Easy to make and so delicious, Air Fryer Baby Carrots have a fork-tender texture and caramelized flavor that is just irresistible. Plus, they're ready in under 20 minutes with the perfect texture, so you can enjoy them with everything from a weeknight dinner, like our Air Fryer Thin Chicken Breast, to a last minute holiday side dish addition without stressing!
Jump to:
Watch the Video
Baby Carrots in the Air Fryer
Baby carrots are an underrated side dish, don't you think? They're for more than just dipping in ranch! There is so much you can do with baby carrots, and they have the most amazing flavor and texture when you cook them right. If you want to add a little easy nutrition to your table that packs a wallop of flavor, caramelized baby carrots in the air fryer are the answer!
These air fried roast carrots are genuinely so tasty that, during our extensive testing to perfect the flavor and texture of the carrots, we had a hard time stopping ourselves from snacking on the whole batch right then and there. One taste test, and before we knew it we'd eaten half of the servings!
When you need an easy, wholesome side dish for dinner, make these air fryer baby carrots. Even the pickiest eaters who would claim not to like carrots might just ask for seconds!
Ingredients for Air Frying Baby Carrots
- Baby Carrots: Make sure to dry your baby carrots off completely. This will help them roast properly in the air fryer. Also, if your baby carrots are thinner than ours, check them halfway through the air frying process and adjust the cooking time as necessary. Baby carrots vary in size, so yours might take less time.
- Avocado Oil: We're using avocado oil for our carrots, but you can also use light olive oil or any of our recommended air frying cooking oils.
- Kosher Salt: Use kosher salt or sea salt flakes, rather than fine salt.
- Italian Seasoning: We're using a premade Italian seasoning mix, but you can also make your own.
- Garlic Powder: Adds a garlicky flavor to the carrots without the need for fresh garlic, which would burn in the air fryer. It perfectly complements the sweetness of baby carrots.
- Black Pepper: Freshly cracked black pepper works best!
How to Air Fry Baby Carrots
Pat carrots dry
Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C). Using a paper towel, dry off the carrots to remove any excess moisture. This is an important step, so don't skip it!
Season carrots
Place carrots in a medium bowl. Toss with avocado oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Mix to coat the baby carrots completely with the seasoning.
Air fry baby carrots
Pour the carrots into the air fryer basket. Be careful, it will be hot! Air fry for 13-15 minutes, or until tender to your liking. Shake the basket halfway through air frying (set a timer to remind yourself if necessary).
Serve and enjoy!
Carefully remove from the air fryer to a serving bowl, and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- For best results, air fried baby carrots should be fork tender and have a caramelized flavor.
- Overcooked baby carrots become mushy, soggy, and unappealing, so be sure to keep an eye on them.
- Preheating the air fryer aids in caramelization which adds lots of wonderful flavor to these air fried baby carrots.
- Baby carrots vary in size. As a result some carrots might be more al dente than others even from the same bag. Be sure to cook until the carrots are tender to your liking.
- The baby carrots we use in this recipe are a pretty good size, but sometimes baby carrots will be much smaller. Be sure to refer to the photos or our video for a reference. If your baby carrots are thinner, you’ll want to check them halfway through air frying and adjust the cook time as needed.
- Cook time may vary depending on your specific air fryer. As always, use the cook time and temperature as a guide until you are more comfortable with your specific brand of air fryer.
- If cooking in multiple batches, be sure to check on the remaining batches early, as they may cook more quickly.
What to Serve with Baby Carrots
Toaster Oven Style Air Fryer Instructions
The following instructions are for toaster-oven style air fryers with a tray, such as the Breville Smart Oven Air. Note that these models take longer to cook than air fryers with a basket.
- Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F.
- Dry carrots well with a paper towel. This is important to prep the carrots for air frying!
- Place carrots in a medium bowl and toss with 1 Tablespoon avocado oil, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Mix to coat the carrots with the seasoning.
- Pour carrots into the air fryer tray basket in a single layer.
- Air fry 15-20 minutes or until tender to your liking. Be sure to shake the air fryer basket halfway through to ensure even cooking.
Storage Instructions
- Store leftovers of your air fryer carrots in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Make sure to let them cool off first! To reheat, add to the air fryer for 2-3 minutes until heated through.
FAQ
Generally, the packaging for bagged baby carrots will include if they were thoroughly washed or not. Look for “ready to eat” or “triple washed” carrots. If yours aren't ready to eat, be sure to rinse them in cool water before cooking. Pat them dry after washing.
Air Fryer Vegetables
- Looking for a new favorite? Try all of our air fryer veggies!
- Sliced Potatoes in the Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Broccoli
- Air Fryer Green Beans
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Cubes
- Try our Garlic Butter Dipping Sauce or Roasted Garlic Butter with all your favorite air fryer vegetables!
Leave a comment and review for us below if you enjoyed this recipe, or if you have questions about any of our air fryer recipes!
Air Fryer Baby Carrots
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 lb baby carrots 16 ounce bag
- 1 Tablespoon avocado oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400°F.
- Dry 1 lb baby carrots well with a paper towel. This is an important step!
- Place carrots in a medium bowl and toss with 1 Tablespoon avocado oil, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Mix to coat the carrots with the seasoning.
- Pour carrots into the air fryer basket. Be careful, it will be hot!
- Air fry 13-15 minutes or until tender to your liking. Be sure to shake the air fryer basket halfway through to ensure even cooking.
- Carefully remove from the air fryer to a serving bowl and enjoy!
Notes
- For best results, air fried baby carrots should be fork tender and have a caramelized flavor.
- Overcooked baby carrots become mushy, soggy, and unappealing, so be sure to keep an eye on them.
- Preheating the air fryer aids in caramelization which adds lots of wonderful flavor to these air fried baby carrots.
- Baby carrots vary in size. As a result some carrots might be more al dente than others even from the same bag. Be sure to cook until the carrots are tender to your liking.
- The baby carrots we use in this recipe are a pretty good size, but sometimes baby carrots will be much smaller. Be sure to refer to the photos or our video for a reference. If your baby carrots are thinner, you’ll want to check them halfway through air frying and adjust the cook time as needed.
- Cook time may vary depending on your specific air fryer. As always, use the cook time and temperature as a guide until you are more comfortable with your specific brand of air fryer.
- If cooking in multiple batches, be sure to check on the remaining batches early, as they may cook more quickly.
Nutrition
Air Fryer Thanksgiving
With more than 15 recipes, it's easy to make your entire holiday dinner in the air fryer!
Comments
No Comments