Buttered Carrots
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These buttered carrots are a staple side dish that everyone loves! Tender carrots are simmered in real butter and garlic and then topped with fresh minced parsley. It's a quick and easy recipe that's ready in just 15 minutes!
For more quick and easy carrot recipes, also try these quick garlic roasted carrots and spicy honey roasted carrots.
Carrots are a bit of a unicorn vegetable in that they can be taken in so many directions. You can roast them to bring out their sweetness, steam them for a quick and healthy side, make them into soups, or even bake with them!
This buttered carrots recipe is simple yet delicious. With just a few ingredients, they're rich and buttery, with a punch of garlic flavor, and slightly herbaceous. These buttery carrots are classic at holiday dinners, but they're also a quick and easy side dish for weeknights any time of year!
Buttered carrots ingredients
You only need a few simple ingredients to make these delicious buttery carrots. Here's what you need:
- Carrots ā some regular ol' carrots, nothing fancy. Just steer clear of the uniform-sized bagged baby carrots that tend to be tasteless.
- Water ā for steaming the carrots.
- Butter ā the rich taste of butter is the star of the show!
- Garlic ā garlic adds a punch of flavor.
- Sea salt + black pepper ā for seasoning, to taste.
- Fresh parsley ā we use fresh flat-leaf parsley but any type of parsley works. Other fresh herbs like thyme and chives taste great, too.
How to make buttered carrots
This buttered carrots recipe is the perfect side dish for weeknight dinners. They're super easy to make, and healthy, too. Let's make them!
- Start by steaming the carrots in water for a few minutes until they start to soften.
- Push them to the side of the pan and then add the butter.
- Add the garlic, salt, and pepper to the melted butter and stir in the carrots. Cook them for a few minutes more then remove them from the heat and sprinkle them with fresh parsley. That's it!
What to serve with buttered carrots
Carrots cooked in butter are super versatile so you can serve them with pretty much any main or vegetable side. They pair well with roast chicken, honey garlic pork chops, or our quick and tasty 8-minute baked salmon. Regardless of what you serve them with, everyone (including kids) will love them!
Recipe FAQs
Do I need to peel the carrots?
We usually do because we like the clean look, but you definitely don't need to. The peel is actually really healthy and is where a lot of the nutrients and fiber are found.
What's the best way to cut the carrots?
We chop the carrots into large pieces. You can cut or slice them in any way you like, just make sure they're roughly the same size so they cook evenly.
Can I use bagged baby carrots?
The little carrots you find in bags aren't actually sweet, young carrots; they're large carrots whittled down into small bites. Because they're often made with old carrots, they have very little flavor. If you have a bag in your fridge that you want to use up, go ahead and use them in this recipe. Just know that you may need to add a little more salt or a bit of extra garlic to give them some more flavor.
Can I use frozen carrots?
Sure! Simply steam them in a splash of water until thawed and fork tender then add the butter and follow the rest of the recipe.
How long do leftovers keep?
Store any leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, warm them in a pan on the stovetop with a bit more butter, or toss them cold into salads or grain bowls.
More easy carrot recipes
Buttered Carrots Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lb carrots (sliced into 1" chunks)
- Ā½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 clove garlic
- Ā½ teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon minced parsley
Instructions
- Put the carrots and water into a medium-sized frying pan with a lid. Turn your stove to medium-high and bring the pan to a boil. Cover the lid and cook the carrots for 3 minutes, stirring once. Take the lid off and continue to cook the carrots until the water evaporates.2 lb carrots, Ā½ cup water
- Push the carrots to the side of the pan and add the butter.2 tablespoons butter
- When the butter melts, add the garlic, salt, and pepper and stir the carrots. Continue to cook the carrots until they are soft but not mushy, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the parsley.1 clove garlic, Ā½ teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper, 1 tablespoon minced parsley
Video
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
If you love carrots as much as we do, make sure to check out all of our carrot recipes!
