How to Microwave Carrots

Co-authored by Christopher M. Osborne, PhD

Last Updated: May 6, 2021 Tested

If you love the flavor of cooked carrots but want to skip the stovetop, try the microwave! Microwaving retains the freshness and sweetness of carrots, and it’s a simple and quick way to prepare them. There are also many great recipe options, whether you like your carrots simply steamed, glazed with brown sugar, or sweet and spicy!

Ingredients

Steamed Carrots

1 lb (450 g) carrots
2 US tbsp (30 mL) water

Glazed Carrots

1 lb (450 g) carrots
3 tbsp (42.9 g) butter
1 tsp (4.8 g) orange zest
1 tbsp (14.3 g) brown sugar

Sweet and Spicy Carrots

1.5 lb (680 g) carrots
2 US tbsp (30 mL) unrefined coconut oil
1 tbsp (14.3 g) light brown sugar
½ tsp (2.4 g) ground cumin
¼ tsp (1.2 g) crushed red pepper
1 tsp (4.8 g) kosher salt
2 US tbsp (30 mL) white distilled vinegar
2 scallions

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Steamed Carrots

1
Clean and cut 1 lb (450 g) of carrots into 0.25 in (6.4 mm) sticks or rounds. Wash whole carrots under running water, pat them dry, and use a vegetable peeler to remove the tough outer layer. Then, use a sharp knife to trim off the stem and tip of each carrot, and cut them into either thin sticks or sliced rounds.^{[1]
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- You can also use bagged baby carrots. These come pre-washed, but you might choose to give them another rinse and pat them dry. You can cook them whole, or slice each into 2-3 pieces.
2
Add the carrots and 2 US tbsp (30 mL) of water to a microwavable dish. Choose a large, microwave-safe dish (glass or ceramic is best) that provides plenty of extra room for the carrots and water.^{[2]
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- Never use a metal bowl in the microwave.
- If you must use a plastic bowl, make sure it is labeled as microwave-safe.
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3
Cover the dish with its lid or plastic wrap. Don’t tilt the lid or poke holes in the plastic wrap for venting. You want to trap the water inside the bowl in order to steam the carrots.^{[3]
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- Plastic wrap might melt if it is touching the carrots. If necessary, use a larger bowl.
4
Cook the carrots on high (100%) power for 3 ½ minutes. After the microwave stops running, remove the bowl with oven mitts—it will be hot! Remove the lid or plastic wrap carefully, keeping any escaping steam away from your arms and face.^{[4]
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- The cooking times for this recipe assume a 1000 watt microwave. If you have a higher wattage microwave, reduce the time to 3 minutes; if it’s lower, increase the time to 4 minutes.
5
Stir the carrots, re-cover them, and keep cooking them until tender. Once you’ve stirred the carrots and re-covered the bowl, cook them on high for another 2 minutes. Then, remove them again and check them for doneness with a fork—it should pierce the carrot pieces with little resistance. If they’re not done yet, microwave them for another minute and keep repeating the process as needed.^{[5]
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- Thin slices will take about 6-9 minutes in total.
- Strips will take about 5-7 minutes in total.
- Whole baby carrots will take about 7-9 minutes in total.
6
Serve the steamed carrots hot. You can serve them as-is, or add a little salt and pepper to taste. You might also choose to stir in a small pat of butter.^{[6]
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- Steamed carrots can be added to many meals as a side dish or vegetable accompaniment. Try them with a grilled chicken breast or broiled fish, for example.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Glazed Carrots

1
Prepare 1 lb (450 g) of 0.25 in (6.4 mm)-thick carrot rounds. Rinse, dry, and peel the whole carrots, and chop them carefully with a sharp knife. Alternatively, you can cut the carrots into 0.25 in (0.64 cm) sticks.^{[7]
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- Or, you can use a 1 lb (450 g) bag of baby carrots instead.
2
Melt 3 tbsp (42.9 g) of butter in a large bowl. Microwave the butter on full power for 30 seconds, then in 15-second increments as needed until it melts. Keep an eye on it, because butter can burn quickly in a microwave.^{[8]
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- Use a ceramic, glass, or other microwave-safe bowl that has more than enough room for adding the carrots after the butter melts.
3
Add 1 tsp (4.8 g) of orange zest and 1 tbsp (14.3 g) of brown sugar. Use a zester or microplane to scrape off just the outer skin of the orange—the white flesh underneath is bitter. Stir the orange zest and brown sugar into the butter until the sugar dissolves.^{[9]
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- Alternatively, try replacing the brown sugar with 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of maple syrup or honey.
4
Add the carrots to the bowl and mix gently until combined. Use tongs or a spoon to coat the carrots in the butter-sugar-zest mixture.^{[10]
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- The mixture will adhere to the carrots better if you pat them dry a bit with some paper towels.
5
Cover the bowl and microwave it on full power for 5-8 minutes total. Use a lid or plastic wrap, without any venting holes. Check the carrots for doneness and stir them gently after 3 ½ minutes, then microwave them in 90-second increments until they’re fork-tender.^{[11]
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- Use oven mitts and watch for hot steam when moving the bowl and checking the carrots.
- Cooking times may vary based on your microwave oven. This recipe assumes a 1000 watt microwave.
6
Dish out the carrots and serve them hot. If desired, they can be garnished with a little extra orange zest right before serving. Try them with a pork roast, or just have them as a sweet snack!^{[12]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Sweet and Spicy Carrots

1
Cut 1.5 lb (680 g) of carrots into 0.5 in (1.3 cm) rounds. Wash and peel the carrots before chopping them with a sharp knife. You can also try substituting 1.5 lb (680 g) of baby carrots.^{[13]
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- If your carrots are very thin at one end and very thick at the other, cut the thicker rounds in half to keep the pieces similar in size.
2
Heat coconut oil, brown sugar, and seasonings in a baking dish. Use an 8 in × 8 in (20 cm × 20 cm) baking dish that is microwave-safe. Stir in and microwave the following ingredients just until the sugar melts (around 30 seconds):^{[14]
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- 2 US tbsp (30 mL) unrefined coconut oil
- 1 tbsp (14.3 g) light brown sugar
- ½ tsp (2.4 g) ground cumin
- ¼ tsp (1.2 g) crushed red pepper
- 1 tsp (4.8 g) kosher salt
3
Add the carrots and 2 US tbsp (30 mL) of distilled white vinegar. Add the vinegar, stir the mixture, then add the carrots and toss gently until they are coated.^{[15]
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4
Cover the baking dish with vented plastic wrap. Secure the plastic wrap over the baking dish, then poke 6 holes in it with a knife tip or skewer. Without proper venting, the carrots will become mushy instead of crisp-tender.^{[16]
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- If the baking dish has a vented lid, use it instead.
5
Microwave the dish in 5-minute increments for 15 minutes. Cook the dish for 5 minutes on high (100%) power, then remove it, uncover it, and stir the carrots quickly. Re-cover it and repeat the process 2 more times. If the carrots are fork-tender and most of the liquid is absorbed at this point, you can stop cooking them.^{[17]
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- If the carrots still aren’t quite ready, microwave and stir them in 2-minute increments until they’re done.
- Be careful when you uncover the carrots to stir them—the hot steam can burn you!
6
Thin-slice 2 scallions to finish off the dish. Stir most of the sliced scallions into the carrots, then sprinkle the rest on top when you’re ready to serve the dish. Then dig in!^{[18]
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- These carrots go great with grilled shrimp, or you can just serve them with some rice.

Community Q&A

Question

If I double the recipe on the glazed carrots, do I double the cooking time on the microwave?

Michele

Top Answerer

Not necessarily. Start at the highest recommended time and check. You can always put them back in to cook a little longer.
Question

What wattage microwave?

Michele

Top Answerer

Carrots can be cooked in any wattage microwave. The lower the wattage, the more time will be needed for it to cook through. If you're not sure, start at the shortest time. You can always put it back in to cook another few minutes.