These brown sugar glazed canned carrots are a shortcut side dish that still feels homemade. The butter glaze is made with brown sugar, honey, and cinnamon. Using canned carrots makes this a ten-minute side you can throw together in one pan.
The whole thing comes together in about the time it takes to set the table. It's a great option when you want a sweet, buttery veggie side without peeling or chopping.
I usually serve it on weeknights when I need a quick vegetable win, but it works just as well for a weeknight as it does for a holiday dinner. If you like canned veggies, see what you can do with a can of corn with my green chile corn casserole.
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Shortcut Notes
- No prep carrots: Using canned carrots skips the peeling, slicing, and boiling or steaming. Just drain, dry, and go.
- One pan: Everything cooks in one skillet, including the glaze.
- Quick cook time: The whole recipe is ready in under 10 minutes.
Ingredient Breakdown
- Canned sliced carrots: Drained and gently dried.
- Unsalted butter: Helps create that rich, glossy glaze.
- Light brown sugar: Melts into the butter.
- Honey: Adds a little extra depth and sheen to the glaze.
- Ground cinnamon: Sugar and cinnamon just go together.
- Salt: To taste.
- Chopped parsley: Optional garnish for color.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Dry the carrots: Drain the carrots thoroughly then lay them on a paper towel and gently pat them dry lightly. Let them sit to air dry while you make the glaze.
Tip: Letting them dry a bit will help the glaze adhere to the carrot slices.
Make the glaze: In a large heavy-bottomed skillet, add the butter over medium heat. Once melted, add the brown sugar, honey, and ground cinnamon. Stir together and continue to heat on medium until it bubbles.
Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium-low so the glaze simmers gently, not rapidly. Stir continuously until the glaze is slightly thickened and glossy, about 5 minutes.
Glaze the carrots: Once the glaze has thickened, add the carrots and gently toss them in the glaze until all slices are well-coated.
Serve: After coating all of the carrots in the glaze, sprinkle them with salt to taste and serve warm with parsley garnish for a touch of color.
Substitutions
- Unsalted butter: Salted butter works, just adjust the added salt at the end to taste.
- Light brown sugar: Swap with dark brown sugar for a deeper molasses flavor.
- Honey: Maple syrup will work, too.
Behind the Recipe
As a busy parent, I always find myself in need of an easy weeknight veggie in a hurry. Frozen steamer veggies can be pricey, so I keep canned vegetables in rotation. It gives the same buttery-sweet flavor without the extra prep of raw carrots.
Don't skip the first step! Dry the carrots first. It helps the glaze cling better so you get that nice coating.
Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear what you think! Please take a moment to leave a rating and review—it helps me create high-quality recipes and lets others know what to expect.
FAQ
Yes, but you’ll need to boil or steam them first until fork-tender. Learn how to steam carrots.
You can make it ahead of time, refrigerate, and reheat in a skillet before serving.
📖 Recipe
Brown Sugar Glazed Canned Carrots
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 (14.5oz) cans unsalted sliced carrots
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- salt to taste
- chopped parsley optional for garnish
Instructions
- Dry the carrots: Drain the carrots thoroughly then lay them on a paper towel and gently pat them dry lightly. Let them sit to air dry while you make the glaze. Letting them dry a bit will help the glaze adhere to the carrot slices.
- Make the glaze: In a large heavy-bottomed skillet, add the butter over medium heat. Once melted, add the brown sugar, honey, and ground cinnamon. Stir together and continue to heat on medium until it bubbles. Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium-low so the glaze simmers gently, not rapidly. Stir continuously until the glaze is slightly thickened and glossy, about 5 minutes.
- Glaze the carrots: Once the glaze has thickened, add the carrots and gently toss them in the glaze until all slices are well-coated.
- Serve: After coating all of the carrots in the glaze, sprinkle them with salt to taste and serve warm with parsley garnish for a touch of color.
Notes
Nutrition
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Kelsey Smith says
Upgrade your canned carrots. Hope you all enjoy my recipe, give it a rating if you give it a try.