Maple Glazed Carrots With Thyme and Orange Zest
Maple glazed carrots with thyme and orange zest look fancy but come together with simple ingredients and minimal effort. I like keeping the carrots whole – or halved lengthwise for larger ones – for a lovely presentation, especially for holiday dinners and company.
And you can make them ahead and do a quick reheat, which is always a plus when you’re juggling a bigger meal.
What to expect
A straightforward side dish: One pan, a handful of ingredients, about 20 minutes of roasting. The whole carrots do the visual work for you – colorful and elegant without much fuss.
Big flavors: Carrots and maple syrup are a natural match. The glaze slightly caramelizes as the carrots roast, and the thyme adds a subtle earthiness. The orange zest garnish balances the sweetness and adds some zing. A really good combination.
Ingredients – tailored to your taste
Carrots: I like to leave the carrots whole or, for larger carrots, I’ll cut them in half lengthwise. If I’m serving to guests, I leave a half-inch of green stem at the top for a fancier presentation. Diagonal pieces work fine, too, of course, especially when you have less time.
Maple syrup: For the best flavor use real maple syrup. Imitation syrup just doesn’t have the rich flavor like the real stuff.
Orange zest: is optional but adds a wonderful zing and contrast to the sweetness of the carrots and maple syrup. Feel free to leave it out, though, if that’s not your thing.
Thyme: adds a little earthy flavor. If you don’t like thyme, you can use other fresh herbs like fresh parsley or dill as a good substitute.
Substitutions and Variations
- Use honey instead of maple syrup. This recipe is not overly sweet, especially when you add the tangy orange zest. Adjust the sweetness to your liking.
- Try half carrots and half parsnips.
- Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon or nutmeg.
- Omit the thyme or orange zest.
- Add a little kick of heat with a pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.
Step by step instructions
Tips
- Carrot thickness: The key is to ensure all the carrots are approximately the same thickness so they roast evenly. Cut thicker ones in half or quarters lengthwise if needed. If you like your carrots on the thicker side, just increase the roasting time accordingly.
- Serving portions: Figure about 1/4 lb (115g) of maple-glazed carrots per person. Double that for big eaters if you aren’t serving other side dishes.
Fresh or bagged carrots – which are best?
In this article on how to shop for carrots, Cooks Illustrated found fresh carrots with the leaves attached have a deeper carrot flavor, but the bagged carrots are sweeter (they sweeten with age). I use fresh carrots with the leaves for this dish because we’re adding maple syrup for sweetness anyway.
Avoid those little bagged precut baby carrots as they don’t have much taste.
Recipe FAQs
Store leftover carrots in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
Yes. Roast the carrots as per the recipe a few hours ahead, then reheat at 375F -400F (190C-204C) for 5-10 minutes. Alternatively, serve them at room temperature.
Absolutely, you can freeze cooked carrots. Just transfer the cooled carrots to a freezer bag, squeezing out as much air as you can. Then pop them in the freezer for up to several months.
Baby carrots are a portion of carrot. Once full-sized carrots are harvested, they are washed, cut, peeled and polished into 2-inch pieces. Because of all the shaping and peeling, baby carrots lose some of the nutrients and flavor. They’re best for serving with flavorful dip, where you’re not depending on a strong carrot flavor.
What to serve with maple glazed carrots
Maple glazed carrots go with almost any main course. Some good choices are:
- rack of pork roast
- roast chicken breast and gravy,
- prime rib,
- sous vide leg of lamb (boneless)
- turkey breast with pear chutney
They are a traditional side dish in an Easter dinner menu. And also a perfect Thanksgiving side dish.
Shortcuts
- Skip the green stems at the top of the carrots (if you buy fresh carrots with leaves attached). Just cut them off. This will save time scrubbing the dirt where the leaves meet the carrot. I certainly don’t use the tops for weeknight dinners 🙂
- Skip peeling the carrots if you scrub them well. There is no nutritional difference if you peel them or not. You just get a brighter appearance and slightly sweeter taste with peeled carrots. The skin has some bitterness to it.
Other carrot and roasted vegetable recipes
Carrot Recipes
- grilled carrots with balsamic glaze
- roasted glazed carrot tzimmes
- red quinoa salad with roasted carrots
Roasted vegetable recipes
Please leave a 5-star rating ***** with a comment in the recipe card below if you like the recipe. Thank you so much!
Maple Glazed Carrots
Ingredients
- 1 pound slender carrots, leaves attached, Note 1 (about 2 bunches if carrots are small and slim)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or honey)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest (half an orange)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F/218C. Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or foil (if using foil, lightly spray with oil) – for easy clean up.
- PREPARE CARROTS: Peel carrots (Note 2). If you leave a 1/2 inch of green stems on, be sure the scrub the earth off around the stem (I use a peeler to get most of it off). Try to get all the carrots the same width in order to cook evenly- you may have to slice a few in half lengthwise. Place carrots on pan. Mix maple syrup, oil, thyme and salt in a small bowl. Pour mixture over carrots and toss around to coat evenly.
- ROAST CARROTS: Roast carrots for 20-25 minutes or until tender. Give them a shake after about 10-15 minutes for even cooking.
- SERVE: Place carrots on a serving plate. Garnish with orange zest (Note 3) and drizzle lightly with maple syrup (or honey) if you like. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Recipe Notes
- Carrot options
- Buy fresh carrots with leaves attached if you want to keep a little bit of the stem at the topfor a fancier presentation. Bagged whole carrots are fine too (not baby carrots).
- To peel or not to peel
- If you scrub the carrots well, you can skip peeling them. There is no nutritional difference if you peel them or not. You just get a brighter appearance and slightly sweeter taste with peeled carrots. The skin has some bitterness to it.
- Variations to try
-
- Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon or nutmeg.
- Omit the thyme or orange zest. If you don’t like thyme, dill would be a great substitute.
- Use honey instead of maple syrup
- Try half carrots and half parsnips.
- Make Ahead: Roast the carrots as per the recipe ahead of time, then reheat at 375F -400F (190C-204C) for 5-10 minutes. Alternatively, serve them at room temperature.
Nutrition
Roasted maple glazed carrots, originally published in 2016, has been updated with new information and pictures.
How long will these keep in the fridge?
Hi Cindy. The cooked carrots should be fine in an airtight container or ziploc bag for 3-4 days.