Maple Glazed Carrots
Transform simple carrots into a tasty side dish. They're flavorful, quick and easy to make. They make a superb addition to your Thanksgiving table or any buffet, really. Crunchy but tender carrots with a gooey maple glaze that you'll want to eat with a spoon.
Servings 10 side servings
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter to grease the pan
- 2 pounds fresh carrots
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce or to taste
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves plus more to serve
- 4 tablespoons maple syrup or to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (180°C). Grease a large baking pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter.
- Peel 2 pounds fresh carrots and cut them into medium sticks. Or rounds. Don't make either too thin or the carrots will cook too much before the glaze thickens.
- Whisk together 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves and 4 tablespoons maple syrup in a large bowl. Transfer half of the glaze (eyeball it). to a small bowl and reserve.
- Add the carrots to the large bowl and stir to coat with the remaining glaze mixture.
- Spread the carrot sticks on the prepared baking sheet in an even layer.
- Bake for about 30 minutes, until beginning to soften.
- Remove the pan from the oven and drizzle the remaining glaze and stir to combine. Bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until soft beginning to brown in places. If you want them more charred, increase the oven to 375°F (190°C) for the last ten minutes or so. Watch them closely and stir once if needed. You don’t want burned carrots.
- Serve immediately with fresh thyme sprigs or leaves on top.
Notes
Adjust to your palate: this is always a must as you'll be the one eating it. If making it for the first time for the holidays or a gathering, I recommend doing a test run first and adjusting the amount of maple syrup to your liking.
Add more maple syrup when serving it: if you like it sweeter, you can drizzle a tablespoon or two on top of the carrots on the serving platter.
Make ahead: They can be made the day before and kept refrigerated in an airtight container. Warm for about 10 minutes in a medium oven before serving.
