Stovetop Caramelized Carrots with Garlic and Honey

By Amanda Paa – Updated November 9, 2023
5 from 9 votes
Made on the stovetop, these honey garlic caramelized carrots are absolutely divine, a side dish that everyone will love! They're tender and buttery with browned edges, and you only need 5 ingredients to make. Honey is used for these carrots, rather than a brown sugar glaze, as a natural sweetener.
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As humans, we’re creatures of habit, because sticking with a routine feels good, particularly when we’ve mastered something.

I’ve become accustomed to roasting every vegetable I can get my hands on. You’ll see that reflected in some of these delicious side dish recipes. BUT you can also achieve incredible caramelization and flavor on the stovetop! These caramelized carrots with honey and garlic, made in a skillet, quickly became a house favorite side after discovering them in my friend Laurie’s cookbook, Simply Scratch.

What Makes Carrots So Delicious?

Carrots have a naturally sweet flavor that can be enhanced in various ways. Roasting or cooking them on the stoveop caramelizes their edges when paired with honey or maple syrup, and gives a tender bite. Tossing with your favorite herbs like thyme or rosemary can bring out their sweetness. Adding salt helps balance the sweetness and enhance the overall flavor. They’re an amazing side dish next to rotisserie chicken on the grill or Spice Rubbed Bone-In Turkey Breast.

bowl of rainbow carrots with gold spoon.
rainbow carrots cut into slices, with garlic clove in backround.

How to Cook Carrots on the Stovetop:

Using the heat of the stovetop, carrots cook their way their way to browned edges amongst butter, honey, and garlic.

  • First you’ll want to cut the carrots into thin coins on the diagonal, so they have more surface area.
  • Then you’ll melt butter in a cast iron skillet and add the carrots, stirring to coat.
  • Next, you’ll cover the pan and let the carrots cook for 15 minutes, until they’re starting to get tender. This helps steam them in a hot environment.
  • Remove the lid and stir in the garlic, then cooking for another 10 minutes, until carrots are fork tender.
  • Finally, stir in honey, remaining butter, and fresh parsley to finish.

They’re absolutely divine! The caramelization brings out their natural sweetness, and the texture is perfect. They’re the perfect side dish, alongside my Easy Potatoes Au Gratin and Red Kuri Squash with Tahini Sauce.

Honey Garlic Caramelized Carrots {recipe}
caramelized carrots in a white bowl with a gold spoon.

Carrots were meant to be paired with butter, and are finished with a showering of fresh brightening from parsley. And flaky salt!

I adapted the recipe just a bit, adding an extra clove of garlic and slicing it instead of mincing so it would be mild. Instead of adding it at the end, I stirred the garlic in after 10 minutes, so it had some time to infuse the carrots as they cooked.

Honey Garlic Caramelized Carrots {recipe}
Honey Garlic Caramelized Carrots {recipe}

More Carrot Recipes:

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Honey Garlic Caramelized Carrots

Sliced carrots are cooked with butter and garlic on the stovetop until caramelized, turning the edges golden brown and infusing them with amazing flavor. A great side dish!
5 from 9 votes
Prep Time :10 minutes
Cook Time :30 minutes
Total Time :40 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Author: Amanda Paa

SCALE:

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices on the diagonal (you don't want them too thick or they will take forever to cook)
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (2 cloves if exceptionally large)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons raw honey
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Instructions 

  • In a 10 inch skillet (preferably cast-iron), heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add carrots and salt once melted, stirring to coat.
  • Place cover on skillet and cook for 15 minutes over medium heat. Then remove and stir in the garlic. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10-15 minutes, until fork tender.
  • Stir in remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, honey, and parsley, cooking 2 minutes to combine. Taste, adjusting salt as needed. Serve warm.

Notes

Adapted from the Simply Scratch cookbook.

Did you make this?

tag @heartbeetkitchen on instagram and hashtag it #heartbeetkitchen

December 4, 2015

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37 comments

  1. Sandi

    These look great!!! Can I make them a few hours before serving and then heat them in the microwave?

    • Amanda Paa

      Definitely! Just save the parsley or any fresh herbs you are garnishing with until you serve.

  2. ml

    5 stars
    I made this again last night and these carrots are so good! I’m enjoying them as my packed office lunch, with rice, living the best life of my life. Thank you!

    • Amanda Paa

      So glad you like these carrots! They’re a favorite here too.

  3. Joey Cottrell

    5 stars
    Very tasty. I have made honey carrots before, but the added garlic was brilliant. I

    • Amanda Paa

      yay, so glad you liked the recipe!

  4. Kristi Hughes

    5 stars
    I’ve always roasted my veggies in the oven but when I saw this recipe, I had to try it. I was already going to be using the oven for other things. WOW!! Totally impressed with how well these turned out on the stovetop with my cast iron. So delicious! Will definitely make these again and again!

  5. Jackie

    Can there be made ahead?

    • Amanda Paa

      yes, i’ve made them ahead before and they reheat beautifully!

  6. Jessica Pratt

    5 stars
    Love Heartbeet Kitchen recipes. Made this as a side dish for Easter today. Very successful—the family enjoyed it. I did end up fishing out most of the thinly sliced garlic several minutes before the cook time was over though because they were getting too dark even though I turned the heat down to avoid that, and there’s nothing like bitter, burned garlic to spoil a beautiful dish. I tasted one of the garlic slices, and scooping the darker ones out was definitely the right call. I will absolutely make this again, and next time I’ll put the garlic in with 5-7 minutes of cook time left, and hopefully I’ll be able to keep the heat at medium to get more of that nice color on the carrots without risking burning the garlic. I used a cast iron skillet, which Amanda mentioned is preferable; it’s basically all I cook with. But the skillet may have contributed to my garlic issue since cast iron holds in heat more than most cookware.

    I put a little cracked black pepper on the carrots during cooking, which was nice. I also put a little dark chipotle powder on the carrots on my plate, and it was so delicious I will put some on the entire dish next time because I’m a huge fan of a little flavorful spice to juxtapose the sweet. Maybe a small finishing squeeze of citrus, too. Delicious simple dish. Very pretty. The garlic and parsley really round out the flavor.

  7. Crab Dynasty

    These look incredible! Thank you for sharing! ❤️

  8. Megan

    I’ve heard purple carrots also bleed. Is this true, or is it safe to cook them all together?

    • amandapaa

      Hi! My purple carrots bled mostly when I sliced them, and not really when cooked. They had a yellowish middle, so that was the majority of each slice. I didn’t mind a little of that purple color on the other carrots. It’s nothing like how beets bleed. Hope that helps!

  9. Liz

    What are the purple veggies in there? Are they beets or are they purple carrots? I have some beets and was wondering if I could do those in with the carrots!

    • amandapaa

      Hello! Those are purple carrots. They taste the same as orange carrots, so you could just use more carrots if you’d like. Beets should work too! But they will bleed and make all the carrots purple so it may not look as appetizing.

  10. JulietteG

    These vegetables look absolutly amazing. The pictures are beautiful! That’s my dinner without any doubt :)

    • amandapaa

      They you Juliette! I’m making them for Christmas dinner too. Just love how delicious and vibrant they are!

  11. Danielle

    This sounds amazing! How many ppl will the recipe serve as is???

    • amandapaa

      Hi Danielle! This will serve 4 people. Enjoy!

  12. ALO

    I am very interested in making both of these recipes.This is awesome tip, Thanks for sharing your experiment..

  13. Thalia @ butter and brioche

    These look SO amazing Amanda. And I just love your photography and styling of the carrots and produce. Definitely a recipe I can see myself making Xx

    • amandapaa

      thank you Thalia! they were delicious. i’ve made them several times, and planning to for a christmas side dish as well. xo

  14. Alison @Food by Mars

    You know, that like you, I love a good roasted veggie-sheet pan situation, but you’ve got me thinking with this one!! Sounds so good and looks just gorgeous. I’ll have to check this book out and throw my veggies on the stovetop more often. And who doesn’t love stuff smothered in butter and honey?! XO

    • amandapaa

      yes, the sheet pan is always a great choice, but man, what a cast-iron skillet can do to vegetables is awesome too. thanks for stopping by Alison! xo

  15. Crista

    what a beautiful dish for the Thanksgiving table… your photos are amazing Amanda!

    • amandapaa

      thank you Crista. i miss you – happy holiday season!

  16. Faith (An Edible Mosaic)

    I’m the same way, roasting is my go-to for most vegetables! But I love that these beautiful carrots are done on the stovetop – their caramelization looks perfect! It doesn’t get any better, especially with the touch of honey, butter, and garlic, and I can see this becoming a favorite side in my house. xoxo

    • amandapaa

      so good to get out of a rut! funny how that can happen in the kitchen. but exactly what Laurie’s book has been so great for you. xo

  17. Melissa Falk

    Beautiful photo of this dish. I love the yin yang of the sweet and spicy here.

  18. Linda | The Baker Who Kerns

    Oh man I am obsessed with roasting vegetables! Even when I’m not hungry I just roast the just in case I might be hungry for the later! I love the colors in these roasted carrots, they look delicious.

    • amandapaa

      thanks for stopping by Linda! plant power wins today. :)

  19. Lauren Gaskill | Making Life Sweet

    Roasting vegetables is the best because it’s easy and tastes amazing! I’ll take a whole plate of these carrots along with a side of shredded beef. Pinning!

    • amandapaa

      These are actually made on the stovetop, a departure from roasting. It gives them terrific caramelization!

  20. Laurie A McNamara

    Amanda! I just love you! Thank you for all the kind words, testing a recipe and reviewing the book- words cannot express how honored and thankful I am to you for taking the time! Your photography is off the charts amazing, the way you write is impeccable- thank you-thank you from the bottom of my heart! Xo!

  21. Liz @ Floating Kitchen

    I’m with you and I automatically just toss all vegetables into the oven now, and admittedly, kind of forgot how to cook them properly on the stove top! Which is just one reason that I love this recipe for Laurie – I need a good reminder of how good stovetop carrots can be! Gorgeous photos, friend!

  22. Abby @ The Frosted Vegan

    Oh gosh, I love roasting vegetables! It’s almost the only way I can get my husband to eat them, so I’m all over this recipe :) I’ve been hearing so many wonderful things about this cookbook, I need to get my hands on it ASAP! xo

    • amandapaa

      laurie’s cookbook is definitely one to put on your christmas wish list! thanks for stopping by abby. xo