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These Air Fryer carrots are the perfect easy-peasy veggie side dish that will win everyone over! A few minutes and some pantry staples is all you need to whip up this incredibly versatile side dish.
Air frying lends carrots a nice bit of crispy caramelization on the outside, which makes them absolutely irresistible. You can pair them with a meat side or even enjoy them just like that- yes, they’re THAT good. And if you’re feeling fancy, team them up with some broccoli to make Air Fryer broccoli and carrots!
Making veggie sides using my Air Fryer is my obsession. I just can’t get enough of that slight crispy caramelization that most veggies achieve when air fried- it’s just unbeatable.
So of course, I keep trying a lot of vegetable side dish recipes in it. My Air Fryer broccoli and air fryer asparagus are classics that you can’t go wrong with, and when it’s fall, you’ve got to try my Air Fryer acorn squash and Air Fryer stuffed mushrooms for all those holiday dinners.
Quick Look At This Recipe
✨ Flavor: Sweet and salty.
⏱️ Prep time: 5 minutes.
🔥 Cook time: 12 minutes.
⏲️ Total time: 17 minutes.
👥 Servings: 4 servings.
🥄 Tools: Air Fryer.
❄️ Freezer friendly: No.
👩🏻🍳 Tip: If you’re making air fried carrots as a side for your holiday dinner, season them with some cinnamon sugar to enjoy those beautiful fall flavors.
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Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They’re so easy to make- even more than my Air Fryer carrot fries, which only take a few extra minutes.
- Lots of free oven space, and less cleanup! Everything comes together in your Air Fryer basket, which makes it SO easy.
- It’s customizable! You can tweak the flavors and mix-ins to your liking.
Recipe Ingredients
- Fresh carrots: The hero ingredient. Make sure you choose ones that are firm and ripe, and don’t have any soft spots or discoloration.
- Oil: To help the seasonings stick to the carrots, and also to get them to crisp up nicely. Extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil work great.
- Seasonings: I kept it simple and just used a bit of salt and black pepper. You can get creative and use paprika, garlic powder or even some ranch seasoning mix if you want.
See recipe card for quantities.
Variations
- Want the carrots to have a touch of sweetness? Add some brown sugar or a dash of maple syrup along with the seasonings. And if you’re not vegan, you can just try my Air Fryer honey glazed carrots recipe!
- For a cheesy twist, sprinkle some Parmesan onto the carrots during the final 2-3 minutes of cooking.
How to Make Air Fryer Carrots
- Peel and rinse carrots, then pat away excess water with a paper towel. Cut carrots into 1-3-inch pieces.
- Transfer sliced to a large bowl, and then toss carrots with olive oil, salt, and pepper until they are well coated.
- Transfer the carrots to your Air Fryer basket in a single layer without stacking or overlapping.
- Air Fry the carrots at 380 F for 15-18 minutes. Shake basket halfway through cooking time.
Are you new to Air Fryers? If you are, we have a great article about What is an Air Fryer. It talks about what you can make, how to use it, and more.
Looking for the BEST accessories to use with your Air Fryer? We’ve put together this list of our favorite Air Fryer Accessories.
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
Enjoy these Air Fryer carrots as a side dish with almost any grilled or roasted meat. I love pairing these with my Air Fryer salmon and Air Fryer BBQ chicken.
These also work wonderfully when served on a holiday dinner alongside classics like Air Fryer turkey breast or Air Fryer turkey legs, some air fried squash and my favorite Air Fryer mac and cheese.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- You can also use baby carrots instead of regular carrots! Just make sure you adjust the cooking time, since they’ll take less time to cook than regular carrots.
- Use carrots that are similar in size and thickness. Also chop them up roughly the same size- this will ensure they’re all perfectly cooked- I realized this when I made my Air Fryer sweet potato cubes.
- Don’t overcrowd the Air Fryer basket. You can also shake the basket a couple of times during the cooking time to get the carrots nice and crispy.
- Top the air fried carrots with a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley (like I did with my Air Fryer roasted potatoes) for some extra deliciousness.
Recipe FAQs
If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To reheat, pop them back in the Air Fryer for 3-5 minutes until heated through.
Yes! However, we recommend thawing the carrots before tossing them with the oil and spices so that they stick to the carrots. Plus, you need to cut the carrots before frying them so that they cook evenly.
Yes, you can! If you’re not sensitive to dairy or just want a nice rich flavor, you can totally use salted or unsalted butter instead of cooking oil.
More Air Fryer Carrot Ideas to Try
Side Dishes
Air Fryer Honey Glazed Carrots
Side Dishes
Air Fryer Carrot Fries
Side Dishes
Air Fryer Broccoli and Carrots
Desserts
Air Fryer Carrot Cake
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Air Fryer Carrots
Equipment
- 1 Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 pound carrots
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Optional: Sprinkle with parmesan cheese after cooking
Instructions
- Peel and rinse carrots, then pat away excess water with a paper towel. Use a vegetable peeler to peel carrots and then cut or trim into even size pieces.
- In a large bowl, toss carrots with olive oil, salt, and pepper, until carrots are well coating with oil and seasonings.
- Transfer the seasoned carrots in Air Fryer basket in a single layer without stacking.
- Air Fry carrots at 380 degrees F for 12-14 minutes. Shake basket halfway through cooking time.
- Carrots are done when fork tender with a crisp. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- If you’re using smaller sized carrots or baby carrots, adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- Don’t overcrowd your Air Fryer basket. Shake the basket a couple of times to get the nice golden brown caramelization on all sides.
- Make sure you pat dry the carrots before you coat them in the seasonings and oil. This will, again, help them get nice and crispy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
EASY AND TASTY