These air fryer carrots only take about 15 minutes to cook and are so delicious that they’ll quickly be on your dinner rotation menu. There are sweet and savory options so there’s a version for everyone!
Air Fryer Carrots
Oh my goodness, if you’ve never tried cooking carrots in an air fryer before, you’re in for such a treat! Both the sweet and savory versions of this recipe are ridiculously good and will have your entire family asking for seconds. I honestly can’t decide which version I like best.
These easy savory roasted air fryer carrots are tossed in olive oil and a delicious blend of Italian seasoning, garlic powder, parsley, salt, and pepper. They’re roasted to perfection, deliciously tender, and packed with flavor.
On the other hand, the sweet air fryer carrots recipe is made with melted butter, brown sugar, ground ginger, and salt. They’re caramelized and glossy, with a sweet, warming, salty flavor that’s perfectly balanced.
Whether you like your air fried carrots sweet or savory, these carrots will quickly become a quick go-to side dish that you can pull together in minutes.
Ingredients
Carrots: Carrots become tender and a bit caramelized when they’re roasted, which makes them perfect to cook in the air fryer. Look for carrots that are brightly colored and firm. Thinner carrots tend to taste sweeter, and thicker carrots tend to be heartier and hold up well to roasting. Rainbow carrots would also be a fun option here!
Sweet (Brown Sugar, Butter, Ginger, and Salt): Brown sugar adds sweetness, a molasses flavor, and helps the carrots caramelize. Butter adds richness and helps the other flavors stick to the carrots. Ginger is a warming spice that adds a bit of zing to balance out the sugar. Salt enhances the other flavors and balances the sweetness.
Savory (Olive Oil, Italian Seasoning, Garlic Powder, Parsley, Salt, and Pepper): Olive oil helps brown the carrots and helps the seasonings stick. Italian seasoning is an easy way to add tons of depth of flavor. Garlic powder adds a savory and mellow garlic flavor (plus, you don’t run the risk of burning fresh minced garlic, which can be easy to do in an air fryer). Parsley adds a pop of color and a bright, herby taste. Salt enhances all of the other flavors. Pepper adds a subtle heat that balances out the other flavors.
Alternative Ingredients
- Carrots: You can use baby carrots if that’s what you have on hand. Just be sure to cut the thick ones in half lengthwise.
- Oil or Butter: Feel free to replace the butter or olive oil with your favorite cooking oil. Coconut oil would be a great option for the sweet version, and avocado oil would be a great option for the savory version.
- Ginger: Feel free to swap this for your favorite warming spice – cinnamon would be delicious here.
- Brown Sugar: You could try using maple syrup or honey instead.
- Spices and Herbs: Feel free to use any of your favorite spices and herbs here. This is a great place to try using one of your favorite spice blends, like Mediterranean seasoning.
How To Cook Air Fryer Carrots
Sweet or Savory: Start by choosing whether you’re going to make the sweet or savory roasted carrots, then gather the ingredients. (See the recipe card below for the full printable instructions.)
Prep the Carrots: Wash then peel the carrots. Cut them into even thicknesses – halved lengthwise for thinner carrots, and quartered lengthwise for thicker carrots. Then cut those sticks into 2-inch pieces.
Season: Add the carrots and the other ingredients to a mixing bowl, then stir to coat.
Create a Foil “Bowl”: Transfer the carrots to a large sheet of aluminum foil in a single layer, then fold the sides up and around the carrots to create a foil “bowl”.
Air Fry: Transfer the “bowl” with the carrots to the air fryer, then cook, stirring every few minutes, under the carrots are fork-tender. See the recipe card below for the full written instructions, including ingredient amounts, cooking times, and helpful tips, etc.
Pro Tips
- Cut the Carrots Evenly: Cutting the carrots into even thicknesses and even lengths ensures that they cook evenly. Since carrots are hard, if you have a combination of thick and thin ones, they will have significantly different cooking times. The thin ones could burn while the thick ones are still underdone.
- Use Foil: This is especially important for the sweet version. It stops the sugary butter from dripping down into the bottom of the air fryer basket, which can caramelize and burn there. It also makes cleanup a breeze.
- Shake or Stir Frequently: Again, this is especially important for the sweet version. This helps the carrots caramelize without burning.
- Don’t Crowd the Basket: If you have too many carrots in the basket, they will steam instead of roast. It’s important that they have a bit of space for some air flow around them.
Can You Cook Raw Carrots In An Air Fryer?
Absolutely! Not only that, but cooking raw carrots in the air fryer is one of the simplest, and tastiest, ways to cook them. The air fryer cooks them quickly, which makes them perfect for an easy weekday side dish.
What Temp To Cook Carrots In An Air Fryer?
I like air-frying carrots at 375F for 13-15 minutes to get perfectly tender results. Just make sure you remember to pull the basket out a few times to shake it during the cooking process so they cook evenly.
How Long To Cook Carrots In An Air Fryer?
Carrots normally take about 12-15 minutes to cook in an air fryer. If you have thinner carrots, they may be done in as little as 10-12 minutes. If you have thicker carrots, they’ll likely take closer to 15-18 minutes. To make carrot chips, you’ll only need to cook them for 8-10 minutes.
Can I Use Baby Carrots?
Absolutely! They’re an ultra easy and convenient option. Just make sure to cut the thick ones in half lengthwise to do your best to make them all an even thickness. If you plan to roast them whole, they may take a few minutes longer.
What To Serve With Roasted Carrots
These are a quick, easy, and elegant side dish for all of your favorite dinner recipes. It’s perfect for holiday meals or busy weeknights. I love serving it with baked lobster tails, my favorite bone-in ribeye roast, this incredible bacon wrapped filet mignon, this bacon wrapped pork tenderloin, or some pan seared chilean sea bass.
Storing, Freezing, And Reheating Leftovers
Let leftovers cool, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I wouldn’t recommend freezing them, because their texture will be mushy after thawing. To reheat, heat them in a 350F air fryer for 5-7 minutes, shaking halfway through.
Keep In Touch
I’d love to hear what you thought of this recipe in the comments or on Instagram! @KeyToMyLime #KeyToMyLime
Side Dish Recipes
If you like this recipe, be sure to check out all of our other side dishes. Some reader favorites are:
- Microwave Sweet Potato
- Roasted Baby Potatoes
- Honey Glazed Carrots
- Fried Potatoes And Onions
- Green Beans and Potatoes
- Microwave Baked Potato
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Cubes
- Cajun Rice
BEST Roasted Air Fryer Carrots (Sweet or Savory)
These air fryer carrots only take about 15 minutes to cook and are so delicious that they’ll quickly be on your dinner rotation menu.
Ingredients
Sweet:
- 1 pound carrots
- 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons butter (melted)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Savory:
- 1 pound carrots
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
Sweet Carrots:
- Wash and peel the carrots. Cut them into even thicknesses. For the thinner ones, you’ll only need to cut them in half lengthwise. For the thicker ones, you’ll need to slice them into quarters lengthwise. Once all the carrot sticks are roughly an even thickness, cut them into 2-inch sections.
- Preheat your Air Fryer to 375F for 5 minutes while seasoning the carrots.
- To a medium mixing bowl, add the carrots, melted butter, brown sugar, ginger, and salt. Thoroughly mix together until evenly coated.
- Prepare a piece of aluminum foil big enough to create a bowl for your carrots to sit inside of. (This will sit in the bottom of your air fryer to stop the butter from dripping to the bottom of the air fryer while the carrots are cooking.)
- Transfer the carrots onto the foil, then lift the sides up around the carrots and form a bowl. Place the foil bowl into the preheated air fryer basket.
- Air fry the carrots at 375F for 13-15 minutes, until fork tender, stirring the carrots around every 4 minutes to ensure even cooking and prevent them from burning. (If your carrots are thick, they may need a minute or two more.)
- Carefully transfer the carrots from the foil to a serving dish, pour the melted butter from the aluminum foil bowl over the carrots, and serve.
Savory Carrots:
- Wash and peel the carrots. Cut them into even thicknesses. For the thinner ones, you’ll only need to cut them in half lengthwise. For the thicker ones, you’ll need to slice them into quarters lengthwise. Once all the carrot sticks are roughly an even thickness, cut them into 2-inch sections.
- Preheat your Air Fryer to 375F for 5 minutes while seasoning the carrots.
- To a medium mixing bowl, add the oil, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Add the carrots to the oil and seasoning blend, and mix until the carrots are evenly coated.
- Transfer the seasoned carrots to the air fryer basket and cook at 375F for 12-15 minutes, or until fork tender, shaking the carrots around every 4 minutes to ensure even cooking and prevent them from burning. (If your carrots are thick, they may need a minute or two more.)
- Transfer the carrots to a serving dish, and enjoy.
Notes
There is enough seasoning in both the sweet and savory recipes that you can add an extra carrot if you like (for a total of about 1.5 pounds of carrots). If you do, you may need to add on a bit of extra cooking time though. The carrots are done when a fork can easily pierce a carrot.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1/4Amount Per Serving: Calories: 120Total Fat: 6.2gCarbohydrates: 16.3gFiber: 3.5gSugar: 9.8gProtein: 1.2g
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.
The next time you’re looking for an easy side dish that picky eaters will love and is holiday-worthy, try making these air fryer carrots!
