These Apricot Glazed Carrots with Bacon and Jalapeños are the perfect sweet and savory side for your Thanksgiving table.
In a few weeks, we’ll all be scrambling for some quick and easy sides for Thanksgiving, so this week I’ll be sharing two side dishes that are always a favorite at our holiday table.
First off, these tasty Apricot Glazed Carrots with Bacon and Jalapeños. They’re slightly sweet, slightly savory, and 100% easy and delicious.
I shared something similar way back at the beginning of the blog. It was a cold Spicy Sweet Potato Salad as a side for our Easter holiday ham. Instead of using a mayo dressing for the salad, I lightened it up with some apricot preserves and apple cider vinegar. I spiced it up with some jalapeños, and added some bacon because, well, we all know bacon makes everything better.
So I got to thinking, since I loved the flavors of the potato salad, but don’t usually serve cold salads for Thanksgiving dinner, why not substitute some carrots for the sweet potatoes, and serve it as a warm side for the holidays?
You won’t just love how tasty these are, you’ll love that you only need a handful of ingredients, and less than 30 minutes to make the recipe happen. Music to your ears for the holiday, right? Enjoy!
- 1 lb. package baby carrots
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 4 slices bacon chopped
- 1/2 cup red onion finely chopped
- 1 jalapeno seeded, and finely chopped
- 1/4 cup apricot preserves
- 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
- extra chopped jalapenos for garnish
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In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add 1/2 tsp. salt and carrots and cook for 8-10 minutes or until tender. Drain.
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In a skillet, cook bacon over medium high heat until crisp. Remove from pan with slotted spoon to paper towel lined plate. Reserve 1 tablespoon grease in skillet.
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Saute onions and jalapenos in skillet until softened and golden brown, about 3-5 minutes. Whisk in apricot preserves and vinegar and simmer until smooth. Add the carrots and toss until well coated. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer carrots to a serving dish and sprinkle with bacon and extra jalapenos. Serve warm.
I love giving old recipes brand new clothes! These carrots sound amazing MaryAnn! I love the sweet and spicy combo. Pinned!
Me too Chris. It was perfect with the carrots! Just as good as the sweet potatoes! Happy Monday!
Our thanksgiving is over, but these would be fabulous for Christmas! Love the sweet/spicy/savoury flavours you have goin’ here, especially the jalapeno! These will be hitting our dinner table soon. Pinned! Have a lovely week, my friend! XO
Yes they would Dawn. I love the sweet and spicy flavor too. Thanks for pinning and hope you have an awesome week!
I really REALLY love me some carrots, Mare, so these beauties are SCREAMING my name!! I am just dying over the combination of flavors here – SO GOOD! I’m not sure I can hold off to Thanksgiving to make these! I need a platter of these all to my self ASAP! Pinned! Cheers!
Lol! Give them an early go Chey! They’re so easy and the sweet and savory combo is always a favorite. Happy Monday!
Oh yes! I am not a lover of naked vegetables, so I’m loving this flavourful spin on carrots. Will be trying these :)
Me either Jennifer! I wish I was, but I need something more enticing! Hope you enjoy these!
Carrots are one the few vegetables my husband will eat . I still have some of my homemade apricot marmalade in the fridge , perfect for your recipe and who can say no to bacon. Thank you for the recipe and have a wonderful week Mary Ann.
Yay! I think he’ll really enjoy these Gerlinde! Hope you have an awesome week too!
LOVING this! The thing I struggle with most at Thanksgiving is finding sides that aren’t too labor-intensive and don’t need to go in the oven. This is a delicious solution to both problems! Thank you, Mary Ann! Have a great week :)
Yes, these are so incredibly easy Kelsie! I know, I’m always trying to free up some oven space too!
Bacon does make everything better! These carrots look delicious and would make the perfect holiday side!
Oh yes it does Rachelle! Hope you give them a go!
Oh my – I love how you came to the idea for this dish! The bacon and jalapeños are genius! I’m always wishing my carrot dishes had more flavor! Voila! Thank you!!
It was awesome in the sweet potato salad Annie, so I figured why not carrots?! Enjoy!
I love anything savory with a hint of sweetness! These carrots look so perfect for any holiday table!
Me too Leigh Ann. And apricot preserves have always been a favorite at our house!
Glazed carrots are by far one of my favourite side dishes and your version looks absolutely scrumptious Mary Ann!
Thanks Alida!
OMG obsessed with the bacon and jalapenos!
Me too Jennifer! You’ll love how easy these are and that they’ll take up no oven space for the holidays!
I love simple, flavorful sides like this for the holidays…in fact, the sides are always my favorite! This looks great! Happy Halloween girl!
Thanks Karen! Hope you have an awesome Halloween too!
Love that bright orange and those specks of green in between..This can brighten up any day! This is such an easy recipe…Although we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving in India, but this could easily make for a great side dish for any of our family dinners!
Yes, these are a perfect side for any dinner Deepika. Enjoy!
I love glazed carrots! What an easy and fabulous side dish. I love carrots in general, so yeah… mmm!
Hope you try them Natasha! I think you’ll really love the apricot glaze!
We’re all done with Thanksgiving here in Canada, but these would be so perfect for my next Sunday supper! I’m thinking they’d go perfectly with a roasted chicken!! My husband will be very excited to see those jalapenos!
They’re the perfect side for a roast chicken Sunday dinner Katherine. Hope your husband enjoys them! And the bacon!
Beautiful colors! I love glazed carrots as a side dish this time of year.
I love them too Jennifer. I even enticed my husband to try these. He loved the bacon and jalapenos.
You had me at jalapeños! I’ve been adding them to so many savoury dishes lately! This would be a perfect side for Christmas!
Yay! So glad you like this one Leanne! Perfect side for Christmas dinner!
Yum – just love simple, delicious food like these gorgeous carrots, Mary Ann. Such a bright and pretty color too.
These are so simple Geraldine. Perfect for the busy holiday season.
I’m obsessed with these MaryAnn, the flavors are amazing!!
Thanks Matt!
My kinda carrots, love these flavors Mary Ann! It’s been forever since I had some time to look at my friend’s blogs and I’ve missed yours. So happy my afternoon turned out that I had spare time. I try to stay up to date with social postings, but it’s good to stop by the site now and again, right? Cheers!
So glad you stopped by Kevin!