Simple Garlic Basil Carrots
A simple but delicious snack: garlic basil carrots! Featuring fresh herbs and aromatic garlic, this is an amazing way add flavor and dimension to a carrot side dish. Make for 1 or a whole crowd of people!
Ingredients for Basil Carrots
You’ll just need a few simple ingredients to make basil carrots at home. Most are things you probably already have in your fridge/pantry!
Carrots – Of course, you’ll need some regular carrots from the grocery store! For 1-2 servings, you just need 2 large carrots.
Fresh Basil – Having the basil FRESH is definitely a must. While you could use dried, it definitely wouldn’t be the same.
Garlic – I also recommend having fresh garlic cloves to use for this recipe.
Olive Oil – We’ll fry the veggies in olive oil in a cast iron pan.
Water – Adding just a bit of water helps glaze the carrots nicely!
Salt & Pepper – You can season to taste with salt and pepper.
Dietary Info
This is such an amazing healthy recipe that works on a variety of diets! If you are dairy-free, gluten-free, or vegan, you can definitely eat these carrots.
In addition, it works well on the paleo and AIP diet. As far as Keto goes, this recipe works okay, but it is not something you would want to eat all the time since carrots are higher in carbs than other veggies.
More Info on Carrots
How to Cook Basil Carrots
Now, let’s go over how to make these carrots step by step!
Step 1:
First, peel your carrots. Then, cut them into diagonal pieces. Diagonal carrot cuts give more surface area, allowing the carrots to cook quickly in a stir-fry type recipe. (Check out more ways to cut carrots for stir fries here).
Step 2:
Heat olive oil and water in a small cast iron pan. Once hot, add the carrots and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 4 minutes.
Step 3:
Add garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes. You want the garlic to get aromatic and browned, but not burnt, so be careful. Once the garlic is browned and the carrots tender, add the chiffonaded basil (watch the video to see how to make this cut!)
Finally, turn the heat down to low and stir to let the basil mix in and wilt with the carrots. Then you’re done!
Simple Garlic Basil Carrots
Ingredients
- 2 large carrots
- 1 large clove garlic (or 2 small)
- 5 large leaves fresh basil
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp water
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Slice carrots on the diagonal (more surface area allows for quicker cooking). Carrots should be about 1/8 inch thick.
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp water in a small cast iron pan.
- Once the oil and water is hot, add carrots to the pan. Season with salt and pepper and saute on medium high for about 4 minutes.
- Add garlic (the pan should still be quite hot at this point).
- Allow the carrots and garlic to cook together for a few more minutes, until carrots are tender, about 2 minutes. Make sure the garlic doesn’t burn.
- While carrots and garlic are cooking, chop your basil. I like to cut it into a chiffonade—stack 5 large basil leaves together, roll them up, and then cut into pieces.
- Once the carrots are tender, turn the heat down to low. Add basil and cook for another 30 seconds until wilted. Take the pan off the heat immediately.
- Taste, season with more salt if needed, garnish with more chopped basil, and serve!
Video
Notes
- If you need more servings, this recipe is very easy to make for more people. Just double or triple the ingredients!
- I highly recommend using fresh basil, not dried.
Nutrition
More Carrot Questions
Is Basil good with carrots?
Oh my goodness, YES! This is seriously one of my favorite carrot recipes, and it is all because carrots and basil taste so good together. Pair those two flavors with some minced garlic, and it is a complete dish!
Can I roast basil carrots in the oven?
Yes, that is another way you can make these carrots. To roast basil carrots, I would put the carrots and garlic on a sheet pan, brush them with olive oil, and roast until tender in a 400-450 degree oven. Add the basil at the end so it doesn’t burn.
Can I add lemon to these carrots?
Yes, another flavor that would work well in this recipe is lemon! You can add a small squeeze of fresh lemon juice if you’re wanting some lemon-basil carrots.
Conclusion
Garlic Basil carrots are a delicious snack or side dish to make. I’ve even had these for breakfast before, LOL! They’re so healthy, yet so yummy at the same time. I hope your family loves this recipe as much as mine does!
