Maple Butter Microwave Carrots

These microwave carrots cook up in under 10 minutes, staying perfectly tender without turning mushy. Tossed in melted butter and finished with a bit of maple syrup, they’re a quick, sweet, and flavorful side dish.

Microwave Carrots

Can you cook carrots in the microwave, you ask? Without them turning mushy and bland? The answer is yes!

I’ve been leaning hard on the microwave lately and I’m not slowing down anytime soon.

Some days are just plain hectic, and getting anything on the table feels like a win. That’s where these microwave carrots come in: quick, simple, and one less thing to worry about. Plus they taste delicious!

(Try my microwave garlic butter broccoli or my microwave cauliflower recipes too!)

Key Ingredients

• Baby carrots - To keep things simple, I used baby carrots, but whole carrots should work too. Just peel them and cut into 2-inch pieces, about the same size as baby carrots.
• Maple syrup - To accentuate the carrot's natural sweetness! These are lightly sweetened. You can always add more if you like.
• Butter - I used unsalted butter then added my own salt. If you only have salted butter, that's fine too, just omit the salt from this recipe.
• Water - A little bit of water creates steam in the bowl which evenly cooks the carrots. I've found ¼ cup to the be the perfect amount.
• Kosher salt - Salt enhances flavor! Don't leave it out.

How to Steam Carrots in the Microwave

It's so easy to steam carrots in the microwave! There's two important things you need for success though: a large microwave-safe bowl and plate!

Be sure they’re microwave-safe, otherwise they could crack or become extremely hot.

• Combine the carrots and the water in a large microwave-safe bowl.
• Cover it with the plate and microwave for 4 whole minutes. Carrots take longer to cook in the microwave since they’re denser and contain less water than other vegetables.

• Remove the bowl from the microwave and stir the carrots.
• Recover the bowl and microwave for 4 and ½ more minutes. At this point, the carrots should be al-dente. They will continue to steam while you make the maple butter.
• Melt the butter, then add the maple syrup and salt. Stir to combine.

• Remove the plate from the bowl of carrots. At this point, the carrots should be soft but NOT mushy. If the carrots still feel a little bit too hard, recover the bowl and let sit for another minute.
• Drain the excess water from the carrots.

• Pour the melted maple butter over the carrots and stir to coat. Serve warm with a sprinkle of kosher salt.
  

Expert Tips

• The carrots should be just tender but still slightly firm, not overly soft. They’ll be very hot when they come out of the microwave and will continue to cook a bit as they sit.
• The cooking time will vary based on the size of your carrots. Mine were fairly thin, so thicker ones may need a bit more time
• Don't forget to drain the water so it doesn't water down your maple butter! I just use a slotted spoon to hold the carrots in the bowl and let some of the excess water drain out.

Storage

• Leftover carrots can be stored in the fridge. Transfer them to an airtight container and store for up to 5 days.
• Reheat in the microwave until hot. The goal is not to cook them again, just to warm them up to eat.

Easy Side Dishes

• Maple Roasted Carrots
• Roasted Green Beans and Carrots
• Honey Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
• Grilled Carrots in Foil