Vegetables & Sides

Passover Carrot Tzimmes

Name: Passover Carrot Tzimmes
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Vegetables & Sides
Ingredients: 6 large carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds; 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed; 1 cup pitted prunes, halved; 1/2 cup dried apricots, halved; 3 tbsp honey; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/2 tsp ground ginger; 1/2 tsp salt; 1 cup orange juice

A sweet, honey-glazed braise of carrots, sweet potatoes, and dried fruit — a traditional Ashkenazi side dish served at the Passover table.

60 minutes

Serves 8

Side

21 min prep

33 min cook

No common allergens detected

Based on this recipe's ingredient list. Always verify with your own brands and labels.

Instructions

6 steps

1
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
2
In a large bowl, toss the carrots and sweet potatoes with the vegetable oil, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.
3
Transfer to a baking dish and stir in the prunes, apricots, honey, and orange juice.
4
Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
5
Uncover and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the liquid has thickened into a glaze.
6
Stir gently and serve warm.

Listahan Family Score™

80/100

Good fit for most families

Allergen-friendly 100

Kid-friendly 85

Weeknight-easy 64

Budget-friendly 86

Great leftovers 93

Pantry-friendly 28

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

115

Calories

1 g

Protein

21 g

Carbs

4 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

Tzimmes is a sweet, slow-braised dish rooted in Ashkenazi Jewish home cooking, traditionally served at Rosh Hashanah and Passover as a symbol of a sweet new year. Carrots and dried fruit braised in honey and their own juices became the most common version, though families vary the fruit and spice mix widely.

Listahan note

This version keeps the braise simple and hands-off: everything goes into one dish, covered tightly so the vegetables steam-braise in the honey and orange juice until the liquid reduces into a glaze on its own.

Technique cues

Covering the dish tightly for the first stretch of baking traps steam so the carrots and sweet potatoes cook through evenly before the liquid starts to reduce.
Uncovering for the last 10-15 minutes lets the honey-orange liquid concentrate into a glaze that coats the vegetables instead of pooling thin at the bottom.
Cutting the carrots and sweet potatoes into similarly sized pieces keeps the cooking time even, so nothing turns mushy while other pieces are still firm.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Toss the carrots and sweet potatoes with the oil and spices while the oven preheats, then add the fruit and liquid right before covering and baking.
Make-ahead: Tzimmes reheats beautifully and many cooks consider it better the next day once the flavors have had time to meld.
Leftover move: Blend leftovers with a little broth into a naturally sweet soup, or fold into rice for a sweet-savory side.
Cleanup rhythm: Use one baking dish for the whole process; cover with foil to bake, then uncover for the final glaze stage without switching pans.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

Carrots

Main vegetable

Purpose: Carrots hold their shape through a long braise while still absorbing the sweet glaze, giving the dish its signature texture.

Handling: Slice into even rounds so they cook at the same rate as the sweet potato pieces.

Adaptation: Parsnips can stand in for some of the carrots for a slightly earthier, more peppery flavor.

Sweet potatoes

Starchy body

Purpose: They add sweetness and a softer, creamier texture that contrasts with the firmer carrots.

Handling: Cube them to a similar size as the carrot rounds so everything finishes cooking together.

Adaptation: Regular potatoes give a less sweet, more neutral version if you want to dial back the dessert-like quality.

Prunes and dried apricots

Sweetness and chew

Purpose: The dried fruit plumps up in the braising liquid, adding pockets of concentrated sweetness and a soft, jammy texture.

Handling: Halve them so they distribute evenly through the dish rather than clumping in one spot.

Adaptation: Dried figs or raisins can replace either fruit for a different sweetness profile.

Honey and orange juice

Braising liquid and glaze

Purpose: Together they form the sweet, citrusy liquid that reduces into the glaze coating everything by the end of cooking.

Handling: Stir them in after the initial spice toss so they coat the vegetables evenly before the dish goes into the oven.

Adaptation: Maple syrup in place of honey gives a slightly different, more caramel-like sweetness.

Technique notes

Keep the dish tightly covered for the first bake stage; an uncovered dish loses steam too early and the vegetables can dry out before they're tender.
Stir gently, not vigorously, when serving so the softened sweet potato pieces don't break down into mush.
If the glaze looks thin after uncovering, give it a few extra minutes; it thickens quickly in the last stretch.

Ingredient swaps

Lower-sugar direction: Reduce the honey by half and rely more on the orange juice and natural sweetness of the dried fruit.
Nut addition: Scatter toasted almonds over the top just before serving for a bit of crunch against the soft braise.
Spice-forward direction: Add a pinch of ground cloves alongside the cinnamon and ginger for a warmer, more festive flavor.

Serve alongside

Roast chicken
Braised brisket
Matzo ball soup
Sweet Passover wine
Sparkling apple cider
Hot tea with honey

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 5 days.
Reheat gently on the stovetop or in a low oven with a splash of orange juice or water to loosen the glaze.
Tzimmes freezes well for up to 2 months; thaw overnight before reheating.

Equipment

Large baking dish
Aluminum foil
Mixing bowl for tossing the vegetables

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