A little honey and a little heat. Theses Sweet and Spicy Asian Inspired Carrots are glazed in a sticky chili sauce and cooked to perfection, moving from side dish to star dish.
Table of Contents
Asian-Style Honey Glazed Carrots
Sweet and Spicy Asian Carrots are exactly the side dish you’ve been looking for. Salty, caramelized, soft, spicy. They’re all of the things and dare I say addictive!
The sweet chili sauce (a hallmark of Asian Cuisine, specifically in Thailand), alongside honey and garlic coat the soft, roasted veggies for a delectable dish. The natural sugar in the carrots really come through as the carrots are cooked stove top.
These carrots get fought over every time I make them. They’re the perfect side dish to your any main meal or protein - chicken, steak, salmon, tofu, you name it. I like serving with a bed of rice so all of the delicious sweet and spicy sauce gets soaked up into the rice.
If you love these Asian Carrots, I think you’ll also enjoy these Parmesan Carrot Fries, these Perfect Roasted Green Beans, or these Crispy Brussel Sprouts as go-to recipes on your dinner table, too.
Asian Carrots Recipe Ingredients
- Carrots - Whole regular carrots are best for this recipe. I prefer them peeled but you can leave the skin on if you'd like.
- Cultured Oil - A high smoke point oil, that allow are carrots to cook through without burning. It’s neutral in flavor and full of hearty healthy fats! Code: APAIGEOFPOSITIVITY saves you $ on the Zero Acre website!
- Honey - To bring out the natural sweetness of the carrots!
- Sweet Chili Sauce - The one linked here I found at Meijer. You can find this or something similar at most grocery stores, usually in the international aisle.
- Rosemary and Parsley - Fresh herbs have SO much more flavor and really brighten up the dish.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- Oil - You can use any neutral oil like olive oil or avocado oil. Or to bring out more of the Asian flavors, reach for sesame oil.
- Sweetener - Instead of honey, try maple syrup or a little brown sugar. When you're adding water to the pan, consider adding a little rice vinegar which has a tangy sweet flavor. I sometimes add a splash of orange juice, too.
- Heat - Play with the spice level. Add a bit of sambal oelek, red pepper flakes, chili paste or some sriracha if you like more heat.
- Sauce - The bottled sweet chili sauce is so convenient, but if you want more umami flavor add a splash of soy sauce, fish sauce, or hoisin sauce.
- Veggies - This is an easy side dish to add a little bit of whatever veggies you have on hand. Consider adding snap peas/snow peas or broccoli to the same pan.
- Garnish - In addition to the suggested herbs, try adding fresh mint or basil. Fresh ginger grated is tasty, too. Also try sliced green onions and sesame seeds on top.
How to Make This Recipe
1. Start by prepping the carrots. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin and then cut them into coins at an angle. The thinner the better as they will cook faster.
2. Heat a skillet to medium heat. Allow the skillet to get warm, then add the Cultured Oil and minced garlic.
3. Stir so the oil is coating the pan and then add the carrots. Cover the skillet with a lid and allow the carrots to cook for 10 minutes. Be sure the heat is medium to medium-high, we want them to cook, not burn. Move the carrots around every few minutes for even cooking. (Cultured Oil has a high smoke point which allows us to cook things without the fear of burning them right away).
4. Once the carrots begin to soften, remove the lid from the skillet and add water. Replace the lid and allow the carrots to steam for another 5-8 minutes **Time will depend on how thick the carrots are. The water should evaporate from the pan.
5. Turn the heat down the medium-low and add the honey and sweet chili sauce. Stir and allow it to heat for 5-7 minutes. The sauce will thicken and become a glaze.
6. Remove from heat and season with fresh diced rosemary and parsley. Season well with salt + pepper.
7. Serve warm! I like to serve mine over a bed of rice, but they’re excellent plain as well.
Pro Tip
To ensure these carrots are properly cooked, you should be able to easily pierce your carrots with a fork before adding the sauce. If they’re still tough, let cook longer than 5-8 minutes and add more water if needed.
Recipe FAQs
Store these carrots in an airtight container for up to 5 days. They’re great for meal prep! Reheat in the microwave for ~60 seconds.
YES! They’re Sweet and ~spicy~ but the spice is only coming from the Sweet Chili Sauce which is’t that spicy. Plus, we add extra honey to sweeten them even more.
Although this carrot recipe isn't an authentic Asian recipe, it's inspired by Asian flavors. Specifically, the sweet chili sauce is popular in many Asian cooking such as Afghan, Malaysian, and Western cuisine. In Thailand, Sweet chili sauce is referred to as nam chim kai.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve over a bed of rice so all of that tasty extra sauce gets soaked up. I think these carrots pair GREAT with my Teriyaki Glazed Salmon which takes on similar flavors. They also go great with chicken or steak or mixed into a stir fry.
More Recipes You'll Love
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & if you really like the recipe consider leaving a comment further down. Thanks for visiting!
Recipe
Asian-Style Carrots
Equipment
- Knife
- Cutting Board
- skillet
- Rubber Spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 1 lbs large carrots
- 2 tbsp cultured oil, Zero Acre
- ½ tbsp minced garlic
- ½ cup water
- 2 tbsp honey
- ¼ cup sweet chili sauce
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary, diced
- 1 tsp fresh parsley, diced
- salt and pepper to taste
- chopped green onion, for garnish
- rice, optional for serving
Instructions
- Start by prepping the carrots. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin and then cut them into coins at an angle. The thinner the better as they will cook faster.
- Heat a skillet to medium-high heat. Allow the skillet to get warm, then add the Cultured Oil and minced garlic. Stir so the oil is coating the pan and then add the carrots.
- Cover the skillet with a lid and allow the carrots to cook for 10 minutes. Be sure the heat is medium to medium-high, we want them to cook, not burn. Move the carrots around every few minutes for even cooking. (Cultured Oil has a high smoke point which allows us to cook things without the fear of burning them right away).
- Once the carrots begin to soften, remove the lid from the skillet and add water. Replace the lid and allow the carrots to steam for another 5-8 minutes *Time will depend on how thick the carrots are. The water should evaporate from the pan.
- Turn the heat down the medium-low and add the honey and sweet chili sauce. Stir and allow it to heat for 5-7 minutes. The sauce will thicken and become a glaze.
- Remove from heat and season with fresh diced rosemary and parsley. Season well with salt + pepper.
- Serve warm! I like to serve mine over a bed of rice, but they’re excellent plain as well.
Nutrition
Notes
Looking for this in MyFitnessPal?
If you're using MyFitnessPal, search 'A Paige Of Positivity' and find SWEET AND SPICY CARROTS calories and nutrition facts. Disclaimer: for most accurate macronutrients and caloric breakdown, it is recommended that you input each ingredient into your MyFitnessPal food diary.
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. It’s my passion to create dishes that can be shared with others. Tell me something you loved or just say hi!
Courtney Paige says
such an easy side dish recipe!
Sydney Van Acker says
a little sweet and a little heat. the flavors in this recipe just WORKED. it really brought out the sweet side of the carrots and i was into it!