Honey Glazed Brown Sugar Carrots
This recipe takes simple roasted carrots to a whole new level. These Honey Glazed Brown Sugar Carrots are sweet, perfectly caramelized, and finished with an irresistible tahini yogurt sauce, toasted pumpkin seeds and sweet pomegranates. It’s the perfect dish for you holiday table.
I don’t know about you, but I love taking classic recipes and adding my own twist to make them more exciting for the holiday season. These Honey Glazed Brown Sugar Carrots are the perfect example. Elevated with creamy tahini yogurt, crunchy pumpkin seeds, and vibrant pomegranate seeds for a pop of color! Your family will love this recipe, even the pickiest eaters, I promise!
Serve these delicious roasted carrots with some of my favorite holiday side dishes, Apple Fennel Slaw with Candied Pecans, Garlic Confit Mashed Potatoes, Hot Honey Brussels Sprouts, and Apple Pie Baked Beans.
Why You’ll Love These Glazed Carrots
- Beautiful presentation- With tahini yogurt, pumpkin seeds, and pomegranate seeds on top, these carrots are as beautiful as they are delicious.
- Great texture- Soft, tender roasted carrots, creamy yogurt, crunchy seeds, and juicy bursts of pomegranate seeds. You get it all in one dish!
- Easy to make- The recipe is simple but feels elevated. With minimal prep, you can have a gourmet dish that looks and tastes impressive.
- Customizable- You can adjust the sweetness or add extra toppings like roasted garlic, roasted nuts, or a sprinkle of fresh herbs to make this dish your own.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Below are ingredient notes. For the complete list and quantities, please refer to the recipe card located at the bottom of the page.
- Carrots- I love to use rainbow carrots for their beautiful color and presentation, but you can use traditional orange carrots. Baby carrots are a convenient option and do not require any cutting. If you prefer large carrots, simply slice them into rounds or diagonal uniform pieces so they roast evenly.
- Butter- Use unsalted or salted butter. You can also substitute with olive oil.
- Honey- Honey adds sweetness and helps the glaze stick. You can substitute with maple syrup or agave if you like.
- Brown sugar- I add brown sugar to help the carrots caramelize as they bake. You can use light or dark brown sugar.
- Yogurt- Full-fat Greek yogurt creates a rich, creamy base for the sauce. If you prefer a lighter option, you can use low-fat Greek yogurt instead.
- Tahini- Adds a nutty flavor. If you don’t have tahini, almond butter or sunflower seed butter can work as substitutes.
- Lemon juice- Fresh lemon juice is best. Skip the bottled stuff.
- Garlic- Use fresh garlic cloves for the best flavor. If you don’t have fresh garlic, then you can use 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Cumin- Adds a warm and earthy flavor. If you’re not a fan, smoked paprika or coriander are good alternatives.
- Toppings- I use fresh dill, pomegranate seeds and toasted pumpkin seeds.
Step By Step Instructions
STEP 1: Prepare carrots- For baby to medium-size carrots, you can roast them whole or cut them in half lengthwise. If using large carrots, peel and cut them into uniform pieces, either rounds, diagonally or strips.
STEP 2: Toss the carrots. In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, butter, honey, salt and pepper. Add the carrots and toss until evenly coated. Spread them onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
STEP 3: Roast the carrots. Preheat oven to 400℉. Roast the carrots for 20-25 minutes, or until the carrots are tender and slightly caramelized, stirring halfway through for even cooking.
STEP 4: Make the yogurt tahini sauce. In a small bowl, combine greek yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, fresh dill, cumin, and salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
STEP 5: Assemble. Once the carrots are roasted, transfer them to a serving platter. Drizzle the yogurt sauce over the carrots. Then, sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds and pomegranate seeds. Garnish with fresh dill.
Tips and Tricks For The Best Roasted Carrots
- Use different color varieties. Mixing in different colors of carrots (like purple, orange, yellow, or white) will add a beautiful, vibrant presentation.
- Parboil carrots. I personally like my carrots to have a bite, but if you like them softer, you can parboil them for 5 minutes before roasting them to ensure they are completely cooked through (this is primarily for large, thick carrots).
- Even roasting. To make sure the carrots roast evenly, cut them into uniform pieces, especially if you’re using larger carrots.
- Garnish ideas- Feel free to play with different toppings. Chopped fresh herbs like parsley or mint, or crumbled feta can make these carrots even more tasty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can. Cook the carrots until they’re tender and crisp and not super soft. Cool at room temperature and then store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. When you’re ready to serve, warm the carrots in the oven or microwave until you reach desired doneness. Drizzle with extra butter or honey if they seem dry.
You can use standard orange carrots, baby carrots, rainbow carrots or heirloom carrots.
I do not recommend using frozen carrots, since they can become mushy once roasted. Fresh carrots work best!
If it looks like the carrots are drying out or browning too quickly, loosely cover them with foil during the first part of roasting to help retain moisture. Then, uncover toward the end to allow them to caramelize.
Absolutely! Saute the carrots in a pan with butter. Once they are tender, add the glaze and continue cooking until they reach your desired doneness.
What To Serve with Glazed Carrots
Honey glazed carrots pair well with a variety of dishes. Here are some great options:
Storing and Reheating
Allow the Honey Glazed Brown Sugar Carrots to cool completely before storing them in an airtight container. They can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To reheat, place the carrots in a microwave-safe dish and cover loosely with a damp paper towel. Heat for 1-2 minutes, checking and stirring as needed.
More Side Dish Ideas
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Honey Glazed Brown Sugar Carrots
Ingredients
Glazed Carrots
- 32 oz Small rainbow carrots, peeled and tips cut
- 6 tbsp Butter, salted or unsalted
- 2 tbsp Honey
- 1/4 cup Light brown sugar
- Salt and pepper , to taste
Tahini Yogurt Sauce
- 1/2 cup Low fat Greek yogurt
- 2 tsp Tahini
- 1 Small garlic clove, finely minced or grated on microplane
- 1/2 tsp Cumin
- 1 1/2 tbsp Fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp Fresh dill
Garnishes
- Pomegranate seeds
- Fresh dill
- Pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- For baby to medium-size carrots, you can roast them whole or cut them in half lengthwise. If using large carrots, peel and cut them into uniform pieces, either rounds, diagonally or strips.
- In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, butter, honey, salt and pepper. Add the carrots and toss until evenly coated. Spread them onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Preheat oven to 400℉. Roast the carrots for 20-25 minutes, or until the carrots are tender and slightly caramelized, stirring halfway through for even cooking.
- In a small bowl, combine greek yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, fresh dill, cumin, and salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Once the carrots are roasted, transfer them to a serving platter. Drizzle the yogurt sauce over the carrots. Then, sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds and pomegranate seeds. Garnish with fresh dill.