The crisp crunch of a raw carrot when you bite into it can be a very pleasing sensation. Paired with a favorite dressing, it is a delicious snack. However, it might not fare well in a recipe for a dish that requires them to be soft. There are many delicious recipes that call for softened carrots and they are great to add as a side dish to any dinner. In this article, we will go over how to soften carrots.
With so many methods of softening carrots, it’s difficult to decide which one to use. To choose, determine how much time you have to prepare them, and what necessary cooking utensils you have on hand.
Getting your Carrots Ready
To prepare your carrots for softening, you will need to rinse them well, pat dry, peel with a vegetable peeler, and cut them to the desired size and shape. If you wish to keep them whole, they will take longer to cook. Always be sure to remove the stems and tips.
Method 1 – Soften Carrots with a Microwave
The quickest and easiest way to soften carrots is by simply steaming them in your microwave. You won’t need any pots or pans to do this, and it only takes a few minutes. Please note, “doneness” of each piece may vary according to size and thickness. For about one pound of carrots, fill a microwave-safe bowl with about 2 tablespoons of water and add carrots. Cover microwave-safe bowl with a microwave-safe lid. If you do not have one, a microwave-safe plate works just fine. Your lid should not have any ventilation or holes because the water needs to stay trapped inside to steam your carrots. Assuming your microwave is a 1,000-watt power, cook carrots on high for about three and a half minutes. If your microwave is lower in watts, increase the time cooked, and if your microwave is stronger than 1,000-watts, decrease the time cooked.
When finished, check for tenderness by forking a carrot. If it goes through with no resistance, they are finished. If they are still hard, stir or flip them, and cook for another thirty seconds and repeat until they achieve the desired tenderness. Once they have reached the correct tenderness, remove the bowl with oven mittens and drain water. Then, you may prepare your carrots as you wish.
Method 2 – Soften Carrots by Steaming in a Frying Pan
Another simple way to soften carrots is to steam them in a pan. You can use a frying pan or a saucepan, whichever you have available. Bring about half an inch of water to a boil and add carrots. Cover with lid and cook until they achieve the desired tenderness. This will usually take about five minutes; however, time will vary depending on the size of the carrot pieces. When they are finished, carefully drain the water and continue preparing carrots as the recipe calls for.
Method 3 – Soften Carrots with a Steamer Basket
Steaming your carrots using a steamer basket is a popular method, however, it can be the longest method. Fill the pot with about one inch of water and bring to a boil. Attach the basket to the pot and add carrots into the basket. Cover and let cook for about five to ten minutes. Again, the time they need to cook depends on how thick the slices are and how tender you wish them to be. When they are finished steaming, carefully remove the basket with oven mittens or the like. Prepare recipe as desired.
Method 4 – Soften Carrots by Blanching
What is Blanching?
Blanching is the method by which food is boiled, and then immediately put on ice or in ice-cold water. The blanching method is one used to ensure the firmness of the vegetable is retained. When fruit or vegetable is high in water content, they will continue to cook even when they have been removed from the heat source. This is due to the water that lives inside the fruit or vegetable still being hot enough to cook.
This way of softening your carrots is perfect for when you need them to stay a bit firmer than steaming would allow for. It is good to implement this method when you need to cook the carrots in another dish that requires all of the vegetables to be soft. Because carrots are such a firm vegetable, they take much longer than most vegetables to soften. So, you can quickly soften them before adding them to a soup or shepherd’s pie to ensure they are as tender as the rest of the vegetables in the dish.
How to Blanch Carrots?
To blanch your carrots, first, bring a large pot of water to a boil. The size of the pot should comfortably fit the carrots inside with enough water to completely cover the carrots. Do not add the carrots into the water before it has reached a full boil. This is a good time to prepare your carrots as “a watched pot never boils.” Once the water is boiling, carefully add your carrots. Cook until desired tenderness is reached, then carefully drain the carrots into a colander. At this point, you can either run cold water on them for about five minutes, or you can add them to a large bowl of ice water. Stir or rotate the carrots to ensure the cold water is reaching each piece. Once the cooling process is complete, dry carrots and prepare as you please.
Final Thoughts on How to Soften Carrots
Choose the method that works best for you. There are many recipes that include steamed or soften carrots, and these methods of softening are simple and quick. If you need a side dish in a pinch, simply place your carrots in a bowl and add about a tablespoon of butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. One of my favorite carrot dishes is glazed carrots which are sweet and savory. I hope you have found this article helpful. Enjoy!