Lightly Sweetened Carrots With Butter (2024)

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American Food
Southern Food

Diana Rattray

Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.

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Updated on 12/1/22

Tested by

Tracy Wilk

Tested byTracy Wilk

Tracy Wilk is a professional pastry chef, recipe developer and chef instructor, and, most importantly, a firm believer in sprinkles.

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Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Total: 30 mins

Servings: 2to 4 servings

86 ratings

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There are a few different ways to go about steaming carrots—you can even do it in the microwave. This steamed carrots recipe uses an easy stovetop method that doesn't require an actual steamer basket. A small amount of water is added to the pan, creating a steam environment in the pan and cooking the veggie until perfectly tender. Steaming is a healthy option for cooking vegetables like carrots since it does not require large amounts of oil for cooking.

Butter and a small amount of sugar accentuate the natural sweetness of these carrots, making this easy steamed carrot recipe a crowd-pleaser. Since carrots are one of those vegetables that kids try to avoid, this version is a bit sweeter to appeal to picky eaters. Attractive rainbow carrots are an excellent option as well, and the novelty of the different colors might tempt kids enough to give them a try. Also, white or yellow carrots are milder in flavor and somewhat sweeter than orange carrots and other colors.

This dish calls for sliced carrots, but baby carrots are another option. You can also cut the carrots into small 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch matchsticks. For extra-fancy carrots, purchase a "wavy knife" and make crinkle-cut carrot slices.Serve with another veggie like broccoli, green beans, or peas alongside baked chicken, ham, or a vegetarian main.

Lightly Sweetened Carrots With Butter (3)

"This recipe takes bland, boring carrots and turns them into a family favorite. I love the smell of the cooked carrots; it reminds me of chicken soup and I find it so comforting. Once your carrots are tender, tossing them in butter and adding seasoning make this a great side dish." —Tracy Wilk

Lightly Sweetened Carrots With Butter (4)

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

5 medium carrots
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or chives

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients.
Scrub the carrots and peel them. Cut off and discard the stem end and slice into thin coins on the diagonal.
Put the sliced carrots in a medium saucepan. Add the water, salt and sugar.
Place the pan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the carrots are tender.
Drain the carrots and toss with 2 tablespoons butter and chopped parsley, if desired.

Tips

To make matchstick carrots, remove a thin slice (lengthwise) from one side of a carrot. Place the carrot on its flat side on the cutting board, so it won't roll as you cut. Cut the carrot lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices. Stack a few slices on top of each other and slice them lengthwise into 1/4-inch strips. Cut the strips crosswise into 2- or 3-inch lengths, as desired. Or cut the strips into 1/4-inch lengths for diced carrots.
Baby carrots are convenient for cooking and snacking because there's no need to peel them. Baby carrots are, essentially, larger carrots that have been cut down to the smaller size. They also might be treated with chlorine during the processing. For the freshest and healthiest choice, use fresh, unpeeled carrots for snacking and in recipes.

Recipe Variations

For additional flavor, replace the granulated sugar with brown sugar, maple syrup, or honey. Garnish the carrots with some chopped fresh parsley, chives, or cilantro.
For sweeter glazed carrots, try honey-glazed carrots orbrown sugar-glazed carrots.
For a healthier version of steamed carrots, replace the butter with a drizzle of high-quality olive oil and use a dollop of honey to sweeten (or leave out altogether).

Carrots With Fresh Herbs

Southern Food
Dinner
Side Dishes
Vegetable Sides
American Food

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
83	Calories
6g	Fat
8g	Carbs
0g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2to 4
Amount per serving
Calories	83
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g	8%
Saturated Fat 4g	18%
Cholesterol 15mg	5%
Sodium 194mg	8%
Total Carbohydrate 8g	3%
Dietary Fiber 2g	6%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 2mg	10%
Calcium 21mg	2%
Iron 0mg	1%
Potassium 137mg	3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

Carrot
side dish
southern
family dinner

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