Butter pecan carrots have a rich, savory, and slightly sweet flavor. The richness of butter tastes perfect with the nuttiness of the toasted pecans. This carrot dish will wow your guests during any holiday season!
I have a new carrot recipe for you, just in time for spring! I am always searching for an easy side dish you can easily throw together if you travel for the holidays. These sweet carrots call for just a few easy ingredients but will wow your friends and family this holiday season! These have a low prep time, so you don’t need to stress during the holidays!
Ingredients
I pound of carrots – about seven large carrots cut into slices
Two tablespoons of unsalted butter
1/4 cup chopped pecans
One teaspoon of cinnamon
Two tablespoons of brown sugar
1/3 cup of milk
salt to taste
Ingredient substitutions: You can substitute the brown sugar with maple syrup or honey. You can also choose to use candied pecans instead of plain pecans.
Equipment
Instructions
Prepare the Carrots:
- Peel the carrots and slice them diagonally into pieces about 1/4 inch thick. This helps to increase the surface area for caramelization and ensures even cooking.
- Steam the Carrots: Bring about an inch of water to a boil in a pot fitted with a steamer basket. Place the sliced carrots in the steamer basket, cover, and steam for about 5-7 minutes, or until the carrots are tender but still slightly crisp. Alternatively, you can blanch the carrots in boiling water for about 3-4 minutes, then drain them well.
- Toast the Pecan: Heat a skillet over medium heat while the carrots are steaming. Add the chopped pecans to the dry skillet and toast them, stirring frequently, until they are fragrant and lightly browned about 3-4 minutes. Be careful not to burn them. Once toasted, remove the pecans from the skillet and set them aside.
- Make Butter Pecan Sauce: mix butter, milk, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a saucepan over low heat. When the butter melts, the mixture should turn into a sauce. Add the pecan pieces at the end and mix.
- Pour the Butter Pecan Glaze over the cooked carrots. And serve warm.
You can choose to carrots another way besides on the stove. You can roast them in the oven on a baking sheet or pan-fry them if you like.
Butter Pecan Carrots
Ingredients
- 1 pound carrots peeled and cut into slices
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup pecan pieces
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- salt to taste
Instructions
-
Peel the carrots and slice them diagonally into pieces about 1/4 inch thick. This helps to increase the surface area for caramelization and ensures even cooking.
-
Steam the Carrots: Bring about an inch of water to a boil in a pot fitted with a steamer basket. Place the sliced carrots in the steamer basket, cover, and steam for about 5-7 minutes, or until the carrots are tender but still slightly crisp. Alternatively, you can blanch the carrots in boiling water for about 3-4 minutes, then drain them.
-
Toast the Pecans: Heat a skillet over medium heat while the carrots are steaming. Add the chopped pecans to the dry skillet and toast them, stirring frequently, until they are fragrant and lightly browned about 3-4 minutes. Be careful not to burn them. Once toasted, remove the pecans from the skillet and set them aside.
-
Make Butter Pecan Sauce: mix butter, milk, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a saucepan over low heat. When the butter melts, the mixture should turn into a sauce. Add the pecan pieces at the end and mix.
-
Pour the Butter Pecan Glaze over the cooked carrots. And serve warm.
Butter Pecan carrots work great as a Thanksgiving side dish, or you can also serve it at easter, Christmas, or any gathering! These are a great accompaniment to a Ham or roast chicken dinner! If you are looking for more delicious recipes that make great vegetable sides, you should check out:
Crispy Onion Ring Green Bean Casserole
Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
Buttered Rum Roasted Carrots
Roast Broccoli Salad
Did you make these easy Butter Pecan Carrots? I would love to hear how they turned out for you! Please comment below this blog post or tag me on social media and tell me how they worked for you! You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.
