Fresh carrots, garlic & thyme are tossed in a sweet & sticky maple mustard glaze then roasted until tender & crispy! These maple mustard glazed carrots are a delicious & easy to make side dish!
Maple Mustard Glazed Carrots – the newest edition to my Thanksgiving side dish series! In case you couldn’t tell by the numerous amount of carrot recipes on the blog…I’m obsessed with them. (You have to try my honey balsamic roasted carrots! They went viral on Instagram earlier this year and they’re soo good!) I have to admit though, this maple mustard version might be even better.
They follow the exact same cooking process but this time, we’re tossing them in a sweet and tangy maple mustard glaze with lots of garlic and thyme. The star of this dish has to be the glaze! It features 2 types of mustard (whole grain + smooth Dijon) that adds the perfect tang to balance the sweetness from your syrup. (Plus I love the little extra pop of flavor and texture from the mustard seeds!)
These would be the BEST glazed carrots for Thanksgiving!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Carrots: Use carrots similar in size so they finish cooking around the same time. (I’ll usually cut my carrots on the bias (diagonally) into 1½ inch pieces and cut the larger pieces in half again lengthwise. You want your pieces to be as close to the same size and thickness as possible.)
Maple syrup: Use real maple syrup for the best results. You’ll be using the syrup in the glaze for roasting the carrots AND for drizzling over them afterwards.
Whole grain mustard: It’s similar to Dijon mustard in flavor but adds more texture and “mustardy” flavor to the dish. (I love the pop from the mustard seeds too!😉)
Dijon mustard: Smooth Dijon mustard works the best! This is what really helps to balance the sweetness from the syrup.
Oil: I always recommend using avocado oil because of it’s high smoking point. (Meaning it can cook the veggies and crisp them at a higher temperature without burning them.) Olive oil can be used instead.
Garlic: You’ll need at least 2 minced garlic cloves to toss with the carrots.
Spices: Salt, black pepper and dried thyme are needed to season your carrots. (I love garnishing the carrots with a few sprigs of fresh thyme once they’re done too!)
Goat cheese: An optional ingredient but I love the creaminess it adds to the carrots!
How To Make Maple Mustard Glaze Carrots
1. Preheat the oven. Turn your oven on to and line a baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Prep the carrots. Rinse your carrots and pat them dry with a paper towel. Then peel and slice the ends off both sides. Cut the carrots on the bias (diagonally) into thirds -roughly around 1½ inch pieces- and add them to a large bowl. (You may need to slice the larger pieces in half again lengthwise if they’re too big.)
3. Toss. Whisk the oil with 1 tablespoon of maple syrup + ½ tablespoon of whole grain mustard + 1 tsp Dijon mustard and pour it over the carrots. Then add the garlic, salt and dried thyme and season with cracked black pepper to taste. Toss until the carrots are fully coated.
4. Roast! Using a slotted spoon, remove the carrots from the bowl and transfer them to the prepared pan spreading them out in a even layer. (Reserve the liquid in your bowl to brush over the carrots later.) Then place the pan in the oven and roast at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until the carrots are tender. (Larger carrots may need to roast for 25-30 minutes.)
5. Baste. During the last 5-10 minutes, brush the reserved liquid over the carrots and let them continue cooking until done.
6. Serve. Once done, whisk 1 tablespoon of maple syrup + ½ tablespoon of whole grain mustard + 1 tsp Dijon mustard together and drizzle the sauce over your carrots. Toss and serve with crumbled goat cheese sprinkled over the top (if desired).
Note: Every oven is different so your cooking time may vary depending. I would suggest checking your carrots around the 15 minute mark to determine how much longer they’ll need.
FAQ’s
Why do I drain the carrots & brush them with the liquid later? When we mix the carrots with oil, honey and balsamic all that flavorful liquid tends to pool to the bottom of the bowl. I found that when I dumped the carrots with all the liquid into my pan and baked it, the liquid burned very easily and my carrots didn’t crisp up at all. By “draining” the excess liquid, it allows the carrots to crisp up nicely without burning. Then basting the carrots during the last few minutes adds extra flavor AND richness!
Can I leave my carrots whole while roasting them? If you’re using thinner carrots, then yes definitely! Just keep in mind that the “fatter” the carrots are – the longer they’ll take to roast.
Why you’ll love this glazed carrots recipe!
- A festive holiday side dish! There’s hardly any prep work and the end result is so incredibly flavorful!
- Sweet but not too sweet! The 2 types of mustard help balance the sweetness while adding a rich dimension of flavor!
- Perfect for dinner parties! This recipe is pretty straightforward making it easy to double or triple for a party! (Just note, the carrots may take longer to roast if doing so.)
[Made one of my recipes? Tag my Instagram @kalefornia_kravings & leave a review in the comments – I love seeing what you create!]
Maple Mustard Glazed Carrots
Ingredients
- 1 lb. carrots, washed & peeled
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup, divided
- 1 Tbsp whole grain mustard, divided
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp dijon mustard, divided
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ tsp dried thyme (plus fresh thyme sprigs for serving)
- ¼ tsp salt
- Cracked black pepper
- Goat cheese, crumbled
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Turn your oven on to 425 degrees and line a baking pan with parchment paper.
- Prep the carrots. Rinse your carrots and pat them dry with a paper towel. Then peel and slice the ends off both sides. Cut the carrots on the bias (diagonally) into thirds, roughly around 1½ inch pieces, and add them to a large bowl. (You may need to slice the larger pieces in half again lengthwise if they’re too big.)
- Toss. Whisk the oil with 1 tablespoon of maple syrup + ½ tablespoon of whole grain mustard + 1 tsp Dijon mustard and pour it over the carrots. Add the garlic, dried thyme and salt and season with cracked black pepper to taste. Toss until the carrots are fully coated.
- Roast! Using a slotted spoon, remove the carrots from the bowl and transfer them to the prepared pan spreading them out in a even layer. (Reserve the liquid in your bowl to brush over the carrots later.) Place the pan in the oven and roast for 20-25 minutes or until the carrots are tender. (Larger carrots may need to roast for 25-30 minutes.)
- Baste. During the last 5-10 minutes, brush the reserved liquid over the carrots and let them continue cooking until done.
- Serve. Once done, whisk the remaining 1 tablespoon of maple syrup + ½ tablespoon of whole grain mustard + 1 tsp Dijon mustard together and drizzle the sauce over the carrots. Toss and serve with fresh thyme sprigs and crumbled goat cheese sprinkled over the top (if desired).
Notes
- By basting the carrots with the your reserved liquid you’re able to add all the richness and flavor!
