Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots are a quick and colorful side dish for your spring dinner.
Brown sugar glazed carrots are one of my favorite spring side dishes. They take less than 30 minutes to make and they are always a crowd pleaser. 
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The carrots look beautiful and their sweet and aroma will draw all of your guests into the kitchen. I have childhood memories of glazed carrots. Mom would simmer them in orange juice and sugar. They were divine.
I opted for something without the zing of orange. I made these glazed carrots sophisticated by just adding a bit of brown sugar with white wine. You can swap the white wine for chicken broth if you’d like.
I add fennel seeds for an extra bit of sophistication. I like to crush my fennel seeds on a cutting board with the bottom of a heavy pan. You can also use a mortar and pestle. Crushed fennel is also sold at the grocery store, but I find that it has more flavor when I grind it myself.
How to make glazed carrots
To make Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots for Spring, all you have to do is melt your ingredients on medium-high heat, add the carrots to your skillet, cover for 20 minutes, then uncover to let the veggies caramelize.
That’s it. The recipe really is that easy. I like using a covered skillet like this one, so you don’t have to search for a little that fits your fry pan.
Use rainbow carrots to add additional color to your dish.
I love using baby French carrots for this recipe, but you can also use rainbow carrots, baby carrots from the bag! Or just regular sweet carrots, peeled and cut. Rainbow carrots have a similar taste to all other carrots, but have beautiful red, yellow and purple colors. Not to mention, each differently colored carrot has its own health benefits! Think betacarotene, lutein, lycopene and antioxidants.
The brown sugar brings out the natural sweetness of the glazed carrots, to give you something delectable.
I like to whip out this recipe for family dinners or spring parties with my friends. No matter where I bring these Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots, they are always the first dish to be devoured. My guests are pleased with the taste, and I am pleased with how easy they were to make.
If you’re looking to freshen up your weeknight dinners, head on over to my Spring Dinner Recipes for Weeknights. The recipes range from Chicken and Rice Lettuce Wraps to Asparagus with Lemon, Olives and Feta.
Ingredients for Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots:
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 2 tbsp dry white wine
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 lbs small French or baby carrots
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
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- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- ¼ cup light brown sugar firmly packed
- 2 tbsp dry white wine
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1½ lbs small French or baby carrots
- 1 tsp fennel seeds crushed
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In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat; add sugar, wine, salt and 3 tbsp water. Add carrots and stir until coated. Reduce heat to medium and cook, covered, 20 min. Uncover and increase heat to medium high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots are slightly caramelized, about 5 min. Stir in fennel seeds and serve.
• I like to crush my fennel seeds on a cutting board with the bottom of a heavy pan. You can also use a mortar and pestle.
Recipe Tara Bench, Photography Iain Bagwell, Food Stylist Sally Jo O’Brien. Originally published LHJ 03/08
