Ways To Cook Carrots

Last Updated on 24th February 2022 by

Before you cook carrots up, no matter which method you are using, you should clean and cut them properly. You will want to remove the green, leaves and stems if they are attached. You also need to scrub down the carrot under cold running water to remove any dirt and other debris.

Some people peel off the outer layer of the carrot because it can be unsightly and a little rough, but it is perfectly edible. You can use a vegetable peeler to remove it, if you like.

How to Cook Carrots on Stove

Boiling carrots is probably the simplest way to cook them, and it is a great way to help them retain their nutritional value. You can do this with just a saucepan and some water on your stovetop.

Just cover the carrots with water in a pot and heat on medium. Cover the pot to help the carrots steam, which makes them cook faster and helps them become tenderer. It also keeps the nutrients in the pot, if you want to reuse the carrot water.

How long to cook carrots this way? They should cook for 8-10 minutes for large pieces and 5-6 minutes for smaller pieces. If you are wondering how to cook baby carrots with this method, just cook them for 8-10 minutes, since they are considered larger pieces.

You can use a similar method for how to cook carts in a pan. Just add enough water to the pan to cover the carrots while they cook. If you have a cover for the pan, it’s best to cover them as they cook, but if not, they may take a minute or two longer to cook without the cover.

How to Cook Carrots in the Microwave

It’s simple enough to cook carrots using a microwave, but you may eliminate some of their nutritional value with this method.

Just place your carrots into a microwave safe bowl and cover the carrots with water (just like in the last method). Raw carrots will take about 10 minutes to cook fully in the microwave. Be sure to stir them once during the cooking time. Allow them to rest for 3-4 minutes before taking them out of the microwave, as they will be very hot.

How to Cook Carrots in an Instant Pot

The pressure cooker offers you yet another way to cook up carrots that are tender and tasty.

Add 1 cup of cold water to the pressure cooker and then insert the steamer basket into the Instant Pot.
Add your carrots to the basket (about 1 pound for this recipe’s purposes) and cook on the High Pressure setting for 2 minutes.
Then, use the quick release.

This is a very simple method for how to pressure cook carrots, and it is something you can expand on with additional veggies or other foods to make a more complex dish.

You can take these carrots you have pressure cooked and go a step further with them. Empty out the water in the Instant Pot and set the carrots to the side. Then, dry out the inner pot of the Instant Pot and set the cooker to Sauté.

Once it is heated, add in 2 tablespoons of butter, the carrots, ½ tablespoon of salt, and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar. Sauté in the Instant Pot for 2 minutes for a method for how to cook carrots that are buttery smooth and delightfully delicious.

How to Cook Carrots in the Oven

Oven roasted carrots are one of the healthiest options, and this method is a great way to add some other food to cook with the carrots at the same time. As you are roasting the carrots in the oven, you can add onions, potatoes, radishes, and other foods all at the same time.
How to cook raw carrots in the oven? Start by preheating your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

As the oven is heating, you can prepare a baking dish by lining it with parchment paper. This makes the food easier to clean up afterwards. Add your carrots onto the tray and toss them with some olive oil and seasoning (black pepper, salt, and parsley work nicely). Make sure the carrots are in a single layer and are not overlapping with one another.

Allow the carrots to bake for 18-20 minutes, if they are sliced or you are cooking baby carrots. Thicker carrots and larger pieces should cook for anywhere from 25 to 30 minutes. They are done eating when you can pierce them easily with a fork.

If you are cooking other food at the same time on the tray with the carrots, consider how long the baking time may need to be for that food and adjust accordingly.

How to Cook Canned Carrots

Canned carrots tend to already be cooked, so you usually need to just heat them up. You can do that easily in the microwave, but if you want to preserve the taste and nutrition of the carrots as much as possible, I suggest either sauteing the carrots on the stovetop in a pan with butter or cooking them for a few minutes in a pot of water on the stovetop.

Carrots are a great source of vitamins and minerals, and you should take into consideration what you might lose if you were to cook the carrots in a specific way. Boling or baking (roasting) them helps to keep the nutrients in the carrots so that you can benefit from them.

Before you serve carrots that you cooked, you should poke them with a fork just to see if they are tender all the way through. Your fork should encounter very little resistance if the carrots are cooked fully.

You can serve raw carrots, if you like, but these can be slightly bitter, and your options for serving them will be limited. Raw carrots are best suited to be used as snacks (dipped in Ranch dressing) or added in small pieces to a salad.

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Pauline

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I'm Pauline, a mother of four grown children, my passion for cooking stemmed from the joy i get cooking for my family. I love to try new dishes, especially when dining out but creating and sharing my own recipes is my favourite thing to do!