Carrots – what can one say about carrots? They are good, good for you, cheap, easy to cook, and extremely versatile. Glazed carrots with sage is one of those carrot dishes that epitomizes all of these characteristics. It’s SO delicious that it is our favorite carrot dish. It is SO easy to make that whenever I just have 15 minutes to throw a side together, this is my go to recipe. You can also change up the herbs and oils to better meet your tastes and to complement the rest of the meal. However, the recipe below is our favorite version and one that I very seldom change.
Glazed Carrots with Sage Recipe
Serves: 4 servings
Prep and Cook time: 15 to 20 minutes
This recipe was adapted from the Sauteed Carrots and Sage recipe in the November 2009 issue of Cooking Light.
Ingredients
½ Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. olive oil
4 large carrots, diagonally sliced into 1/4″ slices
2 -3 tsp. fresh sage leaves, coarsely chopped or 1 -2 tsp. dried crumbled sage
A sprinkle of sea salt
Instructions
- Heat olive oil and butter in large skillet over medium heat.
- When the foam starts to subside, add the carrots. Toss to coat pieces with oil and butter.
- Spread the carrots out across the pan so that as many pieces as possible make contact with the surface of the pan.
- Continue to cook carrots, without stirring about 3 to 4 minutes (until lightly brown on skillet side).
- Stir carrots and try to turn the pieces over to the sides that haven’t browned.
- Sprinkle the sage across the top. Continue to brown the carrots, without stirring, for another 3 to 4 minutes.
- Stir. Continue to cook until carrots are almost caramelized (about 1 to 2 more minutes).
- Remove from heat and sprinkle with sea salt. Toss and serve.
Kitchen Notes
What makes this recipe so special is the butter glaze and almost caramelization of the carrots in their own sugar. Some of the carrot pieces get a little crusty on the edges which we really love.
The sage – Sage is by far the best herb for this recipe. It doesn’t matter whether it’s fresh sage or dried sage – either works.
The sea salt – My favorite sea salt to use with this dish is a white truffle sea salt that my dear MIL gave me a couple of years ago. However, there are several seasoned sea salts you could use or just go with a nice unseasoned fleur de sel.
Serving size – I know that I indicate a serving size of 4, but Bobby and I can easily finish off four carrots, even when this is a side dish. I’ve been known to chop up two carrots and make this for my lunch.
Question: So if you eat enough beta-carotene laden vegetables, will you eventually turn orange? With all of the lovely fall vegetables we’ve been eating this year (pumpkin, butternut, sweet potatoes, and carrots), I think I’m testing out this theory. 
Additional Ideas for the Holiday Table
Roasted Butternut Squash with Apples and Manchego
Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Brown Butter
Glazed Carrots with Sage has been shared with the following blog hops. My Meatless Monday, Just Another Meatless Monday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Hearth and Soul, Whole Foods Wednesday, Carole’s Food on Friday
This Carrot and Sage recipe was featured on the DailyBuzz Top 9 – December 2012.
What a lovely dish! The first photo is just gorgeous. Since one of the dishes that I am responsible for at Thanksgiving this year includes carrots, I will definitely give this a try! Have a great weekend MJ!
Thanks Tessa! I hope you and your family enjoy it!!
I love carrots and this dish looks fabulous
Simple is often the best. Those carrots sound lovely and would make a great addition to any table!
Mmmm I could eat many of these carrots
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
You carrots look beautiful. I love how you cut them on a bias and flavored them with sage. I need to try these.
Thanks Vicki! I’m not sure why, but I have always cut my carrots on the bias. I guess I like the size of the pieces.
As a kid I was eating carrots diligently, mostly in homemade soups, because we were told we had to eat carrots if we wanted to whistle. I tried after every time I ate carrots, but to this day I cannot whistle. I am 63 and I am still eating carrots.
I’m all for a side of those yummy carrots! I think I may have to run to the grocery store and stock up with some carrots before the big day so I can enjoy these on my table.
Simple and delicious! We LOVE carrots a lot, but usually eat them raw as a snack
Thanks Angie! It’s funny when you said you usually eat them raw, I remembered that this recipe usually ends up with only 3.5 carrots because Bobby sits across from me while I’m chopping eating the carrot pieces off the cutting board.
These look wonderful. I have a nice healthy sage plant in my garden right now that would be perfect for this. Carrots are soooo versatile.
Thanks WV! Fresh sage is the best with this! These sage came from my herb garden as well.
I’m a big fan of glazed carrots, too, although I’ve never thought to add some sage. I’ve a feeling I just found my new favorite carrot recipe. Thanks!
I love carrots and think they make an excellent side-dish. I cook mine like this rather than boiling or steaming them as I think they retain better flavour but I’ve never added sage. I’ll give this a try xx
Thanks HS! I agree to skip the boiling or steaming. The Cooking Light recipe actually has you cook the carrots in water for 10 minutes. That was one of my modifications.
I love this dish. I make one similar but now I’m going to try yours.
Happy Thanksgiving!
They are so healthy and pretty!
Wow! I never would have thought of pairing carrots and sage. But I adore sage, so I can see that this is a perfect, delicious match!!! So easy, too!!!! Have a terrific Thanksgiving!!!!
Thanks Liz! The first time I made this I was surprised how delicious the combination of sage and carrots was. You do need to try it. You’ll love it. Happy Thanksgiving to you as well!
The definition of sweet meets savory. I love it, MJ. A very appropriate side dish for the upcoming holiday – I’ll be keeping this recipe close by!
I can answet the last question with a definite no. My daughter loves all these orange fall veges. She eats enough for me to tell you that no matter how much orange veges you eat, you are safe
All joking aside this is amazing MJ. I love sage, I even love fresh sage in my tea and I look forward to giving this a try
Whew!!! Glad to know that a change in skin coloring is not in my future!
I hope you do get a chance to try these. Your daughter will definitely love them! 
Thanks Sawsan!
Thats such a great combination, I think sage get overlooked all the time.
I love easy, simple, and delicious!
Carrots are so delicious. They taste like candy when fried like this. I won’t mind not having a main dish if it’s this carrot dish on the side.
Thanks Adora! I agree – they do take on a candylike taste, but not so sweet, just tasty.
This looks so good and so super easy
I have to try it during these holidays for sure!!Never tried carrots with sage but sounds lovely 
MJ, if it wasn’t for you, I would never know that carrots can look so elegant! Sage addition is really worth trying, especially since I stopped growing sage on my balcony because I didn’t have enough ideas to use it…
I had a professor at the university who drank a bottle (half a liter) carrot juice every day for a month (it was an experiment I think) and his complexion has become orangey. The funniest were his palms: the interior was completely orange!
Thanks Sissi! I have to admit that sage, thyme and oregano are my two favorite herbs. I always run out before my herb garden comes back in the summer. Sage is great in yeast bread! A half liter of carrot just a day!?!?! Yeh – I think that would turn someone orange! I’ll definitely keep an eye on my palms.
Ah, the season of the carrot, I love it! Agreed, so easy to pull together and in this case, talk about getting great bang for your buck with the gorgeous sage imparting so much flavour… (I’ve also noticed that olive oil + sea salt has the power to transform just about any vegetable into a heavenly bite). Did you know that carrot is one of the few vegetables that is actually more nutritious when cooked? It’s true – so you have that working for you too here!
. Great dish MJ.
Thanks Kelly! Yep – you can’t go wrong with a little olive oil and sea salt.
I did not know that carrot became MORE nutritious when cooked. Thanks for that bit of info!!!
I love glazed carrots, they are such a fantastic side dish! These would be wonderful on Thanksgiving, and the addition of sage would make them taste amazing:-) Hugs, Terra
This would go well with some grilled meats.
This dish looks so good with just simple ingredients. Thanks for the inspiration!
Ooh, yum! I never knew how versatile carrots were! These look great
I am sorry, but I did try this recipe with fresh carrots and sage from my garden. It was a waste of both. The sage totally lost it’s normally strong taste. In retrospect, carrots and caraway seeds would have been a better recipe for us. Thanks.
Frank – thank you for your feedback! I’m glad you tried this recipe, but sorry that you didn’t like it. Based on your comments I can see that you love strong, bold herby flavors. I do agree that the sage is subtle in the recipe and more of a complement than a major flavor; so if a bold sage flavor is what you are looking for, then, you’re right – this isn’t your recipe as you discovered.
I hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving and thanks so much for following my blog!
So simple and beautiful! I love the combination of carrots and sage too.
Glazed carrots are my go-to for the Thanksgiving table. I love mixing it up, too, by adding maple syrup or a dash of cumin or some ginger preserves.
Thanks Carolyn! I, too love carrots with maple syrup or honey, but I’ve never tried them with ginger preserves. Sounds really good!
Simple carrot dish can be this beautiful great I love it.
This must be a delicious side dish for Thanksgiving meal and you are right – carrots have this distinct-natural sweetness. I love how you plated them with beautiful contrasting colors. Wishing you and Bobby a wonderful Thanksgiving.
~ ray ~
Thanks Ray! I hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving well! Hope your project is going well.
Simple, healthy and delish! I love snacking these along with a 1/4 roast chicken? Hehehe.. Maybe this can be my dinner for tonight.. Have a great week ahead! xoxo
Looks absolutely delicious! Love the simplicity of the recipe, too
It is healthy, cheap, tasty and on your pictures look beautiful.
Great looking carrots! We do something similar, except we substitute thyme for the sage (Mrs K R is allergic to sage). But I agree sage is probably the superior herb. These would also be nice with a light dusting of Hatch dried chile powder.
Good stuff – thanks.
They look super delicioous! I could eat them all!
Simple yet so wonderful! Sage is one of my favorites herbs to season root vegetables. The herb adds an elegance touch to vegetable dishes which I think is just incredible for the holiday season. Looks like you are getting ready for Thanksgiving with the scrumptious spread of side dishes. Love every single one of them. Happy Thanksgiving and wishing you and Bobby a wonderful time!
The perfect Thanksgiving side dish – I’ll have to keep this recipe in mind when it’s time to prepare the carrots on Thursday! And just beautiful photos, as always
Oh how beautiful MJ! You know, I’ve been contemplating switching things up and having carrots on Thanksgiving! This post is such good timing! I brought the herbs in from the deck since it’s been cold and I’m surprised at how well they are surviving so far! So I have plenty of sage! Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! : )
I love carrots and haven’t prepared them this way.. they look wonderful all browned and glistening!! I’ve just read how good sage is for us.. so I’ve got to try this one.. it’s a whole lot of healthy in one dish!
Hi MJ~
We love glazed carrots, love the butter glaze. great color!
Have a wonderful thanskgiving and so happy you will be watching the game. Have fun!
You already know I love carrots, but usually I pair them with cumin or with rosemary. I never though of pairing them with sage, but you have me
Lol have you been turning orange MJ? ^.^
I never had carrot with sage, but I can imagine it would fit all well together. Only since I am in India I started to value carrots, as a kid I couldn’t enjoy them. Wish what do you usually serve this? I am a bit curious because I tend to think so complicated, when its about dish planning in my house.
Oh how pretty!!! Carrots and sage sounds wonderful!
What timing! I just went online to look for ideas for preparing glazed carrots for our Thanksgiving meal. Saw this on Google+ and needed to look no further. This is perfect! I have sage still growing in my garden, so I don’t even have to go back to the grocery store. Yay!
That is a gorgeous side dish for Thanksgiving or any other fall meal. Love that it’s so simple. Have a great Thanksgiving!
Now this is the way to make cooked carrots. I will definitely add this to my to-do list, or I may give it a try tomorrow, LOL. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family MJ. Have a beautiful weekend.
Wow Mj,
What a lovely way to cook carrots. Must bring out the sweetness and I love the touch of sea salt at the end! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and a great weekend!
This sounds wonderful. I’m always looking for new ideas for carrots.
Hi MJ! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I love this simple and easy carrot dish. We ALWAYS have carrots in the fridge, yet I have never tried preparing carrot dish with sage. I’m looking forward to making this as a side dish sometime soon!
… and for once, I actually have sage! I *never* have sage, haha, but this time I have a great big plant-ful in the kitchen
. Normally I lightly boil the carrots and then fry them lightly in a bit of olive oil with lemon zest, but I’ve never tried them like this before. They look really tasty MJ – I’ll do this next time I have carrots!
This looks good and easy enough to do. I might throw in a sprinkle of sugar, though.
Awee…this is your dish, MJ..I pinned it last week on Pinterest and coming here to comment on it today
Love the color, flavor and the simplicity of your recipe..a winner as always!
What a fantastic way to do carrots! Hope you are having a good week.
Love the flavors in this! I actually didn’t have a carrot dish for this year’s Thanksgiving spread but I most definitely have to add this to my Christmas menu!
I use sage with butternut squash…why have I never thought to use it with carrots. Thanks so much!
I am just in love with this! These are so pretty and I adore the flavors…gorgeous!
I love carrots! Never tried them with sage -but it sure sounds and looks good.
You did a great job styling the plate:)
So I’ve just discovered the wonders are a quick and simple roasted carrot side (apparently I’ve been living under a rock) and I heartily agree! Absolutely delicious. I tend to stick to S&P but I’ll be trying out this safe variation soon!
Love this flavor combination. I am giving away two great prizes on my blog: a $50 gift certificate to my favorite jeweler robinsonlane.com and a copy of a new book published by fellow blogger, Kat Robinson. It is called Arkansas Pie: A Slice of the Natural State. I just know you will love either one. http://diningwithdebbie.blogspot.com/2012/11/2012-merry-merry-munchies-3-baked.html Come link up to enter.
Carrots and sage, one combination I haven’t tried yet. I’m guilty of always boiling the carrots first, draining them and then frying them in butter and sugar. I should try this recipe sometime!
Hi, making dinner for my lovely sis and her fam, and need quick side dish. Carrots are all I have in hand, and this is what brought the comments. Yummy carrots, and these are good! Kids and adults combined. Thanks! Awesome !
YAY!!! I’m so glad you and your family loved these carrots! Thanks for letting me know. It’s always good getting feedback! Have a wonderful Sunday!
I’ve tried a bunch of different herbs with carrots before, but never sage. And now that you suggest it, it’s like a no-brainer! I’m making these the next time I do carrots because I still haven’t found a carrot side I “love” to make… Thanks so much for sharing, MJ, and these would make the perfect side to just about any game bird