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    Home » Recipe Post

    Roasted Carrots with Cane Syrup

    Published: Jan 5, 2021 · Modified: Dec 28, 2021 · By: Sweet Daddy D · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Simple? Four basic ingredients combine to make a sweet and subtle side that will get everyone's attention. Roasted Carrots with Cane Syrup...the natural sweetness of carrots and creamy butter is intensified through roasting. Cane syrup, made from Louisiana sugar cane, adds a tangy, sweet complexity without overpowering its partners. Finally, it's punctuated with the fragrant and penetrating flavor of thyme. Simple to make, but nothing simple about its flavor. Here’s a look at how to make Sweet Daddy D’s Roasted Carrots with Cane Syrup.

    roasted carrots with cane syrup on a plate with pork tenderloin and fried green tomatoes
    Sweet Daddy D's Roasted Carrots with Cane Syrup

    If you want to just skip to the recipe, click the "Jump To Recipe" button above or the Recipe link below and you’ll go right there without having to scroll through my article. 

    Jump to:
    • What's So Special?
    • Here's What You Need
    • Here's What You Do
    • Hints and Tips
    • Recipe

    This post is not sponsored, but you will find affiliate links on this page. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. The price you pay as a consumer does not change, but I may make a small commission based on your purchase.

    [Publishers Note: I originally published this article in June 2018. I am publishing this update to provide some clarifications with step-by-step instructions and web-friendly photographs of each step. In May 2017 I published a recipe (Sweet Roasted Carrots with Thyme) that is very similar to this recipe, so I have consolidated them into this final version. The Sweet Roasted Carrots with Thyme recipe is no longer be available on First...you have a beer, but if you would like me to email a copy of it to you, just leave me a note in the Comments section below. Let me know what you think.]

    What's So Special?

    Side dishes are usually an afterthought. So much work goes into making the main dish just right (and let's face it, many recipes are over-complicated) that we scurry at the last minute to find something suitable to serve alongside. Many times you end up with boiled carrots or corn, some plain spinach or a potato dish that was scraped together at the last minute. It dawned on me when I was young, it doesn't have to be that way.

    There was a small, family-owned restaurant on Brashear Avenue in Morgan City where we would go on some Sundays. The food was always good and I enjoyed eating there. But what I really looked forward to was the candied carrots. The first time I had those, my mind was blown. It didn't matter what the entree was, all I could think about was getting to those candied carrots, which seemed to elevate the entire meal. I have been working on a recipe based on those very candied carrots for years and have finally come up with this recipe made with lots of butter and the drawn-out sweetness of roasted carrots and thyme. The finishing touch of glaze from Louisiana Pure Cane Syrup adds an earthy, sweet molasses-like flavor without any of the bitterness.

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    Here's What You Need

    This is really a simple recipe, basically four ingredients, but the way they tie together is special. 

    ingredients for roasted carrots with cane syrup
    Here's what you need

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. The price you pay as a consumer does not change, but I may make a small commission based on your purchase. These items from Amazon will help you with this recipe:

    Cane syrup is made from boiling sugar cane juices derived from crushing the cane. Steen’s Pure Cane Syrup is the leading brand, known by its iconic yellow can and labels. Production of Steen’s started in the early 20th Century in Abbeville, Louisiana, and by the 1950’s Steen’s was a household name. There are other producers of Cane Syrup in Louisiana, all delicious but none as widely recognized as Steen's. 

    Equipment

    Here is some of the equipment I used to prepare this recipe:

    Cutting board, chef's knife, prep bowls-cambro, prep bowls-glass, measuring spoons, stockpot, parchment paper, baking sheets.

    Here's What You Do

    First...you have a beer. This is a side dish, so you probably already have that vibe going. Anyway, even though this is a simple recipe, you still need to prepare yourself and the ingredients properly to make it no-angst. So, take a swig of beer and read the complete recipe. Your mise en place will be as simple as this recipe, but it’s still integral in your enjoyment of the process. 

    Prep and parboil the carrots

    Preheat the oven to 425 and bring a large pot of water to a boil.

    Peel the carrots and cut them into about 1" pieces, halving or quartering the larger pieces so that they are all about the same size.

    sliced carrots in a colander
    Prepared carrots

    Place the carrots in heavily boiling water with a couple of tablespoons of sugar. Pull the carrots out after three minutes (after the boil returns) and drain them.

    carrots being parboiled in a large stock pot
    Parboiling is optional

    You can use a slotted spoon to place the carrots into an ice bath. A 3 or 4-minute dunk will stop this part of the cooking process, but that’s optional. Drain the carrots in a colander. You don't want to overlook these, just looking for a slight softening. 

    Add butter and dry thyme

    While the carrots are draining, add the butter to the same pot in which you parboiled the carrots. That pot should still be very warm. Add back the drained carrots and the dry thyme and stir well to combine and coat all the carrots in butter.

    carrots mixed with butter and dry thyme in a large stock pot
    Mix the parboiled carrots with butter and thyme

    Roast the carrots

    Spread the buttery carrots in a single layer on a lined sheet pan. You can line the pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Place a few sprigs of fresh thyme on top and place the baking pan into the 425-degree oven. 

    carrots with butter, dry thyme and fresh thyme on a baking sheet
    Spread on a baking sheet with fresh thyme

    Stir in the cane syrup

    After 15 or 20 minutes, check the carrots and if they are starting to slightly brown on the edges, pour the cane syrup all over and mix well so that all the carrots are coated in the cane syrup and butter. If the carrots have not started to brown at this point, place them back in the oven and check every 5 minutes.

    carrots, butter and herbs with cane syrup mix in on a baking sheet
    Add Louisiana Pure Cane Syrup

    Place the baking sheet pan back in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes to achieve a sweet glaze. There you have it, that's all there is to it. This is such a simple recipe that it shouldn't taste this good...but it does.

    roastd carrots with cane syrup on baking sheet right out of the oven
    Roasted Carrots with Cane Syrup

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    Hints and Tips

    Can I use frozen carrots?

    Absolutely. I would recommend baby-cut carrots. These will be already peeled and washed. The best thing about frozen carrots (and most frozen vegetables, for that matter) is that they are frozen at the peak of freshness, so there is very little, if any, loss of nutrients. You should not thaw them out first. Roast the frozen carrots without parboiling.

    Can I skip the parboil?

    If you don't want to parboil the carrots first, just roast them a little longer. Skip the parboil step if you are using frozen carrots. Melt the butter and pour over the carrots right on the sheet pan and add the dry thyme before mixing well. Throw the fresh thyme on top and stick it in the oven. Cover the pan with aluminum foil for the first 10 minutes to encourage a little steaming action. Return to the oven and check in 10 minutes to make sure they are starting to brown.

    Leftovers?

    Leftover Roasted Carrots with Cane Syrup can be refrigerated for 4 to 5 days in an airtight container. Reheat in a saucepan on the stove or in the microwave. You can also freeze the Roasted Carrots in an airtight container for up to 9 months. The carrots may lose some texture during that time but the flavors should be fine. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat in a saucepan on the stove or in the microwave. 

    I don’t have cane syrup.

    No cane syrup? Substitute some molasses or try this version of the same recipe but with honey or maple syrup.

    Is this dish healthy for me?

    Carrots are a good source of beta-carotene, fiber, potassium, antioxidants and Vitamins K and A. Check out this short article, 8 Amazing Health Benefits of Carrots, to learn more about carrots. 

    Cane Syrup comes from cooking down sugar cane juice so, of course, it's high in sugar. You should take that into consideration in your overall diet sugar intake. Check out this information on the nutrition of Steen’s Pure Cane Syrup.

    Try these a few great side dishes which have been very popular with our readers:

    • Broccoli Cheese Casserole
    • Spinach Madeleine
    • Sautéed Yellow Squash and Zucchini
    • Smothered Green Beans and Potatoes-Cajun Style

    Serve Roasted Carrots with Cane Syrup with any of these popular recipes from Sweet Daddy D:

    • Trout Meunière
    • How to Make a Classic Meatloaf
    • How to Make Crawfish Monica
    • Cajun Smothered Pork Chops

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. The price you pay as a consumer does not change, but I may make a small commission based on your purchase. These items from Amazon will help you with this recipe:

    roasted carrots with cane syrup on a plate with stuffed mirliton
    The premier side dish!

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    279 shares

    Yeah You Right!

    Recipe

    roasted carrots with cane syrup on a baking sheet

    Roasted Carrots with Cane Syrup

    Roasting brings out the natural sweetness of the carrots. Add some butter and cane syrup and sprinkle in a little thyme and you have a wonderfully special side dish that's perfect for any entree.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Creole
    Keyword: roasted carrots
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes
    Servings: 6 Servings
    Calories: 268kcal
    Author: Sweet Daddy D

    Here's What You Need

    • 2 pounds fresh carrots See Notes for using frozen carrots
    • 2 tablespoons sugar
    • ½ cup Butter
    • 1 teaspoon dry thyme leaves
    • 4-5 sprigs fresh thyme
    • ⅓ cup cane syrup
    • Kosher salt and Fresh Ground Pepper taste

    Here's What You Do

    • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a shallow baking sheet by covering with aluminum foil and a coating of non-stick oven spray.
    • Clean and slice carrots in about 1 to 1 ½ inch lengths; half or quarter thicker pieces so they are all relatively the same size. See Notes if using frozen carrots.
    • Add the carrots to about 4 to 5 cups of boiling water with a pinch of salt and the sugar. Parboil them for about 3 minutes (after water comes back to a heavy boil) until they just start getting soft.
    • Drain off the water but leave the parboiled carrots in that same pot. The pot should still be warm, so add the butter and mix well until all the carrots are liberally coated. Don't skimp, use a little more butter if you need to.
    • Add the dry thyme leaves, kosher salt and fresh ground pepper; mix well.
    • Pour the carrots onto the prepared baking sheet; spread out until the carrots are in a single layer, add the fresh thyme sprigs on top of the carrots.
    • Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and roast for 15 to 20 minutes or until the carrots are beginning to brown and the butter is getting a little bubbly. See Notes if using frozen carrots.
    • Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Pour the cane syrup over all the carrots and mix well with a rubber spatula or spoon, careful not to break the carrots.
    • Return the carrots to the oven and roast for about 5 to 10 minutes, until the cane syrup and butter begin to form a glaze.

    Recipe Notes

    For more details check out the full article: Roasted Carrots with Cane Syrup. 
    Roasting brings out the natural sweetness of the carrots, adding sugar to the parboiling water and the cane syrup at the end really plays well against the thyme.
    If you choose not to parboil the carrots, increase the roasting time-start out the first 10 minutes or so covered with aluminum foil to get a little steaming action going. Make sure to check them for tenderness after about 20 minutes.
    If you don't have cane syrup, you can substitute maple syrup or honey.
    I recommend fresh carrots, but frozen baby carrots are also excellent. 
    Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. Freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 9 months. Rehat on the stovetop or microwave.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 268kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 246mg | Potassium: 758mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 25779IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 2mg
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