Orange Glazed Carrots

These orange glazed carrots are the perfect side dish. Fresh carrots are lightly glazed with orange juice, honey and a little butter to make a delicious and healthy side dish! With dairy-free, vegan and paleo options.

I wasn’t really a fan of glazed carrots until I tried these orange glazed carrots! Carrots are already naturally sweet and I don’t really find the need to have them swimming in a sugary glaze.

So these are glazed just enough to add a bit of orange flavor and a bit of extra sweetness. If you want more glaze, just double everything but the carrots.

By the way, if you love the honey and orange combination as much as I do, try this Honey Orange Cranberry Sauce. It is crazy how much better homemade cranberry sauce is than store-bought!

You can use butter in these orange glazed carrots but I also tried out a dairy-free and vegan version using coconut oil. Even using unrefined coconut oil, they didn’t taste of coconut.

The orange juice and orange zest does a great job of covering the coconut up! I’m assuming dairy-free butter would also work.

If you need a vegan version, these work great with maple syrup. I thought it’d be strange before I tried it, but nope! They were also delicious. 

These honey orange glazed carrots would make a great Thanksgiving side dish as they reheat so well! We like to make a double batch and eat them throughout the week.

When it comes to Thanksgiving, I’m always focused on the carby things (like this Crustless Pumpkin Pie  or this Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake) and forget about the vegetables until the last minute. If that’s you, these carrots are a great last-minute side dish.

And in case anyone is wondering – I’m guessing this recipe could be made with baby carrots but they just aren’t as flavorful as regular carrots. I know peeling and cutting them is extra work, but trust me, it’s worth the extra 5 minutes for these orange glazed carrots!

You can make this recipe entirely on the stove-top or in the Instant Pot (saving that precious stove-top space on Thanksgiving day, in case you don’t have the chance to make them beforehand). 

These carrots would go great alongside these keto meatballs! Add some roasted snap peas and you’ve got yourself a meal.

I’d love to hear how you like these orange glazed carrots!

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Orange Glazed Carrots

Course Side, Side Dish

Servings 4 servings

Print Recipe

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Total Time 20 mins

Ingredients

  

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• 1 cup (240 ml) water
• 1 lb (453 grams) fresh carrots peeled and sliced 1/2" thick
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) orange juice - no sugar added (freshly squeezed is best)
• 1 tablespoon (14 grams) salted butter or coconut oil for paleo / dairy-free / vegan
• 2 tablespoons (40 grams) honey or maple syrup for vegan
• Zest of 1 large navel orange (about 1 tablespoon)
• Salt to taste
• Parsley to taste, if desired

Instructions

• Stove-top version: In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the carrots, cover, and cook until tender, 8-10 minutes (it depends on how firm you want them). You can also steam them if you prefer. Drain the water from the pan and add the orange juice, butter / coconut oil, honey / maple syrup and orange zest. Saute and stir for about 2-4 minutes or until the glaze has thickened and coats the carrots. Sprinkle with salt to taste and add parsley if desired. Keep refrigerated for up to 4 days.
  
• For the Instant Pot / pressure cooker: Pour in 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot. Place in the steamer basket and add the carrots. Set it to 2 minutes for firmer carrots and 3 minutes for softer carrots (pressure cook at high pressure). Quick release. Remove the carrots and rinse out the pot and dry. Turn on the Saute function and once hot, add in the orange juice, butter / coconut oil, honey / maple syrup and orange zest. Saute and stir for about 2-4 minutes or until the glaze has thickened and coats the carrots. Sprinkle with salt to taste and add parsley if desired. Keep refrigerated for up to 4 days.

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