Q&A for How to Cook Carrots

Canned carrots are already cooked and soft, so all you have to do is warm them up to the desired temperature and season them to taste. Put your carrots in a microwave-safe container with a lid and microwave them for 2-3 minutes, or cook them on the stove in a saucepan for a few minutes until they’re hot. Leave at least some of the liquid from the can to help them cook evenly without burning. Add butter, salt and pepper, or whatever other flavorings you like, or mix the carrots in with your favorite dish.

Clean, peel, and slice your carrots and set them aside. Spray a frying pan with some cooking spray or add enough oil to lightly coat the pan, then put the pan on the stove over medium heat. Add the carrots along with any other flavorings you like, such as salt and pepper, sliced onions, or minced garlic. Cover the pan and turn the heat down to low once the carrots start sizzling. Check the carrots and turn them over frequently until they’re tender.

A brown sugar glaze is a great way to add flavor to carrots and offset their natural bitterness. Put about 16 oz (.45 kg) of baby carrots or carrot slices in a saucepan or skillet with 1 ½ tablespoons (18.75 g) of brown sugar, 1 ½ tablespoons (21.25 g) of butter, and half a cup (118.3 mL) of water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn it down and let it simmer for about 6 minutes. Turn the heat back up to high for another 5-6 minutes, or until the water evaporates and the carrots become nice and tender. If you like, you can add a little salt and pepper to taste.

To julienne carrots, first create a block of carrot by trimming off the top and bottom ends of the carrot, then cutting off each curved side to leave a block. Then, cut the block of carrot into very thin slices, as evenly as possible. For detailed help, with images, see How to Julienne Carrots .

Counteracting bitterness in a carrot requires a focus on bringing forth its sweetness. First, consider peeling the carrots, as much of the bitterness is concentrated in the peel. Second, try cooking the carrots for longer. Third, if wished, try adding sweetness (like honey or a syrup) but remember that it is usually more helpful to add a pinch of salt rather than sugar, as this works better than sugar to improve the sweetness of carrots.

Yes, the green leaves on a carrot are edible and they are rich in vitamins and minerals too. However, they may taste a little bitter, so adding a nice dressing if using in a salad or cooking in a dish might be a good way to go. Be sure to wash them well before eating or cooking with these leaves, and it's a good idea to choose organic carrots if you want to eat the green leaves as well.

Carrots go well with quite a few flavors, so experiment with your favorite ones at home to see which you like the best. To help you with the traditional favorite matches though, these are the ones commonly associated with enhancing carrots: Cumin, thyme, parsley, fresh or ground cilantro/coriander, cinnamon, ginger, mint, maple syrup, butter, dill and chervil.

Burning them makes them go black.

To make something gluten free, all you have to do is replace the glutenous flour with rice flour, almond flour, coconut flour (although using coconut flour in some recipes makes it dense and thick), walnut flour or any other gluten free flour.

Yes. Follow the steps for roasting or sautéeing them above, and add honey in the last 5 minutes of roasting or the last 2 of sautéeing.