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Buttery and sweet, these vegan brown sugar carrots are made easy in the slow cooker while you are preparing the rest of your meal. Made with vegan butter and perfect for your special family dinner or event.
I don’t know about you, but when I’m bustling around the kitchen prepping for a special event (and trying to not screw my head through the ceiling while attempting to get a meal on the table), the last thing I need is the pressure of throwing together all the little extras that will make this special meal one that will blow their socks off! That’s why I love vegan side dishes that you can cook in the slow cooker. Just set it and forget it!
These easy vegan brown sugar carrots are made in the slow cooker, only have a few simple ingredients, are rich and buttery, and will be a side dish to impress!
Table of contents
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Ingredients needed to cook brown sugar carrots in the slow cooker
- 2 lbs baby carrots
- sea salt
- brown sugar
- vegan butter
- parsley or thyme for garnish
- You’ll also need a slow cooker to cook the carrots
the baby carrots
Purchase fresh baby carrots that are moist and dark orange. I would never use baby carrots that have that dry and whitish look. Not only with the texture be affected, but the flavor will as well. I’ve noticed when baby carrots start to get that old look, they also develop an “old taste”.
Also, if the carrots are past expiration but still look fine from the outside of the bag, check to see if they have started to get slimy. And then throw them out!
Could I use sliced carrot instead of baby carrots?
Yes, sliced carrots will work. You will need to peel and then slice evenly for even cooking. Again, make surre the carrots you use are fresh, dark orange, and a little juicy for best results.
The vegan butter
We are a vegan family and so of course, we use vegan butter. It is important that you like the taste of the vegan butter you use. The flavor won’t improve cooking in the slow cooker for four hours! There are a lot of brands out there and some are a little meh…
If you are not vegan, then use any butter you wish. But do use salted butter. This recipe was developed using vegan butter, which is salted.
How to make vegan brown sugar carrots in the slow cooker
It’s really ridiculously easy to make this tasty vegan side dish and almost doesn’t need a recipe!
- Spray the inner liner or cooking pan of the slow cooker with cooking spray.
- Add the carrots to the slow cooker and top with the brown sugar, salt, and slices of vegan butter.
- Cover with the lid and cook on high for four hours. Halfway through, lift the lid and stir around.
- Garnish with a little fresh parsley or thyme.
I like to spoon any of that savory-sweet liquid over the topped of my cooked carrots to keep them extra juicy.
What size slow cooker is best for this recipe?
A small 3-4 quart slow cooker will be perfect for this recipe. I have several different slow cookers and often use them at the same time when prepping for a special dinner event. It’s nice to have a smaller capacity slow cooker that doesn’t take up as much space and perfectly fits the ingredients. I use this slow cooker by Cuisinart when I make these brown sugar carrots.
Could you use a larger capacity slow cooker for this recipe? Well, you have to know your slow cooker and how it does with various amounts of ingredients. I have a larger slow cooker by Ninja that I absolutely love – for large capacity ingredients. It tends to burn recipes of lower capacity. But not all larger cookers do…
Serving suggestions
You can serve the carrots directly out of the crockpot if you are serving buffet-style. That way you can leave your slow cooker set to “warm” or “buffet”. Or spoon the carrots into a servings dish and place on your table.
Spoon that yummy juicy liquid goodness from the bottom of your cooking pot on top of your cooked brown sugar carrots!
I love the subtle herby flavor that a sprinkling of fresh thyme imparts to sweetened carrots. Or you could use fresh parsley if you are just going to a nice contrast of colors.
These brown sugar carrots will keep in the fridge for up to five days if tightly covered. Warm them in the microwave before eating. Or, if you are like me, I’m okay with eating them cold!
For some other delicious vegan side dish recipes you can cook in your slow cooker, try:
- Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes with Garlic, Chives, and Cream Cheese (Vegan)
- Vegan Corn Casserole
- Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Ratatouille
For vegan side dishes using other special devices, try:
- Maple Glazed Brussels Sprouts in the AIr Fryer
- Creamy Instant Pot Brussels Sprouts
- Herbed Lemon Brown Rice in the Instant Pot
- Maple Galzed Carrots with Thyme in the Instant Pot
The printable recipe card for Vegan Buttery Brown Sugar Carrots
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Vegan Buttery Brown Sugar Carrots made in the Slow Cooker
Equipment
- slow cooker
Ingredients
- 2 lbs baby carrots
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 3 Tablespoons vegan butter
- parsley or thyme for garnish
Instructions
- Spray the inner liner or cooking pan of the slow cooker with cooking spray.
- Add the carrots to the slow cooker and top the brown sugar, salt, and slices of vegan butter.
- Cover with the lid and cook on high for four hours. Halfway through, lift the lid and stir around.
- Garnish with a little fresh parsley or thyme.
Tender and sweet. They retained so much color which was surprising after a low and slow cook time. Easy and absolutely scrumptious. Thanks for the recipe!
So delicious and so simple. I love that I was able to make them in the slow cooker. Some of the yummiest glazed carrots I’ve ever eaten!