Turn ordinary carrots into something unforgettable! Roasted in a buttery, spiced maple sauce, then topped with toasted pistachios and a kiss of sea salt flakes, this side dish is guaranteed to steal the spotlight at any meal!
Maple Spiced Oven Roasted Carrots
Growing up, I hated carrots. There was no amount of butter, salt, or onion dip you could put on them to make me like them. BUT THEN… I discovered that if you oven-roasted them in a buttery, spiced, maple sauce and topped them with a salty, crunchy element, they were simply magical!
This recipe transforms a humble bunch of carrots into a show-stopping side dish. It’s the perfect balance of simple and elegant. The secret to this recipe is transforming that sauce into a caramelized, thicker glaze, then finishing it with toasted pistachios and flaky sea salt. This recipe is elegant for a dinner party yet perfect for an easy weeknight side dish!
The first time I made Mr. Fantabulous this dish he was gave it the side eye (pre-trying it) as he had only had regular roasted carrots with a little bit of butter and salt.
But to know my husband, he’ll try just about anything once and is brutally honest (which I LOVE). He makes me a better chef. He took a bite but kept his head down knowing I was staring into his soul wanting a reaction or comment. Another forkful went in and by the time he put the third forkful in I said, “WELL?????”. He started to chuckle and almost choking on his food.
He said, “Honey these are incredible! Seriously! These are the best carrots I’ve ever had! They remind me of the candied yams you make for the holidays. Can you make these again this week?”
These have been on our table at least once a month for almost 2 decades.
Candied Glazed Carrots Ingredients
I’m pretty sure you have most, if not all, of these ingredients already on hand. It’s budget-friendly and easily customizable!
- Carrots: go with whatever you have
- Sweetener: maple syrup and light brown sugar
- Butter
- Seasonings: sea salt flakes, red pepper flakes, kosher salt
- Pistachios
How to Make Candied Maple Roasted Carrots
In this recipe, I used a 2-pound bag of baby carrots I had on hand, but feel free to use whatever carrots you have available. I’ve also used regular carrots that I’ve left whole, cut into 2″ pieces, and I’ve also used rainbow carrots (those are STUNNING for a dinner party!).
- Preheat the oven.
- Mix the melted butter, brown sugar, kosher salt, and red pepper flakes.
- Place the dried carrots into a baking dish, pour the butter mixture over the top, and gently mix to coat all of the carrots.
- Bake the carrots, tossing every 20 minutes for ~50–60 minutes or until they are easily pierced with the tip of a knife.
- Remove the carrots from the oven and scoop them out onto a serving dish, covering them to keep warm.
- While the carrots are resting, make the spiced maple glaze.
Chef Lori’s Tip For Thickening The Glaze
The true star of this dish is the caramelized, thicker glaze.
- Transfer the liquid from the baking dish to a saucepot over medium heat.
- Bring the mixture to a boil. Once it starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium and whisk constantly until the mixture thickens up and coats the back of a spoon ~10 minutes. *It should mimic a pourable caramel.
- *If it gets too thick, add a tablespoon of maple syrup and whisk until it thins out enough to a pourable mixture.
Pisatchios Topped Glazed Carrots
The next three ingredients are what truly set this recipe apart from simple roasted carrots.
- While the sauce is still hot and pourable, pour the thickened maple glaze over the carrots. Sprinkle on the toasted pistachios and finish with a sprinkling of sea salt flakes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Whether you’re looking for an easy weeknight side dish or a polished plate worthy of your next dinner party, this is your go-to recipe!
- SIMPLE YET ELEGANT: Easy enough for a weeknight yet impressive enough for a dinner or holiday party.
- BUDGET-FRIENDLY: Everyday staples come together to create a gourmet-worthy side.
- PICKY-EATER APPROVED: Big and little kids love the sweet, candied flavor. Picky eaters can’t resist these golden, caramelized carrots.
- QUICK & EASY: Minimal prep and oven-roasted to perfection.
- THAT SPICE MAPLE GLAZE: Each carrot is coated in a velvety caramelized spice butter maple glaze. It’s pure comfort in every bite!
- HOLIDAY READY: This is perfect for all the holidays, yet simple enough for a Tuesday night dinner.
Glazed Carrots FAQs
- Can I use other carrots? Absolutely! Rainbow or regular carrots work as well. The most important thing is to ensure the pieces are uniform in size so they all cook evenly.
- Can I make these carrots ahead of time? Yes! You can roast the carrots a day ahead and store them in the fridge. Store the sauce in a separate container. When ready to serve, reheat the carrots, prepare the glaze, coat the carrots, and top with pistachios and sea salt flakes.
- Can I use honey instead of maple syrup? Definitely!
- Are these spicy? No, the purpose of the red pepper flakes is to help balance out the sweetness of the dish.
- Can I add other spices to this? Sure! Cinnamon, nutmeg, or even a pinch of cayenne work as well. Smoked Paprika would add some depth of flavor.
How to Reheat Candied Carrots
The only downfall of reheating these is that the sauce will get thin. You can go through the process of reheating it separately and re-thickening it; however, this dish is best served right away.* That being said, if you see in the FAQs above, you can make it ahead of time, but you do not sauce them. You only want to add the thickened sauce right before serving.
- Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the mixture into a heat-safe baking dish, put it in the oven, and heat until warmed through – ~15 20 minutes.
- Microwave: Place the carrots in a microwave-safe dish and heat in 30-second increments until warmed through.
What to Serve With Glazed Carrots
Here are a few of our favorite pairings:
Here’s what I used:
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Roasted Spiced Maple Glazed Carrots with Pistachios
Turn ordinary carrots into something unforgettable! Roasted in a buttery, spiced maple sauce, then topped with toasted pistachios and a kiss of sea salt flakes, this side dish is guaranteed to steal the spotlight at any meal!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 226193
- Category: side dishes, holiday sides, thanksgiving side dish, christmas side dish, easy side, vegetarian
- Method: oven
- Cuisine: side dishes, holiday sides, thanksgiving side dish, christmas side dish, easy side, vegetarian
Ingredients
- 2 pounds of carrots, trimmed, cleaned, and patted dry
- 6 Tablespoons melted butter, unsalted
- 1/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/3 cup toasted pistachios, roughly chopped
- Flaky sea salt
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Mix the melted butter, brown sugar, kosher salt, and red pepper flakes; set aside.
-
Place the dried carrots into a baking dish, pour the butter mixture over the top, and gently mix to coat all of the carrots.
-
Bake the carrots, tossing every 20 minutes for ~50–60 minutes or until they are easily pierced with the tip of a knife.
-
Remove the carrots from the oven and scoop them out onto a serving dish, covering them to keep warm.
-
While the carrots are resting, make the spiced maple glaze.
- To make the glaze, transfer the liquid from the baking dish to a saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil. Once it starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium and whisk constantly until the mixture thickens up and coats the back of a spoon ~10 minutes. *It should mimic a pourable caramel. *If it gets too thick, add a tablespoon of maple syrup and whisk until it thins out enough to a pourable mixture.
- While the sauce is still hot and pourable, pour the thickened maple glaze over the carrots. Sprinkle on the toasted pistachios and finish with a sprinkling of sea salt flakes.
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