Maple Ginger Glazed Carrots
Last Updated on November 22, 2022 by Betty Davies
Glazed in an earthy, sweet and warming sauce, these buttery maple ginger carrots are easy and quick to make, but are sure to wow your guests. Perfectly tender, rainbow carrots are glazed in a rich sauce for a delicious veggie side dish that’s worthy of a place on your Thanksgiving or holiday table.
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If you are looking for an easy and super delicious way to make your carrots extra special, then you have got to try this recipe! These maple ginger carrots are are simple to make, but really pack a punch in the flavor department.
Maple syrup adds a complex sweet and nutty taste and the ginger adds a tangy warming freshness, the two ingredients work wonderfully together. Buttery and rich, they come together easily and add some wonderful color to your table.
Perfect for Thanksgiving, but easily enjoyed as part of a tasty weeknight dinner, this elevated vegetable side dish is a must make!
Be sure to try my Maple Mustard Carrots and Honey Sriracha Carrots too!
Why you will love this recipe!
- Simple ingredients: You only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe, and you’re likely to have most things to hand already.
- So delicious! We could not stop eating these! The combination of flavors is so addictive, it’s one tasty way to get everyone to eat their veggies!
- Dietary info: This maple ginger carrot recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free.
Ingredients
- Carrots: I used rainbow carrots for this recipe as they look so pretty on the plate, but regular orange carrots will work just fine too.
- Oil: Use a neutral flavored oil like canola, vegetable or avocado.
- Butter: Salted butter adds a delicious richness. If you use unsalted, you may want to add some additional salt to season.
- Maple Syrup: Use a good quality pure maple syrup for the best flavor.
- Ginger: Use fresh ginger root for the most vibrant taste. Use a microplane grater to grate it finely.
- Salt and Pepper
How to make maple ginger carrots
Be sure to scroll down for the full recipe!
- Boil the carrots til tender and drain (photo 1).
- Heat together the ingredients to make the maple ginger glaze (photo 2).
- Toss the carrots in the glaze to coat (photo 3).
Recipe Variations
These maple ginger carrots are delicious just as they are, but you can easily adapt the recipe to suit your tastes. You can swap the maple for honey, for a more floral sweetness if you prefer. To make this recipe vegan and dairy-free, use a plant based butter. If you like things a little spicier, add in a few red chili flakes to the glaze.
Frequently Asked Questions
I much prefer the vibrant flavor of fresh ginger in this recipe, but in a pinch you can use powdered. Powdered ginger is much more concentrated than fresh, so you will only need to use 1/4 teaspoon.
Raw ginger is easy to peel when yo know how! Rather than use a vegetable peeler or knife, use a teaspoon to scrape off the skin. It takes a matter of seconds, and it’s much easier to get in all of the nooks and crannies.
For this recipe, you will need to grate the ginger, if you chop it, even if very finely, you will end up with pieces of ginger that can taste very overpowering. A microplane grater will break down the ginger quickly and it will be easy to incorporate with the other ingredients.
I love the flavors of maple and ginger with carrots, but it will work great with other veggies like Brussels sprouts or parsnips. Leftover glaze is also great for marinating salmon!
Serving Suggestions
These maple ginger carrots are perfect to serve up as part of your Thanksgiving feast, the flavors just scream fall! They work great with chicken, turkey and fish dishes. and are so quick and easy to cook up, that you can easily serve them up as part of an everyday weeknight dinner. Try them with some of these favorites:
Make Ahead, Storage and Reheating
You can cook the carrots a few hours ahead of time, then just toss them quickly in the glaze to serve.
They are best enjoyed as soon as they are ready, but leftovers will keep well covered in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. They can be heated through in the oven at 350F / 180c for 10 minutes to warm them through to serve.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- If your carrots are quite thick, you can cut them in half lengthways to cut down on cooking time.
- There’s no need to peel the carrots as they have thin skins and are edible, just give them a good wash to remove any loose dirt. You can peel them if you prefer.
- I like to serve the carrots whole, but you can cut them on the diagonal into bite sized pieces if you prefer.
- Take care not to over boil the carrots or they can become mushy. They should be tender, but still have some bite to them.
With their subtle sweet warming flavor, these maple ginger glazed carrots are a wonderful fall side dish and perfect for your Thanksgiving feast. Easy to make, their complex flavors are sure to impress!
More Vegetable Side Dishes
If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to leave a star rating and a comment below!
Maple Ginger Carrots
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds carrots (900g)
- 1 tablespoon oil (canola, vegetable or avocado)
- ½ stick salted butter (4 tablespoons / 57g)
- ¼ cup maple syrup (4 tablespoons)
- 1 inch fresh ginger (peeled and grated – about 1 tablespoon)
- salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Fill a pot with cold water, add a generous amount of salt and bring to a boil on the stovetop.
- Wash the carrots to remove any loose dirt. Once the water is boiling add them to the pot.
- Boil for 15 to 20 minutes (depending on the size of the carrots), til fork tender and drain.
- While the carrots are cooking, add the ingredients for the glaze (oil, butter, maple, grated ginger and a few pinches of salt and pepper) to a skillet and place on a low heat. Stir or whisk, til the ingredients are melted and blended together.
- Once the carrots are cooked and drained, add them to the glaze in the skillet. Turn the heat up slightly, so it is just simmering. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, tossing the carrots in the glaze.
- Serve immediately, with extra glaze from the skillet drizzled over the top.
Notes
- If your carrots are quite thick, you can cut them in half lengthways to cut down on cooking time.
- There’s no need to peel the carrots as they have thin skins and are edible, just give them a good wash to remove any loose dirt. You can peel them if you prefer.
- I like to serve the carrots whole, but you can cut them on the diagonal into bite sized pieces if you prefer.
- Take care not to over boil the carrots or they can become mushy. They should be tender, but still have some bite to them.
- Nutritional values are based on 1 of 6 servings and are an estimate only.
