Lemon-Honey Glazed Carrots

Name: Lemon-Honey Glazed Carrots
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces; 2 teaspoons Herbes de Provence; 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 2 tablespoons honey; Juice of 1 lemon

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Honey-glazed carrots are easy to make with just a few simple ingredients. The carrots are cooked with herbs and then coated in a sweet honey-lemon glaze. Make them for holiday dinners or anytime you want a simple vegetable side dish.

Whether it’s chicken, pork chops, steak, turkey, or ham, these honey-glazed carrots are like the little black dress of side dishes; they go with pretty much anything.

They’re seasoned with herbes de Provence and coated in a light lemon-honey glaze for a sweet and tart finish. Oh, and they’re easy! You only need a handful of ingredients and one skillet to make them.

So, long story short: They’re bright and cheery and the perfect side dish for pretty much any main dish.

Ingredients

Olive oil
Carrots
Herbes de Provence
Kosher salt
Honey
Lemon juice

Herbes de Provence is a dried herb mix that includes oregano, lavender, thyme, rosemary, tarragon, and basil. It’s very aromatic and pairs perfectly with the lemon and honey.

I use two pounds of carrots for four servings if it’s the only side dish. It will stretch to serve more if it’s part of a holiday spread with multiple sides. You can also double the recipe if you want to serve more people.

photo collage of the carrots in a skillet with oil and herbs and the skillet covered.

How to Make Glazed Carrots

I like to peel and slice them on an angle into 1” pieces. You could also slice them into coins. Just keep in mind that the thicker they are, the longer they will take to cook.

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the carrots, herbs, and salt, and then cover the pan with a lid. This will steam the carrots and soften them. I like to cook them this way until they are almost fully cooked. If you stick a fork in one, there should be some resistance – it usually takes about 20 minutes or so.

Once they are steamed, remove the lid and stir them around. There will be residual water in the pan, so let that cook off before adding the lemon juice and honey.

Increase the heat to medium-high and cook the carrots in lemon and honey. Give them a stir every few minutes – they will start to caramelize in spots. After about ten minutes, they will be cooked through.

Tip: If you prefer softer carrots, steam them longer with the lid on. I prefer them with a little bit of a bite and not too soft and mushy.

Pressing Questions Answered!

I don’t have the herb mix – can I use something else?

Yes, pretty much any dried herb will work, like parsley, thyme, rosemary, and oregano. You can use all of one kind or do a mix – you can’t really mess it up 🙂

Can you make them ahead?

You can! You can steam the carrots in with the oil and herbs and then store them in the fridge up to a day in advance. The next day, warm them up on the stove in a skillet (add a tablespoon of water) and then add the lemon juice and honey and finish them.

How long do leftovers keep?

They will keep for three to four days!

Make these for the holidays or make them for a weeknight dinner. I hope you like them as much as I do!

Happy carrot-cooking,

More Vegetable Side Dishes

Want more ideas? Check out my Holiday Side Dishes round-up, or give these recipes a try…