Steamed Carrots With Hot Honey Butter Is The Perfect Dinnertime Side (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to steam or boil carrots? ›

No matter which way you cook them, carrots are a healthy choice. Steaming is a slightly better pick since the carrots don't lose as many of their nutrients to the water. (Steaming is also more environmentally friendly since it uses less water.)

Keep steamed carrots in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheat them in the microwave. Or, add leftovers to soup or stew (add just before serving so they don't overcook).

To Store: Place leftovers in an airtight container and store for up to 3 days in the fridge. To Freeze: Use a freezer-safe bag or container and store for up to 3 months. For Reheating: Simply reheat in the microwave until the carrots are warmed through.

I am happy to report that you can roast these carrots through ahead, store, and reheat. Here are my tips: they are best served fresh, but still really good reheated. cool and store for up to 24 hours (after that they aren't as good)

Although raw carrot slices go well with a dip, cooked carrots are softer and easier to chew. But that's not the only benefit of heating the vegetable. Carrots provide more antioxidants when boiled or steamed than when eaten raw, according to a January 2008 report in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Carrots are a versatile vegetable. People can eat them raw, steamed, boiled, roasted, or as an ingredient in soups and stews. Boiling vegetables can reduce or eliminate some of the vitamin content. Raw or steamed carrots provide the most nutritional value.

Cut your carrots up to a day ahead of time for super easy prep. Simply store them in water in an airtight container to maintain their bright color and crisp texture. To cook, pat them dry with a kitchen towel, then toss with oil, salt and pepper, and roast.

Cooked carrots will keep well for about 4 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Just cook as desired and let them cool completely.

Conventional Oven

Preheat oven to 375°F, remove tray from box, peel corner of film to vent. Place tray on baking sheet in center oven rack. Back for 35 minutes, remove film completely and bake additional 20-22 minutes until edges are brown and bubble or until internal temperature reaches 165°F throughout.

Bacteria can grow rapidly at room temperature, and leaving cooked vegetables out for too long can increase the risk of foodborne illness. If the vegetables have been properly stored in the refrigerator, they can be consumed cold without any risk to your health.

Is it OK to leave carrots in water overnight? ›

If you don't plan to eat the carrots within a few days, you will need to periodically change out the water to inhibit bacterial growth. Rinse the carrots and replace the water every 4–5 days. Just before eating, rinse the carrots again to remove any potential bacterial growth.

Slow Cooker or Chafing Dishes

For hot vegetables, sauces, stews, and soups, a slow cooker or chafing dish may be used on the low setting to keep the food warm.

“Steaming allows you to retain more of the nutrients compared with boiling,” Jenna Hope confirms, because leaching, whereby some nutrients draw out into the water, doesn't occur as much. “Naturally, it may not provide as much flavour as, for example, roasting, so serve with a pesto or tahini.”

Veg to avoid steaming:

Any large chunks of hard veg, such as potatoes, squash or celeriac.

Whether you decide to peel a carrot or not is up to you. From our tests, there is perhaps only one time when it makes sense to always peel; that is, when you're steaming. The peel of steamed carrots can be tough, dry, and extra chewy.

The onion and potatoes will take about 30 - 35 minutes to cook, the cabbage and carrots 15 minutes (or a bit more), so start cooking 35 minutes before you want to serve your meal. If using a steamer, fill bottom with about an inch of water.