Make it in the Instant pot or on the stovetop and enjoy this healthy side in under 30 minutes. This is one of my favorite ways to eat carrots! Perfectly steamed rainbow carrots are sautéed in ginger and honey-infused orange juice until they form a sweet-sticky glaze.
This is a really easy recipe that takes a total of about 15 minutes, and most of that time is hands-off. In this post, I’ll show you how to make these glazed carrots in your Instant Pot, or on the stove. Let’s get started! Another popular carrot recipe: Roasted Carrots in Air Fryer
Ingredients - Notes & Substitutions
Carrots: I use petite rainbow carrots, but feel free to use baby carrots or regular carrots cut up in 3-inch pieces.Water: to steam the carrots.Oil: Olive oil for sauteing the carrots. Feel free to use any clear oil like avocado oil.Ginger: I recommend freshly grated ginger for the best flavor.Orange zest: just a tiny amount adds a wonderful citrusy flavor and aroma. Use a Microplane to zest the peel.Orange juice: Fresh orange is the best choice for this recipe. It forms the base of the glaze.Honey: Honey adds sweetness and thickens the glaze too. Swap with maple syrup to keep it vegan.Salt: a pinch of salt to balance the sweetness.
Scroll to the recipe card for a detailed list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Honey Glazed Carrots
Let’s see how to make glazed carrots using the Instant Pot:
Instant Pot Honey Glazed Carrots
Here’s a simple 2-step process of making glazed carrots with honey in the instant pot. It comes in very handy for making large quantities. Step 1: Steam the carrots Pour water into the inner pot. Place a steamer basket or a trivet. Add the carrots to the steamer basket. Close the lid and set ‘Steam’ or ‘Pressure cook" for 1-minute. When the cooker beeps, manually release the pressure and open the lid. Remove the carrots and discard the water. Step 2: Glaze the carrots Wipe the Instant Pot dry and turn on Saute. Add olive oil, orange juice, orange zest, honey or maple syrup, ginger, and a pinch of salt. Add the carrots and saute them until the liquid thickens and turns into a glaze and coats the carrots evenly.
Stovetop Honey-Glazed Carrots
Heat a wide skillet on medium-high heat. Add olive oil and saute the carrots for 1-2 minutes. Add ½ cup water and bring it to a boil. Cover the pan and steam the carrots for about 8-10 minutes, or until they are fork tender. By this time the water should have dried up, if not, saute for a few minutes and dry it. Add orange juice, orange zest, honey or maple syrup, ground ginger, and a pinch of salt. Saute the carrots till the liquid thickens and coats the carrots evenly.
Serving Suggestion
Glazed carrots with honey don’t really need any garnish, but I like to sprinkle chopped parsley before serving. Pomegranate seeds also add to the beauty of this dish. Serve these glazed carrots warm along with:
Non-Vegetarian Entrees: Cajun Chicken, Tandoori Chicken, Grilled Turkey Breast, Tandoori Salmon, or Whole Roasted Chicken.Vegetarian Dishes: You can also serve these with Paneer Tikka or Whole Roasted Cauliflower.
How to Store & Reheat
Honey-glazed carrots can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days. To reheat, simply heat in the microwave for a minute, or saute in a frypan until warm. I don’t recommend freezing this dish as the texture will not be the same on defrosting.
Try a Variation
Vegan Alternative: Substitute honey with maple syrup and enjoy Maple Glazed Carrots. Using Regular or baby Carrots: This recipe is very versatile and can be used with any kind of carrots. If making this with baby carrots, reduce that steam time to ‘0’ minutes. If using regular whole carrots without chopping, increase the steam time to ‘1-2’ minutes, depending on how thick the stem is. In both cases, the sauteing time to glaze the cooked carrots remains the same.
Recipe Tips & Notes
Instant Pot vs. Stovetop Method: Both methods take 15-20 minutes and are equally easy and simple, so pick whichever works for you best.Carrots: I make this with petite rainbow carrots, but you can use any kind of carrots. See notes above on cooking time adjustment for baby or regular carrots.Make it vegan: Replace the honey with maple syrup to make this recipe vegan.
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