Sweet maple glaze, a hint of lemon, crunchy toasted almonds, and fresh mint come together to make these maple-glazed carrots the star of any table. These roasted carrots are the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter or Sunday roast, and trust me, they always steal the spotlight
Jump to: ℹ️ Overview | 🛒 Ingredients | 📷 How To Make | 📹 Watch The Video | 👩🍳 Recipe Tips | 🍗 Serving Suggestions | 📝 Full Recipe Card | 🥕 More Carrot Recipes
These maple glazed carrots are everything you want in a side dish: sweet, tangy, nutty, and just a little fancy with a sprinkle of mint and toasted almonds.
Roasting the carrots brings out their natural sweetness, while the maple glaze adds a rich, almost caramelized flavour that pairs beautifully with just about anything—roast chicken, grilled lamb, or even a hearty veggie platter.
Bonus? They’re gluten-free (just swap in Tamari or coconut aminos), Whole30, and Paleo-friendly. Want to make it vegan? Easy. Just swap the butter for your favourite plant-based version.
👩🍳 For more spectacular side dishes, try these recipes: French green beans, potato bake, creamed green beans, garlic broccoli, roasted balsamic Brussels sprouts or creamy eggplant salad.
What You’ll Need
Here is what you’ll need for this maple glazed roasted carrots recipe. Find the full measurements in the recipe card below.
- Carrots – Baby or small carrots are ideal for roasting. Halve them for that dramatic look.
- Olive oil, butter, maple syrup – The magical trio for roasting and glazing.
- Lemon zest and juice – For that tangy, citrusy kick.
- Soy sauce/Tamari/coconut aminos – A salty, umami balance.
- Almonds – Toasted to perfection for a crunchy topping. Feel free to use pine nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts or pecans instead.
- Fresh mint – Thinly sliced for a fragrant finish. Basil also works well.
- Seasonings – Sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and a little love.
How To Make Maple Glazed Carrots
Find the full recipe and nutritional information below. Here are some handy step-by-step photos.
- Prep & roast carrots: Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), make sure it’s hot before you add the carrots! Clean the carrots, halve them, and toss in olive oil and salt. Roast for 25 minutes, flipping halfway.
- Toast almonds & slice Mint: Toast the almonds in a dry pan until golden (about 3-4 minutes). Slice mint leaves thinly.
- Make the glaze: Melt butter, add lemon zest, maple syrup, soy sauce, and lemon juice. Whisk until smooth and starts to bubble and caramelize slightly. Remove from heat.
- Glaze & serve: Toss the roasted carrots in the glaze. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with toasted almonds and mint, and finish with extra salt and pepper.
Watch The Video
Recipe Tips
- Make it vegan: Swap the butter with plant-based butter, and you’re good to go!
- Extra crunch: Throw in some crispy shallots, garlic chips, or even Panko breadcrumbs for a crunchy topping (you can try making my Italian Pangrattato crumbs).
- Nuts & seeds: Not an almond fan? Pine nuts or walnuts would also work wonderfully.
- For extra crispy carrots, roast the carrots at a slightly higher temperature, around 425°F (220°C). This helps caramelize the outside while keeping the inside tender. Make sure the carrots are in a single layer with a bit of space between them on the baking sheet. Overcrowding leads to steaming, which is a crispy carrot killer. If your oven has a convection or fan setting, use it! The circulating air helps crisp them up faster.
Serving Suggestions
These maple-glazed beauties are versatile! Serve them as a side for your holiday feasts like Thanksgiving, Easter, or Christmas. They also make a killer match with roast chicken, grilled meats, or even as part of a vegetarian spread. You really can’t go wrong.
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Ingredients
- 1 lb carrots about 500 grams, choose smaller ones like baby carrots, cut in halves lengthwise
- 1.5 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce Tamari or coconut aminos can be used instead
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons slivered almonds or almond flakes for a nutty crunch
- 5-6 mint leaves thinly sliced
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep and roast the carrots: Preheat your oven to 200°C / 400°F. Clean the carrots well (no need to peel), leaving them whole or halved lengthwise for a more dramatic presentation. I halved most of mine. Toss them in 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Arrange them on a baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 25 minutes until they caramelize, get golden brown, and become tender. I recommend flipping them halfway through.
- Toast the almonds and prepare the mint: In a small frying pan, cook the almonds over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, especially towards the end, until they turn golden brown and smell toasted. Slice the mint leaves into thin slivers.
- Prepare the maple glaze: While the carrots are roasting, prepare the glaze. In a small pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the lemon zest. Add the maple syrup, soy sauce, and lemon juice, whisking until smooth and slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
- Glaze the carrots: Once the carrots are done, remove them from the oven and toss them in the maple lemon glaze. Make sure they are evenly coated.
- Add the finishing touches: Transfer the glazed carrots to a serving platter. Sprinkle with toasted almonds, mint, and extra sea salt and pepper.
Video
Notes
- Storage tips: Got leftovers? (Lucky you!) Store any leftover glazed carrots in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat them in the oven to keep that caramelized goodness intact. I wouldn’t recommend freezing these maple-glazed carrots. Freezing tends to mess with the texture, making the carrots a bit mushy when reheated, and the glaze can lose its lovely consistency.
- Can I double the recipe? Yes, just make sure to use a larger baking sheet or split the carrots across two sheets so they roast evenly. You don’t want them overcrowded, or they’ll steam instead of caramelizing. The glaze and topping quantities can also be doubled without any adjustments to the method.
- Dietary swaps: For Vegan: swap the butter with plant-based butter, and you’re good to go! For Paleo/Whole30, use Tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. For dairy-free, use ghee instead of butter if you can’t tolerate it.
- Extra crunch: Throw in some crispy shallots, garlic chips, or even Panko breadcrumbs for a crunchy topping (you can try making my Italian Pangrattato crumbs).
- Nuts & seeds: Not an almond fan? Pine nuts or walnuts would also work wonderfully.
- For extra crispy carrots, roast the carrots at a slightly higher temperature, around 425°F (220°C). This helps caramelize the outside while keeping the inside tender. Make sure the carrots are in a single layer with a bit of space between them on the baking sheet. Overcrowding leads to steaming, which is a crispy carrot killer. If your oven has a convection or fan setting, use it! The circulating air helps crisp them up faster.
What an amazing recipe! My new favorite way to make carrots. Thank you, Irena, for sharing so many incredibly fresh, unique, and delicious recipes! I have not made a single one that I haven’t loved!
Thanks so much, Nicolette. My family loved it too and it’s becoming a sure favourite!