Thanksgiving is fast approaching, and whether you are a traditionalist or like to shake things up a bit, this miso-maple glazed carrot recipe deserves a spot on your holiday table. It’s a fresh take on the traditional maple glazed carrot situation that so frequently shows up on Thanksgiving tables everywhere. Sweet carrots are caramelized in a citrusy, gingery, miso-maple glaze, and topped with thinly sliced green onions and cilantro leaves to add some brightness and texture to the dish. The glaze is super versatile, and would make a fantastic salad dressing or marinade/basting sauce for poultry, pork, or fish.

The carrots are glazed three times over the course of cooking to really build up the flavor and to get the sticky sweet caramelization that you are expecting from a glazed carrot. Just be sure to line your baking sheet with parchment paper, which is something I DIDN’T DO, because I had to get the more dynamic photograph. And now I’m paying the price, still scraping char off the bottom of my pan. I’ll literally be cleaning it until Christmas. So the moral of this longwinded story is to not be like me, but DO be like me and make these miso-maple glazed carrots.

Miso Maple Glazed Carrots

Ingredients:

2 lbs carrots, scrubbed or peeled and cut into 2-3” pieces

2 Tbsp white miso paste

3 Tbsp maple syrup

1/2 tsp orange zest

1/4 C orange juice

1 tsp ginger, grated

1/4 tsp toasted sesame oil

2 Tbs avocado oil

1/2 tsp kosher salt

pepper

1 green onion, thinly sliced

1 Tbsp cilantro leaves

Maldon sea salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Make the glaze by combining the miso paste, maple syrup, orange zest, orange juice, ginger, toasted sesame oil, avocado oil, salt and a few grinds of pepper in a small bowl. Whisk until the miso has been completely incorporated.

Line a large, rimmed, baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the carrots and toss with 1/4 C of the glaze until they are coated evenly. Bake for 7 minutes on the middle rack of the oven. After 7 minutes, remove from oven, stir, and coat with another 1/4 C of the glaze. Continue baking for another 7 minutes. Remove the carrots from the oven, stir, and coat with another 1/4 C of the glaze. This should be the last of the glaze. Bake for another 5-7 minutes until the carrots are caramelized and slightly sticky.

Transfer to a large bowl or platter and top the carrots with sliced green onions, cilantro, and a light sprinkling of flaky sea salt.