Roasted Carrots with Spicy Maple Glaze and Pistachios
Today I will show you how to make carrots into a festive side dish. We are going to make Spicy Maple Glazed Roasted Carrots with Pistachios. Easy to make, beautiful, and delicious.
Let’s Make Roasted Carrots with Spicy Maple Glaze:
We start by roasting the carrots. The roasting process brings out the best in carrots. It gives them a sweet, caramelized taste that you cannot get when you boil them. We prefer to peel the carrots for this dish because it reveals the carrots’ vibrant color. Next, we drizzle them with a spicy or not-so-spicy maple glaze that takes them from ordinary to extraordinary. The maple glaze transforms carrots into an exceptional treat. We will top this dish off with some chopped pistachio nuts, which add to the flavor, give texture, and look beautiful. We like to add a hint of spice to the maple glaze, and for this, we use crushed red pepper. You may want much more spice. If that is the case, feel free to add as much crushed red pepper as you wish.
One thing to remember when you are roasting vegetables is that they cool rather quickly. They are, therefore, some of the last things you cook before serving. However, they can be prepared well in advance, ready to bake just as you need them. I like to have my roasted veggies, oiled and salted, on a baking tray, ready to go.
Looking for More Side Dishes?
Other roasted vegetable recipes that you may be interested in:
- Garlicky Brussel Sprouts
- Sweet Potato Slices with Fresh Cranberry Pomegranate relish.
I cannot do a blog post on side dishes and not mention the Norwegian Red Cabbage dish. It is one of those spectacular dishes that Christmas simply cannot do without. It is almost as important as the cranberry sauce to the Thanksgiving menu. Check out the recipe:
Do not forget the side dish that brings the Holiday meal together: the Holiday Gravy. This is such an important component of a Holiday table. I have to mention it here. You can forgive a lot if the gravy is hot and delicious. So, let me share my secret to a wonderful Holiday gravy. It makes all the difference. I also have a gluten-free option that we absolutely love.
Click Here for my Recipe.
And we must not forget the Mashed Potatoes!
Click Here to Watch Me Make this Recipe on YouTube!
I hope you enjoy the Roasted Carrots with Spicy Maple Glaze and Pistachio Recipe. Happy Holidays!
PrintRoasted Carrots with Spicy Maple Glaze and Pistachios
- Yield: Serves 4-6 1x
Ingredients
- 1 pound carrots, peeled
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Sprinkle of salt
Spiced Maple Glaze:
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup (or brown sugar)
- 2 tablespoon margarine
- pinch of crushed red pepper
- pinch of salt
Garnish:
- 2 tablespoons roasted shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F
- In a bowl (or bag) add the carrots, olive oil, and a little salt.
- Massage to coat the carrots with the oil
- Transfer the carrots to a lined or greased baking tray
- Bake for 20 minutes
- They are done when you can pierce them with a fork
- Do not over-bake
- Remove from oven
Glaze:
- While the carrots are roasting, prepare the glaze
- In a small saucepan, heat the ingredients for the glaze
- Simmer to thicken for a couple of minutes
- Let cool slightly
- Pour over carrots
- Sprinkle with chopped pistachios and serve