These Sauteed Carrots are a wonderful quick and easy vegetable side dish perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and beyond. A simple and vibrant dish to accompany your main holiday feast. Sauteed with scallions and thyme, these carrots are perfectly cooked every single time.
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What’s in this Sauteed Carrots Recipe?
How is your Thanksgiving and holiday menu planning going? If you are still on the hunt for a tasty side dish, then I’ve got the perfect treat for you! These carrots are fresh and vibrant, the perfect addition to any table!
- Carrots: Peel, trim, and halve them lengthwise, and cut ¼-inch diagonally. Large carrots will need to be quartered lengthwise.
- Scallions: Add a pop of color and a slight onion flavor.
- Unsalted Butter: Adds richness to the carrots.
- Canola Oil: Helps the carrots cook without burning.
- Garlic: Adds an earthy flavor and a pungent aroma.
- Thyme: Adds a fresh and herbal flavor.
- Chicken Broth: Adds moisture and a salty and umami flavor.
- Salt + Pepper: Enhance the natural flavor of the carrots.
Pro Tip: Use an unsalted/low-sodium chicken broth for this recipe. If you use a salted stock, omit the salt.
Variations on Sautéed Carrots
You can add just about any fresh herbs to this dish to change the flavor. Sage, rosemary, and parsley are all great choices. You could also play up the sweetness of the carrots by adding some brown sugar or maple syrup, cinnamon, and ground ginger.
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You really can’t go wrong with any cooking method, but I prefer to roast or sauté them to add that delicious browning.
Yes! Sautéing is one of the healthiest ways to cook carrots, and carrots are full of vitamins and minerals.
I personally like to peel my carrots, but you can wash and scrub the carrots well without peeling them if you prefer.
There’s no need to boil these carrots before cooking them since we are cutting them into small enough pieces. If you boil them beforehand, they may turn out soggy or mushy.
I added scallions, garlic, and thyme, but any fresh herbs will work.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover sauteed carrots in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in a pan set over medium-low heat until warmed through.
How to Freeze
Freeze sauteed carrots in an airtight container or Ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
These sauteed carrots are a great side for both weeknight meals and fancy holiday dinners. Try them with baked pesto salmon, beef tenderloin, instant pot turkey breast, mushroom chicken, or crispy chicken parmesan.
5-Star Review
“These are the perfect side dish!” – Rachael Yerkes
Sauteed Carrots Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 pound carrots
- 2 scallions
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (¼ stick)
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme leaves only
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth or stock
- Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Peel, trim, and halve carrots lengthwise; cut ¼-inch diagonally. (Large carrots will need to be quartered lengthwise.) Carrots should be about the same size.1 pound carrots
- Trim scallions and thinly slice the light green and white parts diagonally.2 scallions
- Heat butter and oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat.2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons canola oil
- Add carrots, onions, garlic, thyme leaves, and ½ cup chicken stock.1 clove garlic, 4 sprigs fresh thyme, ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- Season with salt and pepper.Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
- Reduce heat to lowest temperature, cover and cook 6-8 minutes or until carrots are fork-tender.
- Uncover and cook until liquid is almost gone.
- Taste and, if needed, season with additional salt and pepper.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- Cut the carrots to similar sizes so that they cook evenly.
- Take care not to overcook the carrots.
- Use an unsalted chicken stock for this recipe, if you use a salted stock, omit the salt.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition Information
This is a great recipe! Definitely a keeper! We just came back from vacation with an empty fridge, except scallions and carrots, and needed a quick side dish. It was delicious and easy to prepare in only a few minutes!
On step 4, maybe change it from onion to scallion? For every step in your recipe it said scallion so for a moment I got confused why it didn’t get added into the pan.
Thanks for sharing!
We really enjoyed this! Thank you for the recipe.
Thanks for stopping by, Alice!
We really enjoyed this! Thank you for the recipe.
Thanks for sharing!!
We like our carrots crispy, so we used 1/4 C chicken stock
Thanks for stopping by, Scott!
I loved it! So flavorful and easy to make!
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe!
these are the perfect side dish!
I agree, Rachael! Thank you!
I cannot wait to try these! Just reading the recipe has me drooling. These sound so savory and full of flavor.
Come back and let me know what you think once you’ve made them!
Mmm..I love cooked carrots & love the thyme on them. They are full of flavor!
I’m so glad to hear you loved these!
Sometimes carrots alone can be a bit boring. These look good and sound quite tasty!
I agree, Valerie!