Carrot Casserole is an old fashioned side dish that's buttery, creamy, and topped with a Ritz cracker topping. It's got a hint of sweetness but it's mostly a savory casserole.
Simply boil fresh carrots until they're very soft. Then whip them up with butter, heavy cream, and seasonings. Top with crushed Ritz crackers and bake!
Just like these roasted carrots, this casserole appeals to all carrot lovers.
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What is Carrot Casserole
This vintage-style carrot casserole is a side dish that fits right in at Sunday dinner or the holiday table. It's creamy, savory yet lightly sweet, and covered with a buttery Ritz cracker topping that turns golden in the oven. It goes great with Rosemary Chicken!
Ingredient Photo and Notes
Carrot Casserole comes together with simple ingredients and brings a comforting, old-fashioned charm to the dinner table.
Carrots: Fresh carrots boiled until very tender. Soft carrots = creamy texture.
Unsalted butter: Using unsalted butter lets you control the salt level. If salted butter is all you have, you can use it but go easy on the extra salt.
Heavy Whipping Cream: Makes the casserole rich, silky, and soufflé-like.
Onion: Grated onion adds flavor without chunks, or use onion powder for simplicity.
Sugar: Just enough to balance the carrots, not make it candy-sweet.
Ritz Crackers + Butter: The classic Southern topping that bakes up crisp and buttery.
Recipe Variations
Here are some great variations to make this casserole your own or change it up a bit!
- Cheesy Twist: Add ¼ cup shredded cheddar.
- Spice It Up: A pinch of cayenne or Cajun seasoning gives it a warm, subtle kick.
- Make It Sweeter: Add an extra tablespoon of sugar or a little nutmeg.
- Breadcrumb Swap: Use panko or crushed cornflakes instead of Ritz for a different crunch.
- Lighten It Up: Use half-and-half instead of cream.
How to Make Carrot Casserole
This casserole is baked until the top turns golden and crisp. The Ritz topping gives the casserole its signature Southern charm.
Step 1. Boil the carrots until very soft. Drain off the water.
Step 2. Beat, mash, or puree the hot carrots with butter. Stir in the whipping cream, minced onion, sugar, salt, and pepper.
Step 3. Transfer the carrot mixture into a casserole dish.
Step 4. Top with buttered Ritz crackers and bake for about 25 minutes.
- Serve this casserole alongside broccoli cauliflower salad.
Tips You Should Know
- Season the carrot casserole with salt and pepper. Adjust as needed, because the casserole will be bland without enough salt and pepper.
- Boil the carrots until they're super soft; otherwise the casserole will be chunky. This casserole was meant to be like a souffle.
- For a silky smoother texture, use a food processor instead of a mixer for the cooked carrots.
- Make sure the carrots are very tender before baking (the texture depends on it).
Recipe FAQs
Yes, they'll work just fine. You may need to boil them longer if you use whole baby carrots.
Absolutely! Make it up to a day in advance and store covered in the fridge. Add the topping right before baking.
You can boil them or steam them. The amount of time will vary depending on you're cooking whole carrots, chopped carrots, or carrot strips/sticks.
Yes, but without the topping! I recommend using a freezer-friendly container that can go into the oven as well. Here's how: Bake it in a freezer/oven friendly container, and let it completely cool off, cover it, freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then add the Ritz cracker topping and place it uncovered in a 350F oven until hot and bubbly (25-35 minutes).
More Easy Side Dish Casseroles
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Recipe
Simple Carrot Casserole Recipe
Equipment
- large pot for boiling carrots
- 2-qt casserole dish
- measuring cup(s)
- measuring spoons
- food processor or mixer
Ingredients
- 2 lbs fresh carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened ½ cup
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons grated onion
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Topping
- 1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed about 1½ cups
- ½ stick melted butter ¼ cup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add carrots and cook until very tender, about 20 minutes. Drain well.
- In a large bowl, combine hot carrots with the butter. Beat with an electric mixer or mash until creamy. A food processor also works well to puree the carrots.
- Stir in the whipping cream, onion, sugar, salt, and pepper. Taste test - add more salt, pepper, and/or sugar, if needed. This is a "savory" dish but I find a little sugar adds a nice flavor. Don't skimp on the salt! It's a must to bring out the flavor of the casserole so make sure you taste test and add salt as needed.
- Pour the mixture into a lightly greased 2-quart casserole dish.
- Mix the crushed Ritz crackers with the melted butter. Sprinkle evenly over the casserole.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the top is golden and the edges are bubbly.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy to my readers. I'm not a nutritionist and I don't guarantee the accuracy of this data. The data may differ according to the brands I used versus the brands you use. To calculate the data yourself using your brands, try using an online nutrition calculator or app.
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