Copper Pennies Recipe
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
This old-fashioned copper pennies recipe is a classic Southern side dish that includes marinated carrots and other vegetables in a sweet and sour tomato-based sauce.
I’m so excited to introduce y’all to this authentic copper pennies recipe today. Believe me when I say that these babies are delicious. I first tasted these sweet and sour carrots at a small cafe (which has sadly since closed) in Decatur, AL. They were served with delicious chicken poulet and a hot homemade roll.
Luckily, I was able to find similar recipes so that I can now serve them to my friends and family. I love to make these two dishes whenever we are having friends over the weekend since both can be made ahead. I hate to have people over and then spend all my time in the kitchen. Bet y’all feel the same, right?
The wonderful thing about these marinated carrots is that they will keep for about four weeks in the refrigerator. While they make a great side dish, they are equally good with soup and a sandwich. Heck, I sat down and ate a bowl of them by myself without anything at all. Even kids seem to like them.
We have carrots, onion, and bell pepper marinated in a sweet and sour sauce. It’s got lots of ingredients, like sugar, Worcestershire sauce, tomato soup, vinegar, and seasonings. But it’s so simple to make in less than 30 minutes. Simply let it cool and then serve it straight from the fridge. Southern side dish recipes don’t get much easier than that.
If you’ve never tried this and love tangy veggie salads, you’re in for a treat that you’ll crave for the rest of your life! Ready for this life-changing copper pennies recipe? Let’s get cooking!
Serve these with either baked ham, beef ribs, fried chicken, turkey breast, roast chicken, or pork chops and you will have the perfect meal.
Recipe Ingredients
- Tomato soup
- Vegetable oil
- Granulated sugar
- White vinegar
- Dry mustard
- Worcestershire sauce
- Salt
- Pepper
- Onion
- Green bell pepper
- Carrots
Helpful Kitchen Tools
How to Make My Old-Fashioned Copper Pennies Recipe
Peel and slice the carrots into round coins (a.k.a our copper pennies).
Place in a saucepan and cover them with water.
Cook over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook until carrots are tender when pricked with a fork (about 10 minutes).
Drain the carrots in a colander and let them cool.
Add chopped bell pepper and onions and stir to distribute.
In a different saucepan, whisk together the soup, oil, sugar, vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.
Bring to a boil over medium heat while whisking for 2 to 3 minutes.
Set off the heat and let it cool to room temperature.
Pour sauce over the vegetables and stir to combine.
Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours up to overnight before serving.
Serve cold from the refrigerator.
Enjoy your copper penny carrots!
Storage
One of the best parts of this marinated carrots recipe is that it can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four weeks. Serve it straight from the fridge as is or you can warm it on the stovetop on low heat.
Recipe Variations
Here are some ways to make this easy copper penny recipe work for you:
- Add 1/2 cup of chopped celery when you add the other vegetables.
- Use canned carrots or store-bought crinkle-cut carrots instead of fresh carrots.
- Substitute the dry mustard for regular prepared mustard (like yellow mustard or Dijon mustard).
- Use any type of onion, but sweet onion is my favorite.
- Make it a tad healthier by substituting the white sugar for Splenda and cutting the oil in half.
- Add a tablespoon of freshly chopped parsley, thyme, dill, or chives. You can also add any of these fresh herbs as a garnish.
- Substitute the tomato soup for canned stewed tomatoes or tomato juice.
- Use apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, or white wine vinegar instead.
- Use olive oil instead of vegetable oil.
Recipe FAQs
Can you make copper pennies ahead of time?
Yes, you can and should make this copper pennies recipe in advance. You want to store the marinated carrots in the fridge for 8 hours up to overnight, but they’ll also keep for up to one month.
How do you serve marinated carrots?
There are so many ways to serve this copper pennies recipe.
- Enjoy them on their own as a main dish.
- Serve them as a copper penny salad with a grilled cheese sandwich.
- Enjoy them as a side dish at your next picnic or potluck. They pair perfectly with baked ham, beef ribs, fried chicken, turkey breast, roast chicken, or pork chops.
You may also like these Southern side dish recipes:
Ingredients
- 10 carrots, peeled and sliced (about 5 cups)
- 1 medium onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 small green bell pepper, diced (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 can undiluted tomato soup
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Place the carrots in a medium saucepan and cover them with water. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until tender when pricked with a fork.10 carrots, peeled and sliced (about 5 cups)
- Drain the carrots, add the onion and bell pepper, and set aside to cool.1 medium onion, diced (about 1/2 cup), 1 small green bell pepper, diced (about 1/2 cup)
- Combine soup, oil, sugar, vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper with a whisk in a medium saucepan.1 can undiluted tomato soup, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1 cup sugar, 3/4 cup white vinegar, 1 teaspoon dry mustard, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Bring to a boil over medium heat while whisking to combine soup and oil. Continue to cook and whisk for about 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside and cool to room temperature.
- Pour the sauce mixture over the vegetables and stir to combine. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. Serve cold from the refrigerator.
Nutrition
“Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will.”
~Zig Ziglar
My recipe came from my best friend’s mother’s (who would now be close to 100 if alive) parents who owned a diner in Minneapolis , Minnesota in the early 1920’s. So yummy and obviously well liked recipe.
I have never tried this but it sounds sooo good! I think you serve this cold, or am I wrong? Thank you
The recipe notes recommends chilling it for twelve hours.
My mom used to make this, and I’d like to make for my dad’s 100th birthday celebration-any idea how many servings this recipe is?
Yes, cold. And it is better if refrigerated at least a day or two.
I had forgotten about Copper Pennies. Thanks for the reminder. This was included in a church cookbook I helped with.
I love your rabbit with a flashlight story!! My mother used to make these copper pennies. I am saving this to remind me for the next covered dish dinner..
I love copper pennies. I have my Nanny’s handwritten recipe. If my house burns down, I will run out with that recipe in my hand!
My Grandma gave me this delicious recipe over 30 years ago. She is in Heaven now and I cherish the handwritten recipe from her.
I have made this quite often. My husband loves it.
Looking at your sauce pan. Reminds me of the Salad Master, or Lifetime stainless pans my mother had. Learned to cook in those some 50+ years ago.
Thanks for all the recipes and stories. Love visiting the blog and site.
My mom made these for me when I was 8 or 10 years old. I have continued the custom for 60 years now. They are easy and fast to prepare, so I make a lot when I make them. The only change I made was to reduce the oil to 2 or 3 Tblsp, that’s MY taste tho. The other thing I like to do is to cut my carrots at least 1/4″(yeah, thick). When they are how I like ’em, I put 2 thick-cut onions and some nice chunks of the bell pepper in the bottom of my colander and dump the hot water and carrots over the onions and peppers. Leave ’em to sit about 20-25 minutes, the onions will soften nicely, more time=a softer bite and easier to chew.
Put ’em in a large bowl covered with a dish towel big enuf to accommodate the quantity you have. Let ’em sit out a couple of hours, then pop the little jewels in the fridge, and wait, if you can, ’till tomorrow. I’ll bet you or the kids are into them before they have cooked
I have a set of that cookware that I’ve had for 56+ years. Love it!
I love this dish. I make it every Thanksgiving. My recipe doesn’t call for dry mustard, but I’ll have to try that next time I make it.