I don’t think you could find a simpler, easier side dish to whip up for a weeknight meal or dapper-dan dinner with guests than these gussied up carrots.
And for good reasons. 1.) You don’t need to peel them; just scrub them really well. And 2.) Since you’re using small, young carrots, they cook in no time without getting mushy.
Then there’s that beguiling sweet-savory flavor from the buttery orange-rosemary glaze. It goes so well with so many dishes–think roasted maple-spiced ham, Maderia-glazed beef tenderloin, or crispy salsa-verde chicken. Ooooh, so good.
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Why Our Testers Loved This
Our testers were smitten with this braised carrot recipe for several reasons. They loved that the carrots were “delicious and fragrant and had great visual appeal,” “sweet and simply perfect,” as well as a “perfect example of a gorgeous and delicious vegetable dish.” I think you’ll agree.
What You’ll Need to Make This
- Carrots—This recipe’s cooking time is based on using small carrots, ideally young whole carrots about a finger-width thick. If you can get only regular-size carrots, halve or quarter them lengthwise before cooking.
- Rosemary—When buying rosemary, opt for fragrant sprigs with bright green leaves and pass on those with brown leaves.
- Orange juice—Use freshly squeezed juice from one orange. That’s about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of juice. But if all you have on hand is bottled juice, go for it. No shame here.
How to Braise Carrots
- Trim the carrots, leaving a 1/2-inch of stems attached. Heat the oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the carrots and cook, turning occasionally, until tender.
- Stir in the rosemary and cook for a couple of more minutes.
- Pour in the orange juice, water, and season with salt and pepper.
- Partially cover and simmer over low heat until the liquid is reduced. Season to taste and serve.
Common Questions
Not at all. All that matters is you make this! By the way, something I learned recently: Different colored carrots have different tastes. The much beloved purple carrot can have a peppery punch. Yellow carrots have an earthy flavor with hints of celery and apple. While white carrots are the mildest of the (dare I say it?) bunch. Regardless of color, the recipe works beautifully for
You can braise the carrots a few hours before serving. Let them rest at room temperature, then reheat them over low heat until warmed through.
Helpful Tips
- To boost the orange flavor of the carrots, zest the orange before juicing it, and add about 1/2 tablespoon of zest with the orange juice in step 3.
- If the liquid hasn’t reduced enough to glaze the carrots, simmer it uncovered for a few minutes at the end of cooking.
- This recipe is suitable for gluten-free diets.
More Excellent Carrot Recipes
Write a Review
If you make this recipe, or any dish on LC, consider leaving a review, a star rating, and your best photo in the comments below. I love hearing from you.–David
Thank you for this braised carrot recipe! It is THE way to go with carrots, and I happened to find it after getting rainbow carrots (the first time) in my produce delivery. They were regular size and fit into my double-burner pan, so there was no reason to cut them.
It was a great accompaniment to duck seasoned with garlic and rosemary and looked pretty plated as well.
Susan
Braised Carrots with Orange and Rosemary
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon (1/2 oz) unsalted butter
- 1 pound small carrots with tops, scrubbed and tops trimmed to 1/2 inch
- 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary leaves
- 1/2 cup water
- Juice of 1 orange, or 1/3 cup orange juice
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat until the butter melts. Add the carrots and cook, turning from time to time, until tender and lightly golden, about 8 minutes.
- Add the rosemary and cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.
- Swirl in the orange juice and water. Season with salt and pepper.
- Reduce the heat to low, and let the carrots simmer, partially covered, until nearly all of the liquid has cooked off, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, if needed, and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
The flavors in this braised carrot recipe are outstanding. They’re not too orangey and have an excellent, slight rosemary taste. I used baby carrots, as that was the only thing I had on hand. This is a simple side dish that can easily go with just about any meal.
These glazed braised carrots look terrific with their stems on, and they tasted even better. We were pigs, so there were no leftovers!
I used multi-colored carrots, so you can just imagine how lovely they looked, glistening under the reduced orange juice and rosemary. The scent was wonderful, too.
Braising is a fabulous way to cook vegetables, and this recipe begins by caramelizing the carrots so the braising liquid becomes sticky and satiny. The carrots were tender and sweet and simply perfect. I can’t think of a single way to improve them!
This braised carrots recipe is the perfect example of a gorgeous and delicious vegetable dish. I couldn’t get the bunched, tops-on rainbow carrots, so I used the loose variety in all their radiant hues.
Naturally, my final dish looked different from the one in the recipe photo. This didn’t make it any less beautiful. The rosemary and orange flavours just elevated the carrot-yness and made this dish a stand-alone or partner to other veggies, fish, or meats without losing any oomph.
After peeling my carrots, I trimmed them into batons of similar thickness. My orange yielded 100 ml of juice, which was enough liquid to cook the carrots to their glossy, tender-with-a-titch-of-a-bite glory. I used 1/2 teaspoon of fine sea salt with the orange juice and 1/4 teaspoon of flake salt as a finishing salt. These amounts worked well for our palates.
I have the habit of zesting the orange peel before juicing oranges. I either keep this zest in the fridge for other potential uses or dehydrate it when I have a larger quantity to make orange powder for baking. As the amount from the orange was only 1/2 tablespoon, I added it to the last 10 minutes of cooking. The flavour was well-balanced prior to this addition. The zest toned down the sweetness without overdoing the orange flavour. I only suggest this as a variant option. Otherwise, “carrot on”!
These braised carrots were delicious and fragrant, had great visual appeal, and were a welcome change from my usual cooking method. They were the perfect complement to a panko-crusted pork tenderloin and would be equally at home with any type of roasted meat. If you can get your hands on some super fresh young carrots, try this recipe!
I am going carrot searching tomorrow!
Swell, Deborah! Lemme know if you frequent the greenmarket at Union Square in NYC, and I’ll look for the woman with the printout of this recipe carefully perusing all the crates of multi-hued carrots…
What I like about the recipe is the simplicity…If you want a little change from time to time you can add a tablespoon of Grand Marnier. The alcohol will evaporate and it will a little elegance to your dish.
John, great suggestion. Thanks.
Sounds wonderful. Can I make them a day or two ahead and re-heat?
Sally, I wouldn’t. The texture would be compromised. You can make them several hours ahead.
LOVED this…and made it purely because I happened to have leftover fresh rosemary. This side dish will definitely become a staple. Thank you!!
You’re quite welcome, Joan! All the better that you were able to use something that would have otherwise gone to waste to such lovely effect! Always gratifying when that happens.
No…..thank YOU, Renee.
I’ve been thinking about them since I made them…and once the storm is over…I’m getting more baby carrots. 🙂 JT