Copper Penny Carrots Recipe

Carrots are one of the best vegetables you can eat! If you are looking for a side dish that is loaded with this wonderful orange veggie, then look no further than this recipe for copper penny carrots. According to WebMD, carrots are high in vitamin C and can help boost your immune system. They are also high in fiber and can help control diabetes. Plain and simple — they're a no-brainer to eat.

Recipe developer Kate Shungu, a blogger and recipe developer at of Gift of Hospitality came up with the recipe for these copper penny carrots, and there's a lot to love about them. "I love how simple yet impressive these carrots are. They're colorful and full of flavor, and yet only take 20 minutes to make," Shungu shares. "This is a vintage recipe, most likely from the 1970s or even earlier. My mom makes a variation on this recipe for holiday dinners." If you love classic recipes, this one is perfect for your next dinner.

Now that you've committed to this recipe, you will need to make a grocery list. We always like to remind readers to check your fridge and pantry for ingredients that you may have at home already. When you head to the store, make a stop in the produce aisle and get a pound of carrots and a small onion. In addition, you will need a single green bell pepper. The recipe also calls for a few liquids like condensed tomato soup, vegetable oil, and white vinegar. Then, be sure to grab white sugar and some chives.

Ready to get started? This recipe is super easy and just requires a little bit of prep work. Grab a pot and fill it with water. Place it on your stove and bring the water to a rolling boil. Then, grab your carrots. As a reminder, you should have chopped these ahead of time. "You can chop the carrots however you'd like! I used whole carrots, cut on the bias because I think they look really nice that way," Shungu notes. "If you want to skip chopping carrots altogether, you could use baby carrots instead." 

Place the carrots in the steamer basket and set your timer for four to five minutes. You can also check to see when they get tender and take them out. Be sure to drain the excess water. "If you don't have a steamer, you can boil the carrots. Just be sure to drain them well before adding them to the sauce," Shungu shares. 

Now, it's time to make the sauce for this wonderful dish. Grab a large bowl that is big enough to fit all of your veggies and wet ingredients. Toss in the tomato soup, vegetable oil, and sugar. Whisk them well to combine. Next, add the steamed carrots, onion, and green peppers. As another reminder, you should have chopped the veggies ahead of time.

Use a spoon to stir the veggies and combine them with the sauce. "The sauce is sweet and a little tangy. It complements the carrots and green peppers really nicely," Shungu raves. 

Once you mix the veggies and the sauce, you will need to stick the bowl in the fridge. Be sure to keep them in there for at least two hours before you serve. So, be sure you give yourself enough time for optimal flavor! 

"A few hours in the refrigerator helps all of the flavors come together," Shungu says. "However, if you're short on time, you can skip this step and just serve them right away. You can also make them a day ahead and let them marinate overnight." 

Once you remove the veggies from the fridge, serve them on a platter or dish of your choice. Shungu recommends serving these veggies with some chopped chives on top. If chopped chives aren't your thing, then you can always leave them out!

These are great on their own but Shungu also provides a few good serving suggestions. "I like serving these with comfort food, like pot roast or roast chicken," she shares. Anything left? "Leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days," Shungu adds. Every protein needs an equally delicious vegetable side dish, and we think these copper penny carrots will round out your dinner perfectly.