Copper Pennies Recipe (2024)

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.

Copper Pennies Recipe (1)

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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.

Copper Pennies Recipe (4)

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:

Candied Carrots Recipe

Sweet And Sour Green Beans

Easy Candied Sweet Potatoes

Easy Tomato Basil Soup Recipe

Copper Pennies Recipe (5)

Copper Pennies

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.

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Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: carrots

Servings: 4

Calories: 351kcal

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

Calories: 351kcal

Tried this recipe?Mention @southernplate or tag #southernplate!

“Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will.”

~Zig Ziglar

Copper Pennies Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to cook copper penny carrots? ›

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).

How long can you keep copper pennies in the refrigerator? ›

Add carrots and stir until well mixed. Cover and refrigerate at least 3-4 hours. Serve cold as a salad, or warm it and use as a side dish. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

How much copper is in a penny worth? ›

In other words, if copper sells for $1.54 per pound, then a penny contains (very close to) one cent worth of copper. The amount of copper in a penny is (95% of 3.11 grams) \approx 2.95 grams.

Why is the 1983 penny so valuable? ›

The U.S. made about 7.7 billion pennies in 1983, but only about 5,000 of them are known to have been made with this doubling error, James McCartney, director of numismatics at Stack's Bowers Galleries, tells CNBC Make It. The rarity of these misprinted pennies are what make them more valuable than ordinary pennies.

Which penny is worth $35000? ›

Are you a coin enthusiast or just stumbled upon an old collection? The 1982 penny might hold a hidden gem worth $35,000.

When did they stop making copper pennies? ›

For the year 1943, pennies became zinc-coated steel because copper was essential to the war effort during World War II. But the Mint also struck a limited number of copper pennies. In 1962 tin was eliminated, and in 1982 the penny became primarily zinc with only 2.5% copper.

How much is 10 lb of pennies worth? ›

While ten pounds of copper pennies would carry a face value of around $4.50, the copper contained in these coins is worth quite a bit more.

What year of penny is 100% copper? ›

History of composition
YearsMaterialWeight (grams)
1795–1857~100% copper10.89
1856–186488% copper, 12% nickel (also known as NS-12)4.67
1864–1942bronze (95% copper, 5% tin and zinc)3.11
1943zinc-coated steel (also known as 1943 steel cent)2.72
5 more rows

What happens if you leave pennies in vinegar for too long? ›

After a few minutes, the same reaction that dissolves stuck-on grime can begin to eat away at the copper. This may cause the pennies to give off an odd metallic residue, staining your hands or the container they're in.

Is it worth it to keep copper pennies? ›

It takes about 150 pre 83 "copper alloy" coins to equal a pound of copper. So for each pound of copper based cents/pennies, you are actually getting (at today's prices) over 4 dollars of copper base metal. Not a bad bet, considering the downside risk is limited to the face value of the coins you keep.

How much is 1 pound of copper worth? ›

Copper Prices Per KG/Pound [+ Historic Data] Today's copper market price is $4.59 per pound. Tip: Use the “Advanced” button above to access technical analysis charting features for copper spot prices over time. Read on to find out about how copper prices compare to precious metal prices like gold and silver.

Is it worth saving pre-1982 pennies? ›

A: All U.S. pennies, regardless of their year of minting, are considered legal tender and can be used to pay for goods and services. However, pre-1982 pennies contain a higher copper content and may be worth more than their face value to collectors.

Why is the 1943 copper penny so valuable? ›

In 1943, the United States Mint switched from using copper to using steel for their pennies. The change was due to a shortage of copper during World War II. However, a small number of 1943 copper pennies were made by mistake — as a result, the 1943 copper penny is now one of the most valuable pennies in circulation.

What are copper pennies made of? ›

Pennies are made of zinc coated with copper. Only nickels are one solid material—that same 75% copper/25% nickel alloy. Would you like fries with that?

What elements are in a copper penny? ›

The penny is 97.5 percent zinc and 2.5 percent copper. This image shows copper in ore. The penny was once composed mainly of copper, but since 1982 the United States Mint has made pennies from copper-plated zinc.

What is the 1943 copper penny made of? ›

The unique composition of the coin (low-grade steel coated with zinc, instead of the previously 95%-copper-based bronze composition) has led to various nicknames, such as wartime cent, steel war penny, zinc cent and steelie.

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