As a kid, I always thought my grandmother made such weird food. She combined things that “shouldn’t” be combined, fed me things from other cultures and was always trying to introduce me to new things.
Inspired tastes
I was lucky to have her. While it might have been “weird” to me as a child, as an adult, I appreciate food so much more now. I see it as not only nourishment but art. It’s a way to express myself, it is a way to center myself and it makes me happy to make dishes that my family loves.
Today I know that her passion for making me try new things, and my other grandmother’s passion for cooking traditional dishes, helped me to find my place in the kitchen. (I say that as a feminist and in no way as a 1950’s housewife.)
Summer Showdown
Last summer, I was part of the Backyard Barbecue Sides competition for Woodbridge Wines. I knew things like potato salad and corn would be common and, perhaps like my grandmother, I wanted to make something a bit unique but just as delicious as the traditional favorites.
I try to eat lighter in the summer time so I also wanted something that wasn’t loaded with mayo, sour cream, breading or an additional barbecue sauce since it is likely your main dish will include that.
Grilled Honey Glazed Carrots
For my first recipe, I made these Grilled Honey Glazed Carrots, which is a variation on a recipe I’ve made before for my family in the oven. However, since this was a barbecue side dish, I thought I would grill them to show how versatile this dish can be.
If you’ve been invited to a barbecue, these carrots are something that you can easily prep ahead of time and then take with you to grill there. Or, you can make them at home in the oven for a side dish any night of the week.
They’re a great side to make when you’re having a hearty steak; filet minion; a simple, grilled chicken or a robust fish steak like halibut or swordfish.
My recommendations
The honey adds a beautiful sweetness to the Earthy carrot flavor. If you have a backyard garden and grow carrots, your personal carrots will make this recipe all the better. Whenever I grow them I just find they taste so much better and, somehow, more like a carrot.
I do recommend using either these baby carrots as in the photos or the large carrots with stalks versus just regular baby carrots in a bag that have already been cut and washed. You can really use either kind but I believe the larger carrots just taste better.
Grab the full recipe for these Honey Glazed Carrots below. 
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. of carrots Either the baby carrots with stems or regular carrots with stems cut length wise.
- 4 Tbsp. of butter Melted.
- 4 Tbsp. of honey
- 1 Tbsp. thyme or basil Either will work
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- Additional salt and pepper to taste.
Instructions
- Preheat your grill to just above medium. If you're cooking these in the oven, preheat it to 425.
- For the grill: After washing and peeling your carrots, place on a vegetable grill pan. Season with the kosher saltFor the oven: After washing and peeling your carrots place them on a baking sheet. Don't overlap. Season with the kosher salt.
- In bowl, mix together your melted butter, honey and herb of choice.
- Pour 3/4 the honey mixture over the carrots and make sure each carrot is fully covered.
- Cook in oven for 15 minutes and cook on the grill for on grill for 20 minutes. You want the carrots to be softer but not over cooked and mushy. If cooking on the grill you can also place the carrots on it directly to get nice grill lines. Just because of dripping honey.
- Remove from oven or grill and drizzle remaining sauce over the carrots. Season with additional herbs and salt and pepper to taste.
For more side dish recipes, click here.
Harry eating, friends!
I am running to the store now to get the ingredients for this! These look great! I love carrots and am excited to try this new way to prepare them.
Wow that is such a divine new way to have carrots! I love it. I must try this 🙂
I’m totally drooling. I am making these this week for sure! What a yummy, vegetarian option!
These carrots sound delicious and look so cute too! Making veggies as a BBQ side dish is so smart . . . those heavy mayo-based salads are not for me! My hubby isn’t a huge carrot fan but the bourbon might change his mind! LOL
Carrots are one of the only veggies my kids will eat. I’m sure the alcohol in the bourbon burns off and I would like to try this variation soon!
Your Honey Bourbon Carrots look absolutely mouthwatering! Just checked out the contest page and voted for you! Good luck!
This looks so beautiful and colorful. I must have that honey bourbon mustard.
I have been on a carrots kick lately! I was so happy to see this recipe. I cannot wait to try it for dinner this week. I love that we can cook our meat and grill our veggies all outdoors! Yay!
I had so many spare carrots at home the other day and I did not know what to do with it. This is a great idea.
That is a great way to make carrots. I am sure my whole family will love these.
Oh, those look so delicious! I would definitely eat more vegetables if they were prepared like this!
We love to grill in the summer, and I’m always trying to find ways to incorporate more vegetables into our meals. These look delicious and I believe I have everything already!
Anything that makes me eat more veggies is a win for me. These look really good and I am not a carrot fan!
I must say I have never tried grilling vegetables before. I am always afraid I will burn them. I will be brave this summer and try these carrots. They look good.
I love carrots cooked in sauces. It seems like the extra thing to do in a meal. The bourbon is an interesting addition!
This is a carrot I may eat! Not a fan but bourbon and basil sure could change my mind. These really look amazingly delicious! I will be putting them on the the menu plan to try!
I love fresh carrots and how can you go wrong with bourbon and honey. We are grilling out twice this week and these will be making an appearance at one of these dinners. Now to see if my local farmer’s market has any for an even more amazing flavor.
I LOVE cooking and grilling with honey and I AM a bourbon person too! This is a perfect idea and I love how you used whole fresh carrots! I am drooling and you bet this is going on my next cookout list!
They look so good! I can’t wait to try to make them! I love carrots!
I’m normally not a huge carrot fan but this looks really yummy and I’d be totally willing to try it!
Those grilled carrots look so savory and delicious. I’m going to have to try your recipe over the summer when we have guests over. Thanks for sharing your idea!
These looks so good. My daughter would love these baby carrots.
This sounds so delicious! I’ve never BBQ’d carrots but I definitely need to try it. The Honey Bourbon flavor sounds delicious.
These look like they would be an amazing side dish. I have never really cooked much with carrots but this makes me want to!
Being vegetarians we do not have many choices whenever we visit one of those restaurants specializing in BBQ. Usually, it is potatoes, cheese, pineapple, capsicum and stuff like that. But this is something new and different, would love to try the grilled carrots.
Yum yum yum, I can’t wait to make 5ese this weekend.
These look really good and I can not wait to make them. I love carrots and also love to grill anything I can. This is a fun way to put the two things together and enjoy a meal with the family this weekend. We have to try this one out, thanks for sharing!
I just told my daughter just yesterday that we need to buy some fresh carrots and place them on the grill. I’m so excited to be able to try out your recipe, these carrots look so delicious.
I absolutely love grilled veggies, especially carrots! This recipe sounds so sooo yummy!
This looks delicious. I’m vegan so i have to get creative when i comes to barbecuing. I’d love to try this out soon.
This looks delicious. It’s hard to find healthy options that remain just as tasty.
Ohh la la, there are carrots, and there are CARROTS! I think I’ve been doing them wrong my entire life. Perfect side for a festive meal. So bookmarking and saving for the next family gathering.
Yummy! This looks perfect. I am hungry just reading your post! Definitely going to make this recipe!
I love honey baked carrots but this recipe looks like it will blow mine out of the water. I’m totally cooking this TONIGHT! I love easy quick recipes for veggies that up them a notch or two from boring!
Carrots and I have a love hate relationship, I need to eat more of them but sometimes I don’t like them. This is a recipe I can stand behind!
not only do these look delicious but i know my kids would love eating them too- nothing says summer like delicious glazes honey carrots! YUM!
Glazed Honey Carrots sound amazing! I’d probably eat the whole batch all by myself! We don’t have to share, right?
There is something about grilling or roasting carrots that brings out the most fabulous flavors! By far this is my favorite way to eat carrots!
What a perfect side dish. I’ve never had grilled carrots before. I will have to give this a try for sure.
What a great way to serve carrots. I need to make these as they look so delicious.
I love to grill just about anything. I definitely am going to try this. I’ve never thought about grilling carrots but that is got to be so good.
Well that is a way that I am sure my family will eat their veggies, it looks easy and delicious too
You are right, you were lucky to have your Grandma around to learn about great foods and different dishes. Clearly, she rubbed off on you. This carrot recipe is amazing.
We’re lucky the kids love to eat vegetables, especially carrots! I think they would love this way of preparing them!
I agree that home grown carrots taste better then store bought! I love the idea of pairing my home grown carrots with honey. Sounds delicous
Mmm that looks good, something I will try to make for dinner.
Oh these look like the perfect side for any meal! Yum!!
One thing about carrots is that they are good in all forms. These look tasty!
This is the best and easiest side dish idea! These grilled carrots look fabulous!
The look of grilled carrots is so festive. Plus, we all need to eat that vitamin A in them!
Just the description of these carrots had my mouth watering. They sound and look incredible. Carrots are definitely one of my favorite side dishes. I would looove to have my own little garden!
My entire family loves glazed carrots. Your plating of these beautiful veggies is absolutely lovely. I want a helping of this side dish ASAP!
These look absolutely amazing, I bet the grill makes these divine. What a fabulous side dish!
I love adding a little honey and thyme to carrots. They pair perfectly for a sweet and healthy side dish. YUM!
Yum! looks so delicious. It looks appetizing in every way! My family would love these!
This looks so good! I’m always looking for a new recipe to try and I can’t wait to give this one a go! Thank you!
Honey glazed carrots are one of my favorite side dishes. I like it with my steak plus some cheesy taters. Yum!
Yum! I don’t really like carrots so I always try to find ways to dress them up and make them tastier! Maybe this will be a way I can eat them!
I have never thought about doing anything to carrots! This looks absolutely delish
These sound delicious! I love fresh veggies in the summer and this sounds like the perfect recipe. I don’t think I have ever grilled carrots before.
Your grandma sounds like my mother. She’s gone now but when we were little, she would make food that had all kinds of different ingredients. Sometimes they can be tasty though and we loved her cooking! This recipe looks and sounds delish!
What a great side dish. I love finding new ways to make food taste delicious and I can’t wait to try this!