Description

A quick and easy side dish featuring tender carrots glazed in a sweet and savory mixture of brown sugar, butter, and fresh thyme. Perfect for weeknight dinners or holiday tables.

Ingredients

Scale

2 pounds large carrots, peeled and sliced into ½-inch rounds or batons on a bias
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
¼ cup chicken broth or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, stripped from stems
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
Optional: 1 teaspoon maple syrup
Optional: 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Optional: 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Instructions

Wash and peel carrots if desired. Slice into uniform ½-inch rounds or batons on a bias. Set aside.
Heat a large skillet (10-12 inch) over medium heat. Add butter and melt until foaming but not brown.
Add carrots to the skillet and toss to coat in butter. Sauté for about 2 minutes.
Pour in chicken broth and add brown sugar. Stir to dissolve sugar into the liquid. Let simmer for 2 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer carrots in the liquid for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fork-tender.
Increase heat back to medium. Continue stirring as the liquid evaporates and reduces into a thick, glossy glaze (3-4 minutes). Watch closely to prevent burning.
Remove skillet from heat. Immediately add fresh thyme leaves and toss to distribute.
Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Notes

Do not overcrowd the pan; cook in batches if making a double batch to ensure caramelization rather than steaming. Add thyme off heat to preserve flavor. If using dried thyme, use 1 teaspoon and add earlier in the cooking process. For a vegan version, substitute butter with olive oil and use vegetable broth.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Side Dish
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: Approximately 1 cup
Calories: 120
Sugar: 12
Sodium: 150
Fat: 5
Saturated Fat: 3
Carbohydrates: 18
Fiber: 3
Protein: 1

Keywords: brown sugar glazed carrots, thyme carrots, easy side dish, vegetable recipe, holiday sides, weeknight dinner