Glazed Spiced Baby Carrots with Pecans is the perfect accompaniment to any meal. Baby carrots are coated with butter and brown sugar, mixed with warm spices, then topped with toasted pecans.
This dish is easily prepared using one skillet and simple ingredients. A skillet is the pan of choice to both toast the pecans and create this dish. Toasting the pecans draws out the natural oils which intensifies the nutty flavor and also makes the pecans crunchier. It only takes just a minute or two.
After the pecans are toasted and set aside to a cutting board to cool, the spices are added to the hot skillet for a few seconds. The residual heat from the skillet will awaken the spices and bring out their optimal flavor. Just give the skillet a quick shake to spread out the spices covering the bottom of the pan. The moment you smell the warm spices, add the baby carrots and stir to coat. The carrots will cool down the pan to prevent burning.
Add the juice, butter, and brown sugar. Turn the heat to high, stir, and bring to a boil. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
Then, uncover the skillet and lower the heat to a simmer. Continue to cook for about 10 – 12 minutes until the liquid has evaporated and has turned into a glaze. The time may vary depending on your heat level. You want the carrots to be tender.
Stir in the pecans. I reserve about a tablespoon for topping and you can do that as well if you wish. Transfer to a serving bowl. I use a heat-proof spatula (affiliate link) to scrape out all the glaze. If you reserved a few pecans, sprinkle them on top and serve. Easy and delicious. Another KISS recipe to add to your collection.
Be happy, eat well…
Glazed Spiced Baby Carrots with Pecans
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- ¼ cup pecans
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 pound baby carrots
- 1 cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
Instructions
- In a large skillet, over medium heat, add nuts and heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until fragrant. Toss pan a few times to turn the nuts. Watch closely as nuts can easily burn. Once fragrant, turn off heat, and transfer pecans to cutting board. Set aside to cool.
- In the hot skillet, add the ginger, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Shake pan to spread the spices and once fragrant, add the carrots and stir to coat. The residual heat from the pan will awaken the spices and bring out their optimal flavor. You need to add the carrots the second you smell the spices to prevent the spices from burning.
- Add the juice, butter and sugar and stir. Turn the heat back on to high and bring to a boil. Cover the skillet and cook for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, roughly chop pecans and set aside.
- Uncover skillet and lower the heat to a simmer. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has mostly evaporated and turned into a glaze. Depending on your heat this could take 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the pecans.
- Transfer carrots to serving bowl. Use a heat-proof spatula to scrape out all of the glaze from skillet.
- Serve immediately.
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