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Sauteed Carrots

Not only are these Sauteed Carrots easy and quick to make, but they are so sweet, tasty and delicious that your kids won’t even realize they are eating their veggies! This is one of the best side dishes to make on a busy night to add extra nutrition to your meal!

shallow blue bowl filled with sliced sautéed carrots

Why eat carrots?

We need to eat a variety of fruits and veggies to stay healthy, and carrots are no exception.

Carrots are loaded with fiber, vitamin K, potassium, beta carotene and plenty of anti-oxidants. The bonus is that carrots are delicious! Most people love raw carrots (especially dipped in ranch 😉) but cooked carrots can be so amazing too!

These carrots are cooked up in the perfect sweet and savory sauce and only take 10 minutes to cook so they make the perfect side dish for most any meal.

5 carrots on a pink and white table

Ingredients

The most important ingredient in this recipes is, obviously, carrots. The main thing to consider is that using regular carrots instead of baby carrots is a must. Baby carrots just don’t have the flavor needed to make this dish, so it’s worth a few extra minutes to peel and slice regular carrots.

To make the “sauce” you’ll need olive oil, butter (can be dairy-free butter if needed), honey and kosher salt.

Finally, to top it all off, fresh herbs are the best choice, but if you don’t have access, it’s fine to use a few dried herbs. Just be sure to cook them in the sauce a bit to soften.

sliced carrots in grey skillet

How do you cook carrots?

When it comes to cooking carrots, there are so many options, but I like to keep it quick and simple.

Sometimes I cook them in my Instant Pot, but most often I will just grab my skillet.

You’ll want to use a skillet with a lid, so that you can add some water and steam/soften the carrots a bit first. This will help them cook up tender, and be quick to make.

After steaming, remove the lid and let remaining water cook off before adding oil, butter and honey. They will cook up quickly at this point, so make sure your fresh herbs are chopped and ready to go.

skillet with cooked carrots topped with fresh chopped herbs

Carrot Cooking FAQ’s

Do I need to peel my carrots before cooking? Technically, no as long as you wash and scrub them well enough. But honestly, they are not as pretty if you don’t peel them, and the skin can be a bit bitter, so I find it’s worth a couple extra minutes to peel.

Are raw or cooked carrots healthier? Cooking carrots released the beta-carotene, so cook away! While raw carrots have their place, there’s no need to worry that cooking them will make them lose their nutritional benefit, because they actually gain some.

Can I save and reheat the leftovers? Yes! Leftover cooked carrots are an awesome way to add extra veggies to other meals throughout the week, so make a big batch!

overhead view of sliced cooked carrots in a blue bowl with a gold spoon

Serving ideas for sautéed carrots:

overhead view of sliced cooked carrots in a blue bowl with a gold spoon

Sautéed Carrots

Print Recipe
Not only are these Sauteed Carrots easy and quick to make, but they are so sweet, tasty and delicious that your kids won't even realize they are eating their veggies! This is one of the best side dishes to make on a busy night to add extra nutrition to your meal!
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Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 pound carrots
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 tablespoon butter can be dairy free if you prefer
  • 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 tablespoon honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Fresh herbs for garnish

Instructions

  • Peel carrots and slice into 1/4 inch thick coins on a diagonal
  • Place in saute pan with lid along with water
  • Bring to a simmer and let cook for 3-5 minutes until water starts to evaporate and carrots are slightly tender
  • Remove lid and let remaining water cook off until only about 1 tablespoon remains
  • Add remaining ingredients except herbs and let cook and additional 3-4 minutes until carrots are tender
  • Garnish with fresh herbs to serve

Notes

  • use fresh peeled and sliced regular carrots and not baby carrots in this recipe for best results
  • you can use a smaller 10 inch skillet for this recipe, or double and use a larger skillet
  • the thinner the carrots are sliced the faster they will cook
  • if substituting dried herbs, use about 1 teaspoon and add them in with the honey, etc. so that they can soften
  • I like to add the fresh herbs about 1 minute before I’m done cooking so they incorporate but don’t get overcooked 

Nutrition

Calories: 66kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 190mg | Potassium: 292mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 15190IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1mg
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 5
Calories: 66kcal

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