Slow Cooker Glazed Carrots
Slow Cooker Glazed Carrots are sweet and savory side dish glazed with brown sugar. A healthy and perfect dish for the holiday season that goes well with any meal.
Looking for simple side dish recipes like this? Try my other recipes like the Cheesy Baked Green Beans, Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes, and Crispy Onion Rings!
Slow Cooker Carrots with Brown Sugar Glaze
Slow Cooker Glazed Carrots are a hit in my family during this time of the year. I have lots of carrots that I got on sale and so, I am making it the main ingredient for this side dish. These sweet and savory carrots are coated in butter and sugar and then cooked to tender perfection.
These are very similar to oven-roasted version, but easily made in the crockpot. To free up some time during the holiday season, I prefer cooking them in the slow cooker. This saves me time and space in the kitchen.
This is probably one of the many advantages of having this healthy side dish in your repertoire. When the vegetable is in season, it tastes the best and costs the least compared to some other time of the year. And you can buy them the freshest around this time.
So, you are guaranteed that what you serve is high-quality and healthy, just right for your family. I like that it is simple yet overall, it is an appetizing addition to any meal. In addition, it is so versatile that you can pair its flavor and texture with many kinds of dishes.
And this recipe is hassle-free. Just dump everything in the crockpot. Hours later, enjoy a vibrant side dish that tastes as delicious as it looks!
Ingredients:
- Carrots: Cut the vegetables into uniform pieces to ensure even cooking. Also, you can cook them whole if you prefer.
- Melted butter: Mixed with the sugar, it adds flavor to the glaze.
- Brown sugar: You can use honey as a substitute.
- Salt: It balances out the flavors.
- Cinnamon and nutmeg: These spices add the fall flavor that is evident in this dish.
- Chopped parsley: It gives another flavor. And its green color complements the orange well, too.
How to make Glazed Carrots in the slow cooker?
- Prepare: Put the vegetable pieces in the crockpot. Then, in a small bowl, combine the glaze ingredients.
- Coat: Next, toss everything together to coat each piece with the sugar mixture.
- Cook: Set the crockpot to 3 hours on HIGH. Additionally, you can thicken the glaze by allowing it to cook on HIGH for another 15 minutes uncovered.
- Serve: Garnish with the chopped parsley before serving.
Can I make roasted carrots in the oven?
Yes, you can! Weoven-roasted have a recipe for oven roasted carrots. For this recipe, we use olive oil, garlic powder, and black pepper in the glaze.
What I like about cooking them in the oven is that the pieces get caramelized nicely.
Do I need to pre-cook the carrots before adding them to the slow cooker?
No, you can add raw carrot slices directly to the crock pot. The slow cooking process will soften and cook the carrots.
How long does it take to cook glazed carrots in a slow cooker?
Cooking times can vary depending on your specific slow cooker and the size of the carrot slices. Generally, I cook glazed carrots for 3 hours on HIGH, or about 4 to 6 hours on LOW, or until they are tender but not overly soft.
Can I use a different type of sweetener in the glaze?
Yes, you can experiment with different sweeteners like honey or agave nectar instead of maple syrup or brown sugar.
Also, keep in mind that this might slightly alter the flavor of the glaze.
Best carrots to use?
You may use any whole ones and simply cut them into smaller pieces. Or, you can use baby carrots that are almost the same size. I tend to go with the organic type. They are a little bit more expensive, but it is well worth it since they are healthier and do not have any pesticides.
But feel free to use whatever you have on hand.
How do I prevent the carrots from becoming too mushy?
To prevent overcooking and mushy carrots, make sure to monitor the cooking time and texture. Check the carrots with a fork occasionally to see if they are tender to your liking.
Can I use frozen carrots?
Yes! Feel free to use frozen ones. You can even prepare the vegetables ahead of time.
Put the pieces coated with the glaze in a freezer bag and freeze. Then, just pour everything into the crockpot to cook when ready.
What to Serve with Slow Cooker Glazed Carrots?
This dish is quite versatile and goes well with almost anything. Check out the following suggestions:
- Hamburger Steak with Mushroom Gravy
- Garlic Butter Steak Bites
- Crockpot Bacon Pork Loin
- Crockpot Pork Tenderloin
- Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf
Storing instructions:
- Refrigerate: Keep this dish in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: To reheat, simply pop everything in the oven for about 5-10 minutes until warm. Then, serve.
More easy side dishes:
Recipe Tips:
- To make the dish even more festive and appetizing, you can use wavy cutters to decorate the pieces.
- Cut the carrot slices to a uniform size so that they cook evenly in the slow cooker. This ensures that some pieces don’t become overcooked while others are still firm.
- Do not freeze it. The vegetable will turn mushy as it thaws.
- The recipe can be doubled if you have a larger slow cooker.
- Also, feel free to add more herbs like tarragon and thyme if you wish.
- For a healthier option, brown sugar can be substituted with honey.
- Feel free to add other spices to the glaze. Some great additions would be spices like ginger, cloves, or even a pinch of cayenne pepper for a bit of heat.
Slow Cooker Glazed Carrots
Ingredients
- 2 lbs carrots peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon balsamic reduction
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Garnish:
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Instructions
- Prepare and add the carrots to the slow cooker.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter with the rest of the ingredients.
- Pour the sauce mixture on top of the carrots and toss to combine.
- Cook on HIGH for 3 hours or until carrots are tender.
- To thicken the glaze, remove uncovered on HIGH for an additional 20-25 minutes. Or mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of water and add to the mixture, cook on HIGH for an additional 15 minutes.
- Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Nutrition
