My Favorite Way To Cook Carrots Takes 4 Ingredients and 15 Minutes

If you’re like me, you always have a bag of carrots rumbling around your vegetable drawer. (Isn’t it magical that they never seem to go bad?) When the rest of my fridge is bare and I don’t have any other veg to turn into a side dish, I reach for the bag and make these four-ingredient honey-glazed carrots.

What I love most about this recipe—apart from the extra-short ingredient list—is that it comes together quickly, entirely in one pan, and on the stovetop. With this clever technique, you don’t need to turn the oven on but still end up with candy-sweet carrots with caramelized edges that we all know and love.

The Stovetop Technique

This flavorful carrot side dish comes together in three easy steps. The technique gives you similar results to roasting, but it’s so much faster since you don’t have to wait for the oven to preheat.

First, I place chopped carrots in a skillet with a splash of water and cook them covered with a lid until they’re softened slightly. The lid is key because it traps the moisture in the skillet, steaming and softening the carrots. Next, I remove the lid, add oil and spices, and cook the carrots for a few more minutes, until they have some browning around the edges. Finally, I drizzle in a bit of honey.

Although you can certainly play around with the seasonings here (ideas below), I highly recommend za’atar, a Middle Eastern seasoning of dried herbs, sumac, and sesame seeds. The citrus notes of sumac in particular balance the sweetness of the carrots nicely.

Seasoning Substitutions

Feel free to play around with different seasonings here. Instead of the za’atar, you can use an equal amount of ground cumin or coriander, or a mix of both. Ras el hanout would also work wonderfully here. If you don’t have honey or are vegan, use maple syrup. For extra oomph, sprinkle the carrots with chopped parsley or cilantro before serving.

More Quick and Easy Side Dishes