Fresh orange juice gives these buttery glazed carrots a bright flavor, while thyme adds a savory herbal note. A small squeeze of lemon balances the natural sweetness. Cooked entirely on the stovetop, they make a colorful side for Thanksgiving or a fall dinner without competing for oven space.
A light glaze made from the cooking juices
As the orange juice reduces, it becomes more concentrated and combines with the butter to coat the carrots. Only a little maple syrup is needed. The finished vegetables should be tender and hold their shape, with a small amount of glossy sauce left to spoon over them. Aim for a light coating rather than a thick, sticky sugar shell.
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At a glance
Orange-Glazed Carrots with Thyme: A Bright Side for the Holiday Table
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 25 min
- Total time
- 40 min
- Yield
- 4 side-dish servings
Ingredients for 4 side-dish servings
Prep: about 15 minutes. Cooking: about 25 minutes. Total: about 40 minutes. You will need a wide lidded skillet, about 11–12 inches / 28–30 cm, a fine zester and a citrus juicer. Use two batches if your pan is smaller; this may take longer. Metric weights are the nutrition basis; US measures are approximate.
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| Amount | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 800 g / 1¾ lb | carrots, weighed after peeling and trimming |
| 200 ml / about ¾ cup | plus 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice (about 2–3 oranges, depending on size) |
| 1 teaspoon | finely grated orange zest (about 2 g), from a washed orange with peel suitable for eating |
| 50 ml / about 3 tablespoons | plus 1 teaspoon water, plus 1–2 tablespoons more if needed |
| 30 g / about 2 tablespoons | unsalted butter, divided |
| 15 g / about 2 teaspoons | maple syrup* |
| 5–6 | small fresh thyme sprigs (about 5 g including stems), divided |
| ½ teaspoon | fine salt* to start, plus more to taste |
| ¼ teaspoon | freshly ground black pepper*, plus more to taste |
| 10 ml / 2 teaspoons | lemon juice, using 1 teaspoon initially |
How to make orange-glazed carrots
- Halve the carrots lengthwise, or quarter very thick carrots lengthwise. Cut long pieces down to about 8–10 cm / 3–4 inches if needed. Keep them even, about 1–1.5 cm / ⅜–⅝ inch thick at the widest point. Wash the orange well in warm water and dry. Use a fine zester to remove only the colored peel, avoiding the bitter white pith. Squeeze and measure 200 ml orange juice.
- Melt 20 g of the butter in the wide skillet over medium heat without browning it. Add the carrots and turn in the butter for 2 minutes. Add the orange juice, 50 ml water, maple syrup, ½ teaspoon salt and 3–4 thyme sprigs. Bring briefly to a boil, then cover and simmer gently over medium-low heat for about 12–15 minutes, turning carefully occasionally. A small knife should enter with a little resistance remaining.
- Remove the lid and reduce the pan juices over medium to medium-high heat for about 5–8 minutes, turning the carrots regularly. If the carrots become tender before the liquid thickens, lift them out with tongs and reduce the liquid on its own. If they are still firm and the pan is nearly dry, add 1–2 tablespoons water and cover briefly to finish cooking.
- When only a few tablespoons of lightly syrupy liquid remain, turn the heat low. Return any removed carrots to the pan. Stir or swirl in the remaining 10 g butter, orange zest and black pepper. The glaze should lightly coat the carrots. Do not reduce until dry or dark; loosen an overly thick glaze with 1 tablespoon water.
- Discard the woody cooked thyme stems. Strip the leaves from the remaining thyme sprigs and add them. Stir in 1 teaspoon lemon juice and taste: add the remaining lemon juice for brightness if needed, along with a little salt or black pepper to taste. Aim for a fruity, savory side rather than an overly sweet one. Transfer to a warm platter with the remaining orange pan juices.
Tender carrots, thin sauce?
Lift the carrots out temporarily and reduce just the liquid. This keeps the vegetables from falling apart. A wide skillet helps the juices reduce faster; a narrow saucepan takes longer. No cornstarch or flour is needed for this glaze.
Keep the orange flavor bright
Use an orange with peel suitable for eating, grate only the colored surface and add the zest near the end. Oranges vary in sweetness and acidity, so add the lemon juice gradually and make your final seasoning adjustments after the glaze has reduced.
Make ahead for a holiday meal
Cook the carrots through the covered simmering stage the day before. Cool promptly in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours. Use within 2 days. To serve, heat the carrots and their juices thoroughly in the skillet, adding a little water if needed, then reduce uncovered and finish with the remaining butter, zest, fresh thyme and lemon juice. Allow extra time when starting with cold carrots.
Vegan variation
Replace the butter with the same weight of a vegan butter alternative suitable for cooking. If it is salted, reduce the initial salt and adjust carefully at the end. Flavor and nutrition will differ from the base recipe.
Estimated nutrition per serving
Approximately 171 calories, 28 g carbohydrate, 2 g protein and 7 g fat per side-dish serving (one quarter of the recipe including the glaze). Based on 800 g trimmed carrots, 200 ml orange juice, all the butter and remaining ingredients. The vegan variation is excluded. Ingredient size and sweetness, and any glaze left in the pan, will change these estimates.
The base recipe contains milk from butter. For the vegan variation, check the replacement product ingredients and allergens. Handle hot pan juices carefully. Chill leftovers promptly and reheat thoroughly.
Recipe by myai
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