
Adrianne says
I made this tonight, minus the shallots, and upon first bite immediately regretted not tripling the recipe. Y’all, they’re perfect! My 7 year pouted because we didn’t have enough for him to have a second helping.
Kris Longwell says
Hi Adrianne! Woo hoo!!! So so so glad you loved the maple carrots! And the kiddo love 'em, too! Double win! I know...they are so good they go fast. Thank you so much for letting us about your success and thank you for the GREAT review!!! All the best, Kris & Wesley