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Wholesome Maple Glazed Carrots with Thyme: Easy 20-Minute Side

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These wholesome maple glazed carrots with thyme are a quick and easy side dish that comes together in just 20 minutes. With simple ingredients like carrots, butter, maple syrup, and fresh thyme, this recipe turns a kitchen accident into a crowd-pleasing favorite.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced on the bias into 1/2-inch rounds (about 4–5 medium carrots)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 4–5 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
  • 1/4 cup water or vegetable broth

Instructions

  1. Prep the carrots. Peel your carrots and trim off the stem ends. Slice them on the bias (at a 45-degree angle) into 1/2-inch thick rounds.
  2. Pick the thyme leaves. Strip the leaves from 3 of the thyme sprigs. Leave the other 2 sprigs whole.
  3. Melt the butter. Place your skillet over medium heat and add the butter. Let it melt completely, swirling the pan occasionally. This takes about 1 minute.
  4. Add the whole thyme sprigs. Drop the 2 whole thyme sprigs into the melted butter. Let them sizzle for about 30 seconds.
  5. Add the carrots. Toss the sliced carrots into the skillet. Stir them around so they’re all coated in that thyme butter. Let them cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  6. Add the liquid. Pour in the water (or vegetable broth) and the maple syrup. Add the salt and pepper. Stir everything together.
  7. Cover and steam. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the skillet with a lid. Let the carrots cook for 8-10 minutes until fork-tender.
  8. Remove the lid and reduce. Take the lid off and turn the heat back up to medium. Let the liquid bubble and reduce, stirring occasionally, for about 3-4 minutes until the sauce thickens into a glossy glaze.
  9. Finish with fresh thyme. Sprinkle the reserved thyme leaves over the glazed carrots. Stir once more, then remove from heat. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.
  10. Serve immediately. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with a few fresh thyme sprigs if desired.

Notes

For best results, slice carrots evenly and don’t crowd the pan. The carrots are even better the next day as the flavor develops. For a dairy-free version, use coconut oil or vegan butter. For a lower-sugar option, reduce maple syrup to 1 tablespoon.

Nutrition

Keywords: maple glazed carrots, thyme carrots, easy side dish, 20-minute recipe, vegetable side, gluten-free, vegetarian

Find it online: https://spoonmira.com/wholesome-maple-glazed-carrots-with-thyme-easy-20-minute-side/