These Maple Glazed Carrots are simple to make and incredibly flavorful thanks to the browned butter and sage! They’re easy enough for a weeknight dinner, but pretty enough for holidays as well. We love serving these, particularly at Thanksgiving and everyone always asks for the recipe. The combination of browned butter creates a wonderful savory flavor and is perfect with the touch of sweetness from the maple syrup. These glazed carrots are gluten-free with dairy-free options as well.
These glazed carrots are my go-to side dish when I want to make something extra special. The inspiration for this recipe came from the Food Network and they’ve been a long-time favorite in our family.
I used to love going to the gym and watching the Food Network when I was working out. Apparently, this was considered very strange behavior by other people, but I thought it was perfectly normal.
I was lucky enough to have the cardio room to myself most days and would always watch whatever deliciousness was on. One day I saw glazed carrots being made with browned butter and sage.
And the rest as they say is history! I believe the original idea comes from Tyler Florence, but I’m not sure if he has an actual written recipe somewhere from what I saw that day.
So what we have here is my experimentation over the last 10 years and we’re still loving this incredible combination!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Carrots – any carrots work in this recipe but if you can buy from a local farm they always taste way better. Also, baby carrots aren’t a good substitute here because they’re a bit soggy and don’t roast up well.
- Butter – butter is essential to get the browned butter flavor. However, if you need this to be dairy-free you can use dairy-free butter or olive oil and don’t try to brown it. Ghee can also be used but it won’t brown because the milk solids have been removed.
- Maple syrup – pure maple syrup either Grade B or Grade A both work in this recipe. Grade B maple syrup has a deeper maple flavor that we enjoy in this recipe.
- Sage – fresh sage leaves are also a must, dried sage isn’t quite the same. I’ve also made this recipe with thyme and rosemary, but sage still remains our favorite combination.
How to make this recipe step by step
Step 2: Next remove any tough stems from the sage and chop it.
Step 3: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Using a whisk stir frequently until the butter turns brown. You want it to be just a touch darker than the photo.
Don’t walk away from your butter, it will go from foaming to burnt the minute you move away!
Step 4: When the butter is richly brown, add the sage and maple syrup and turn off the heat. Stir to combine.
Step 5: Pour the glaze over the carrots on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, add salt to taste, and toss to combine. Roast until fork-tender and caramelizing along the edges of the pan.
Ways to serve this
- Serve these carrots for Thanksgiving dinner or as part of my Paleo Thanksgiving Menu.
- Try them with simple main dishes like my Pork Sirloin Roast, Air Fryer Ribeye, or Baked Pork Tenderloin.
- Add them to a special occasion menu with my Roast Beef Tenderloin, Mushroom Cream Sauce, and Mashed Potatoes.
- These carrots are really good with pasta dishes like my Creamy Garlic Parmesan Pasta or Gluten Free Mac and Cheese.
- Or served with a creamy main dish like Tuscan Chicken, Creamy Garlic Chicken, or Ground Beef Stroganoff.
FAQ’s
You can use honey, coconut sugar, or brown sugar instead of the maple syrup in this glazed carrots recipe. Each sweetener has a different flavor but they’re all good. We like substituting honey the best, but it’s just personal preference.
Yes, you can definitely make this recipe on the stovetop and you’ll find my instructions below and in the recipe. Sometimes you just don’t have room in the oven and stovetop glazed carrots are delicious too!
Storing leftovers
- To store – place any leftovers into an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
- Make ahead – these are best cooked fresh, but you can prep and slice the carrots and store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days ahead. You can also make the glaze ahead and refrigerate it. Then rewarm it until it’s liquid enough to combine together with the sliced carrots.
- Reheating – place any leftovers into a small saucepan and reheat over medium until warmed through adding water as necessary to prevent them from sticking.
- To freeze – these carrots can be frozen but they will be very soft when thawed. Place them in an airtight container and freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat as directed above.
Stovetop Maple Glazed Carrots
- Melt the butter in a large skillet and brown it as directed in the recipe. Then add the maple syrup, sage, and sea salt. Stir to combine then add the sliced carrots along with 1/3 cup of water.
- Cover the carrots and simmer until tender and the water is mostly evaporated. Remove the lid and simmer to remove the rest of the water stirring frequently to make sure the carrots don’t stick.
- When all the liquid is gone and the carrots are tender and glazed, serve immediately.
- I feel like these glazed carrots taste the absolute best when they’re roasted, but I make them on the stovetop anytime my oven is full. This version is especially helpful whenever you’re cooking a large dinner like Thanksgiving!
Tips & Tricks
- I’ve been buying the poultry medley of herbs at the store during the winter months. And it’s a budget-friendly way to have a variety of fresh herbs around for just $3. I often find it difficult to use an entire box of sage or fresh thyme before they start turning brown. So a mix has been perfect for us.
- If you buy a mix of poultry herbs separate out the different herbs when you get home and store them individually in the fridge. Both thyme and sage seem to go bad faster than rosemary.
- Make these on the stovetop with directions in the recipe notes if your oven is full. It’s hard to find room in the oven for a full sheet pan of carrots when there’s a turkey taking up all the space!
Dietary Options & Substitutions
- Dairy-free, Vegan, or Vegetarian – use dairy-free butter or extra virgin olive oil, but don’t try to brown the butter!
- Paleo – use olive oil or ghee, and again, ghee won’t brown because there are no milk solids.
More Side Dish Recipe Inspiration
I really hope you enjoy these Maple Glazed Carrots! If you do get a chance to make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
Maple Glazed Carrots
INGREDIENTS
- 2 pounds carrots - peeled and sliced 1/4"
- 2 tbsp salted butter
- 2 tbsp fresh sage leaves - finely chopped
- 2 tbsp maple syrup - Grade B for the most flavor
- 1/2 tsp sea salt - or to your taste
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Peel and slice the carrots into 1/4" thick slices and place them on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Melt the butter in a small, light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Swirl the pan or whisk often until the butter turns golden brown.
- As soon as the butter browns, turn off the heat. Then add the sage and maple syrup, and stir to combine. Add the sea salt and stir again.
- Pour the glaze over the carrots on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Using a spatula toss the carrots together with the glaze and spread them out in an even layer.
- Roast the carrots until they're tender and caramelizing around the edges of the pan, 20-25 minutes. Stir the carrots only if they're browning too much on the edges, otherwise, let them roast undisturbed.
- Serve immediately.
NOTES
nutrition facts
This recipe was originally published in 2015 and updated in 2023 with new photos, more tips and information, and stovetop instructions.
These carrots whole style are downright glamorous! I love the presentation and would not cut them up. Presentation is half the battle. Ha, your gym story is hilarious. I too, workout for the energy it gives me, no other reason. But I do the 80’s Billy Blanks DVDS (okay okay, their VHS) And although I cannot condone some of his outfits, I like how inspirational he is!
Thanks Laura! I definitely like the energy I get from working out, and it really seems to help with a bit of flexibility too (I sit way too much during the day).
Mmm, I would love to try this recipe sometime! Love the story about watching Food Network at the gym! I would totally do that 😉
Thinking about food while working out seems like an obvious one to me, but then again I’m always thinking about food!