Plant-Based Bourbon Glazed Carrots are a sweet, slightly boozy side dish that is full of flavor, yet healthy. They are oil-free, gluten free, and have no refined sugar.
If you love bourbon or carrots, you're going to love this one. Personally, I love both, so this recipe is perfect for me.
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But even if you're not a whiskey drinker you can still enjoy these carrots. The bourbon mostly cooks off and you are left with a sweet, sticky glaze that complements the natural sweetness of the carrots.
Top the cooked carrots with some cilantro to give the dish a fresh flair and you've got yourself a tasty Thanksgiving or Christmas side dish. You can easily increase or decrease the yield of this recipe to feed a crowd or to serve 1-2 people.
I'm such a big fan of carrots that it took me only a few days to eat the entire recipe. But you don't have to love carrots as much as I do. Maybe after trying this recipe you will...
Why I love these Bourbon Glazed Carrots
- Dietary needs - this recipe is plant-based, oil-free, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free
- Perfect holiday side dish - the seasonal ingredients will fit right in with any holiday spread
- Quick and easy - these carrots are easy to prep ahead of time, and they only take a few minutes to cook
Ingredient Notes
- Vegetable Broth/Stock: Since we're not cooking with oil, we'll use vegetable stock as the cooking liquid. It's a great way to add extra flavor to the carrots AND keep the dish oil-free (and therefore minimally processed).
- Carrots: PLEASE buy whole carrots. Don't use baby carrots for this recipe. Actually, never buy baby carrots. Baby carrots get treated with chlorine and other extra things that make them taste so terrible compared to the whole carrots. Do your taste buds a favor and opt for a bag of large carrots.
- Bourbon: You don't need a super good bourbon for this recipe. Any average bourbon will work perfectly. I used Maker's Mark bourbon, but an even lower tier would be fine.
- Maple Syrup: To create the "glazed" effect, we need some sort of sweetener. I used maple syrup, but if you want this recipe to be refined sugar free date syrup will work too.
- Salt & Pepper
- Cayenne: A dash of cayenne goes a long way to balance out this dish. Because the carrots, bourbon, and maple syrup are SO sweet, it is nice to have a kick of spice to counter the sweetness. If you don't like spice, I suggest adding pepper, more salt, and increasing the cilantro.
- Cilantro: This is an optional garnish, but it adds the freshness that this dish needs. Bourbon and carrots are both on the heavy side, so cilantro can lighten up the dish.
How to make Bourbon Glazed Carrots
Step 1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable broth in a large pan over medium heat. Add the carrots and cook for 5-8 minutes, adding more vegetable broth if the carrots start to stick to the pan.
Step 2. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Pour in the bourbon and cook until it is almost evaporated, about 2 minutes.
Step 3. Add the syrup, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Continue to cook and stir until the carrots are almost cooked through.
Step 4. When the carrots are almost cooked, turn up the heat and allow the glaze to thicken for about 30 seconds.
Step 5. Remove the carrots from the heat and garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired. Enjoy!
Expert Tips & FAQs
Chop the carrots the day before and store in an air-tight container. Then use as directed in the recipe.
If you want to make this recipe without any alcohol, I recommend adding a few tablespoons of balsamic vinegar instead of the bourbon. It will change the flavor slightly, but still give the recipe that bite that the bourbon brings.
Cilantro can wilt quickly, so wait until it's time to eat before sprinkling with cilantro.
Recipe Prayer
Praise Jesus for easy, healthy dishes that we can feed ourselves and our families. Thank You for Your abundance. Amen.
Related Recipes
Want more Thanksgiving or Christmas side dishes? Here are my favorites:
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📖 Recipe
Plant-Based Bourbon Glazed Carrots
Ingredients
- ¼ Cup Vegetable Broth
- 2 Pounds Carrots peeled and sliced into rounds
- ½ Cup Bourbon
- 3 Tablespoons Maple or Date Syrup
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- ¼ Teaspoon Pepper
- ⅛ Teaspoon Cayenne
- Cilantro to garnish
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable broth in a large pan over medium heat. Add the carrots and cook for 5-8 minutes, adding more vegetable broth if the carrots start to stick to the pan.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Pour in the bourbon and cook until it is almost evaporated, about 2 minutes.
- Add the syrup, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Continue to cook and stir until the carrots are almost cooked through.
- When the carrots are almost cooked, turn up the heat and allow the glaze to thicken for about 30 seconds.
- Remove the carrots from the heat and garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate.
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