How to Boil Carrots

10 MINUTES and it’s ready! Delicious, Tasty, Healthy and ready for your recipe OR add a little butter, sugar and spices and your dish is READY! How To Boil Carrots.

This boiled Carrot recipe is ready to use for many other recipes or just to add butter, sugar, honey, salt, pepper and enjoy!

Why This Recipe Works…

• EASY!
• FAST! Ready in under 30 minutes total time.
• Prepares you for so many other recipes OR ready to eat as is! 

Here’s How To Boil Carrots…

STEP 1. Peel the Carrots and slice if that’s how you will use them. Place them  in a saucepan and add enough water to cover. 

STEP 2. 

Bring to a full boil and boil till fork tender 3-4 minutes. Boiling happens faster if you put the lid on! 

STEP 3. Remove from the water and reserve for the dish you are cooking OR make the sauce listed in the recipe card below YUM!

What Is the Healthiest Way to Cook Carrots?

Boiling Carrots is the healthiest way to cook Carrots. Boiling adds no calories but can add immense flavor if you use the appropriate seasonings.

Frequently Asked Questions about How To Boil Carrots (FAQ’s)

How To Boil Carrots

• Place the Carrots into a medium sized saucepan, large frying pan or stock pot and cover with 1 quart of water.
• Bring water to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat.
• Boil at a simmer for 3-4 minutes until the Carrots are fork tender. Drain Carrots.
• Top with butter or flavored oil. Add seasoning. Serve hot.

How Long To Boil Carrots? 

Boil Carrots 3-4 minutes depending on how big the pieces are and how tender you want your Carrots.

Boil sliced Carrots 3-4 minutes and boil large pieces (like whole carrots) for up to 10. When fork tender, it’s done. 

Do Boiled Carrots Lose Nutrients? 

Any boiled vegetables can lose nutrients if you boil it to death! Only boil Carrots as long as it takes to make it tender, then remove it from the hot water.

You can submerge it in cool water to stop the cooking if needed. 

What Can I Use Boiled Carrots For? 

Use Boiled Carrots for…

• A delicious way to make a simple Carrots side dish.
• Delicious recipes like preparing to Stir-Fry Carrots.
• Prepped for a casserole

How Long To Boil Carrots?

This depends on several factors….

Fresh Carrots…

• A LARGE WHOLE Carrot will be ready when fork tender 10-15 minutes.
• Sliced Carrots will be done in 3-4 minutes. 

Frozen Carrots…

• will be ready in about 5 minutes (follow the instructions on the package). 

How Long Does It Take To Boil Carrots Soft? 

This entirely depends on the size carrot pieces you are using. If you are using small pieces (like coin size) then it only takes 3-4 minutes.

If you are boiling large pieces (like whole carrots), it might take as long as 10 minutes. 

How Do You Soften Carrots?

You soften carrots by boiling them partially. This is called blanching and you can find an entire post about that HERE:  How to Blanch Carrots.

That said, if you just boil them lightly for 2-3 minutes, you will soften them for other dishes. 

Can I Boil a WHOLE Carrot?

Sure!

• Peel the Carrots.
• Place in a large boiling stock pot of water with enough water to cover. 
• Boil for about 10 minutes until completely fork tender. 

How To Boil Carrots in the Microwave

• Cut the Carrots into slices.
• Place in a large microwave safe bowl of water. 
• Microwave on high for 2 minutes. 
• Stir
• Repeat at 1 minute intervals until fork tender. Depending on the size carrot pieces you are boiling, it may take 15-20 minutes.

How To Know Carrots are Boiled? 

If you are eating somewhere else and want to know if the carrots have been boiled, you can often tell by piercing with your fork.

Does the carrot retain its general shape, but the fork tine slide into the carrot flesh easily? This is usually a boiled carrot. 

When you pierce the carrot flesh and the fork tine tends to break up the carrot, either the carrot has been over boiled OR it has been roasted. 

If you are checking your own carrots to see if the boiling is complete, poke the carrot gently with a fork, when the fork goes gently into the carrot, it is done. 

How about if you plan to use the carrot in another dish where you will cook the carrot more?

Then check with the fork, but stop cooking it when the fork only wants to slide part of the way in. 

Why Is My Carrot Soft? 

Carrots start to go limp and soft when they get old. As long as it isn’t slimy, discolored or rotten, it is safe to eat. 

You’ll want to use it in a soup or stew or other dish like that instead of eating it raw. 

What Are the Ways to Cook Carrots?

You can cook carrots in….

• A saucepan on the stove top
• In a frying pan on the stove top.
• Many people like their carrots baked in the oven.
• Or cooked with a roast in the slow cooker. 

What Can I Serve with Boiled Carrots? 

Carrots is a great side dish to almost any meat! 

Try this crockpot pot roast or this garlic rosemary pork loin!

You could also eat it as your main dish if you are going lighter and it tastes excellent with Tennessee Onions.

Tips & Tricks for Boiled Carrots.

• If you plan to eat right away, then you will want your Carrots more tender (so that the fork easily goes through the entire piece). 
• Are you using it in a recipe that will be cooked more? Then only boil it until a fork can pierce the Carrots but doesn’t want to go completely through. 
• You will notice that it turns a brighter color when cooked, beautiful bright orange. This is normal. 
• Save the water you boiled Carrots in if you are making a sauce, it can be used to thin, thicken and flavor the sauce.
• If you want your boiled carrots to TASTE GOOD, try adding butter, salt, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar and a dash of honey to them once they are boiled and drained. That’s a flavor most people enjoy.
• Here is a TON of great information about carrots from the Agricultural Marketing Center.

PRO TIP: The smaller the pieces of Carrots are, the more quickly they will cook, no matter HOW you are cooking them.

Be careful so as not to overcook the Carrots. Drain it well to remove the extra water. 

If You Enjoyed This Recipe for How To Boil Carrots, You Might Also Enjoy…

How to Boil Broccoli

How to Boil Cauliflower

Boiling Potatoes

How to Boil Potatoes for Potato Salad

How to Steam Carrots on the Stove

How to Steam Carrots in the Microwave

OR try ANY of our DELICIOUS Side Dishes!

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There's a lot of wisdom in this verse. I can't reprint the entire passage here, but I urge you to read the entire passage.

1 Corinthians 1:10

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