Sauteed carrots are a simple French dish made with sliced carrots cooked in a frying pan or Dutch oven. I was born and raised in France, eating this sautéed carrot recipe all the time. French people sometimes like to serve this with a drizzle of cream, which I don’t think is necessary. I like them plain. They are slightly crunchy, with the lightly sweet flavor you could expect from carrots, and so well balanced with the combination of olive oil and rosemary. Trust me, this vegetarian side dish is a must for your holiday table, and even the kids will love it as a great alternative to my Miso Glazed Eggplant, Vegan Scalloped Potatoes, or French Green Beans.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Let’s see the ingredients you need to make this easy side dish recipe. All you need to sauté carrots are:
Fresh baby carrots – trim the end and peel the carrots before slicing. It’s important to choose small baby carrots, their diameter is smaller, and they cook faster with the Sautee method. Olive oil is my favorite choice to decrease saturated fat, but you can also use coconut oil or vegan butter. Fresh rosemary or fresh thyme or other herbs you prefer, like oregano or rosemary. You can also swap fresh herbs for one teaspoon of dried herbs. Garlic cloves Sea salt Pepper Fresh parsley to serve.
How To Make Sautéed Carrots
Sauté means browning or cooking food fast over high heat in a small amount of oil. For carrots, it’s a bit different because carrots are a hard root vegetable that won’t soften if you only sautéed carrots in oil. So to soften the sautéed carrots, we add a tiny amount of liquid, either vegetable stock or water and simmer for 5-7 minutes until fork tender.
Serving
Serve in a large serving dish topped with finely chopped fresh parsley, salt, and pepper. There are many fresh herbs that go well with carrots. You can swap parsley with some of the below options:
Basil Dill Oregano Mint
Storage Instructions
You can store these sautéed carrots in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Or, you can freeze and thaw in the fridge the day before serving. You can rewarm these sautéed carrots in a saucepan over medium heat or in a microwave-safe bowl. Below are some answers to your most popular questions about this carrot recipe.
More Vegetarian Side Dish Recipes
It’s always great to add some vegetarian side dishes to your holiday table. Whether you are vegan, vegetarian, or eat a bit of everything, some vegetables are always welcome. Below I listed some delicious, healthy side dishes for you to try.
