Super Easy Buttered Baby Carrots

By
Linda Larsen
Linda Larsen
Linda Larsen is a journalist, quick-cooking and slow-cooking expert, and accomplished cookbook author with over 30 years of experience in testing and developing recipes.
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Updated on 12/4/22
Shiny glazed baby carrots on a dinner plate

The Spruce Eats

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 6 mins
Total: 11 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
61 Calories
4g Fat
6g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 61
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4g 5%
Saturated Fat 2g 12%
Cholesterol 10mg 3%
Sodium 112mg 5%
Total Carbohydrate 6g 2%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 2mg 10%
Calcium 26mg 2%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 181mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This tasty recipe for buttered baby carrots is the perfect side dish for a weeknight dinner and is a delicious addition to a holiday meal. Because they are a bit sweeter than regular-sized carrots, everyone loves them, including small children. Serve these carrots with everything from roast chicken to meatloaf or grilled steaks or hamburgers.

These carrots are super easy to prepare because you don't have to peel them. You do need to look them over first, though, and remove any that are split. Trim any carrots that may have some green attached.

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Ingredients

  • 1 pound baby carrots

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for buttered baby carrots recipe gathered

     The Spruce Eats

  2. Place the carrots in a saucepan and add water to cover by 1/2 inch.

    Baby carrots with tops removed in a saucepan

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  3. Bring to a boil over high heat.

  4. Lower the heat to medium and simmer the carrots for 3 to 6 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork.

  5. Remove the saucepan from the heat, drain the carrots, and turn the heat off. Return the carrots to the saucepan and add the butter.

    Butter added to drained carrots in the saucepan

     The Spruce Eats

  6. Place the saucepan with the carrots and butter on the burner with the heat off.

  7. Let the butter melt; stir gently to coat ​carrots. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

    Shiny buttered baby carrots in the saucepan

    The Spruce Eats

  8. Enjoy!

Are the Bags of Baby Carrots Immature Carrots?

The bags of little carrots with rounded edges (shaped like mini hot dogs) that are labeled "baby carrots" are not truly "baby" carrots; real baby carrots are those that were harvested young. The packaged "baby carrots" are full-sized carrots that have been trimmed down to a smaller size using a special machine.

Tips

  • Don't be tempted to replace the fat in this recipe; the use of the butter provides the flavor for these carrots while margarine or olive oil won't result in the same flavorful side.
  • This recipe is easily doubled or tripled if you are going to be serving more than four people.

Recipe Variation

  • Add some chili powder and cumin to give this a Tex-Mex twist, or sprinkle over dried herbs such as thyme, oregano, or basil for some color and earthiness.
  • Garnish with chopped green onion or chopped flat-leaf parsley.
  • To make this recipe with sliced whole carrots, increase the cooking time to 4 to 7 minutes. Taste the carrots; when they are tender but still slightly firm they are done.

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