How To Cook Carrots Best Recipes

How to Cook Carrots

Carrots are one of the most kid-friendly and budget-friendly vegetables you can buy. And learning the best ways make them can help you get a delish side dish onto the table for dinner even when you’re short on time. Whether you prefer to clean and chop them from whole carrots, or start with a bag of precut baby carrots, carrot coins, or shredded carrots, these ideas are here to help make cooking them easier. From Carrot Puree and Carrot Soup to Roasted Carrots and more, these easy carrot recipes are perfect to share with the kids.

How to Roast Carrots

Roasting carrots is easy, but it’s also a wonderful way to play up the natural sweetness in the vegetable. This is one of the very best ways to serve carrots.

Best Baby Carrot Recipes

This recipe for baby carrots is perfect for families. The carrots, once cooked, are tender and easy for even little kids to chew. And they taste so good!

How to Make Carrots in a Pan

Cooking carrots in a pan or skillet is an easy way to handle them, and they often turn out seriously sweet and tender. This method takes about 10 minutes, too.

Favorite Carrot Muffins

Packed with carrots, whole grains, and protein, these Carrot Cake Muffins are a delicious way to start the day. They mix up in one bowl, can be made ahead, and are a nutritious snack or breakfast.

Best Carrot Puree

Turn fresh carrots into this delicious and nourishing Carrot Baby Food with this easy method—no special baby food makers required. Plus, learn how to make carrots for baby-led weaning, easy ways to add flavor, how to combine carrot puree with other baby food, and how to store it for future baby meals.

Easy Carrot Smoothie

This easy Carrot Smoothie is bursting with freshness—and Vitamin C. It’s made with carrots, mango, and orange and is such a nice breakfast or snack component!

Best Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Perfectly moist mini Carrot Cake Cupcakes (with easy Cream Cheese Frosting) are a delicious dessert to share with the kids—whether for a spring gathering, Easter, a kid’s birthday, or any special occasion on the calendar.

Favorite Carrot Pancakes

These healthy Carrot Pancakes with yogurt are high in protein and are a nice source of both a veggie and fruit. They are also special enough for a holiday breakfast or brunch because they are super fluffy and taste a little like carrot cake!

Best Carrot Cookies

With natural sweetness from apple, carrots, and raisins, these Healthy Oatmeal Cookies are a yummy treat that you’ll love to share with the kids. And they’re a one-bowl dessert that’s a super fun way to serve up produce too!

Zucchini Carrot Muffins

With four kinds of produce, including two fruits and two veggies, these healthy Zucchini Carrot Muffins are a perfect kids breakfast or snack. They store well in the fridge and freezer so you can make a batch and have it on hand for easy meals!

How to Cook Carrots in the Microwave

These recipes are my favorite ones to quickly cook carrots in the microwave. (And if you’re worried, using a microwave maintains the nutrients in the food and won’t emit excess radiation, despite commonly held beliefs.) Simply add thinly sliced carrots to a bowl, add a little water, and heat for 2-3 minutes or until the carrots are soft. I usually do about 2 cups sliced carrots and ¼ cup water. Drain water and season to taste with unsalted butter or olive oil and a little salt or cinnamon.

How to Make Glazed Carrots

Making a pan of glazed carrots is a simple side dish that actually feels fancy—even though it’s easy to pull off without a lot of time. I love the method of sauteeing carrots, then adding a drizzle of honey for a glazed effect.

Best Tips for Success

Slice or prepare carrots according to the recipe instructions to ensure they cook through to soft as intended.Add a little salt, honey, cumin, cinnamon, or dip to add more flavor to your cooked carrots.Serve raw carrots to kids by either grating them or cutting into very thin matchsticks for easy chewing.Look for local carrots as they are often much sweeter and more flavorful.

I’d love to hear your favorite carrot recipes if I missed one of yours—please comment below to share!