It's so quick and easy to air fry baby carrots! These air fryer baby carrots only need a couple minutes of prep time, and come out of the air fryer perfectly browned and tender. For an extra-special treat, you can drizzle these delicious air fryer carrots with some honey, or use one of my recommended flavor combos!
Air fryer baby carrots are the perfect blend of two convenience items. Baby carrots are so convenient since there is no need to scrub, peel, or chop! And the air fryer makes cooking a breeze, with no need to wait forever to preheat the oven, or stand over the stove.
So, of course combining these two things is a busy home cook's dream! You can air fry baby carrots with very little prep, and the whole dish can be ready in under 20 minutes.
This recipe for air fried carrots is ridiculously easy, with only salt as the main seasoning (along with a drizzle of honey if you choose!). But, I also include a whole list of delicious flavor combos for you to try, like honey nut and cilantro lime. So, if you want your air fryer baby carrots sweet or savory, I've got you covered!
Jump to:
What are baby carrots?
Technically, "baby carrots" is the term for young, small carrots that have been picked before maturity.
However, what we know (at least here in the US) as "baby carrots," are actually "baby-cut carrots." Baby-cut carrots are fully grown carrots that have been cut down to roughly 2 inch (5 cm) cylinders, with rounded edges. Here is a cool article showing you the process of making baby carrots!
Baby carrots (the ones in the baggie, not the immature carrots), are great because they are already peeled and cut into the perfect size for eating. No need to scrub, peel, and chop larger carrots before eating raw or adding to your favorite recipe.
In my estimation, using baby carrots instead of prepping regular carrots can save about 3 - 5 minutes of prep time!
Recipe ingredients
Ingredient notes
- Oil or butter: you can use either oil or butter. For oil, use a neutral oil such as avocado oil, vegetable oil, etc.
- Salt: I used Diamond Crystal kosher salt, which is very light and flaky. To substitute table salt or Morton kosher salt, use half the amount called for.
Step by step photos
Here I will show you how to air fry baby carrots. If you would like to see a brief slideshow of these steps, check out my web story!
1. The first step is to start the air fryer preheating! Once you do that, add the baby carrots to a bowl and pat them very dry with paper towels.
2. Next, add the melted butter (or oil) and salt to the carrots. Stir everything around until the carrots are evenly coated.
The carrots will be cold from the fridge, so the butter will solidify, but that is no problem.
3. The next step is to place the baby carrots in the air fryer. Be sure to spread the carrots out evenly in a single layer!
Cook the carrots for 12 - 15 minutes, or until they are cooked to your desired level of tenderness. At the halfway point, stir the carrots and spread them out again in a single layer. (You can also just shake the air fryer basket instead of stirring, but be sure to spread them out again after!)
4. You can test the doneness of the carrots by piercing one or two with a fork, and seeing how easily the tines of the fork slide into the carrot.
When they are ready, remove them from the air fryer, and drizzle with honey if you wish!
Tips and tricks
- The amount of preheating time you need will depend on your model of air fryer. For specific preheating instructions, check your air fryer manual. In general, 3 - 5 minutes of preheating works well.
- The amount of cook time needed will vary based on the size of baby carrots you are using, the type of air fryer you have, and your own preferences.
- If you've never made this air fryer carrot recipe before, set the air fryer for 15 minutes, but begin checking the carrots at the 12 minute mark. If more time is needed, you can just replace the fryer basket and continue cooking, rather than having to re-set the air fryer every time.
Storage and reheating
- Air fryer baby carrots can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 - 4 days.
- You can also freeze the baby carrots for up to 3 months.
- To reheat, you can use the air fryer! For baby carrots from the fridge, air fry them at 375 degrees F for 3 - 4 minutes (not preheated).
- To reheat the frozen baby carrots, air fry them at 375 degrees F for 5 - 7 minutes (not preheated).
Serving suggestions
These air fryer mini carrots would make the perfect side dish for weeknight dinners. Try them with the following quick and easy main course recipes, (including some easy air fryer recipes!):
Recipe variations
This air fryer carrot recipe is quite simple (so it's very easy to prep, yay!). The carrots are delicious as-is, but can also be dressed up with some additional seasonings:
- Along with the salt, try adding one or more of the following, to taste: dried thyme, dried rosemary, dried dill, dried basil, onion powder, garlic powder, or cinnamon.
- You can also add some additional garnishes after you have cooked the carrots in the air fryer. Try adding chopped parsley, chives, or tarragon. In addition, you can sprinkle on a little red chili flakes or flaky sea salt.
And, if you really want to take your air fryer carrots to the next level flavor-wise, try one of the following flavor combos. My favorite is the cilantro lime!
- Honey nut: halfway through the cook time, after stirring the carrots, sprinkle â…“ cup roughly-chopped nuts over the carrots. Continue to cook as directed in the recipe. When the carrots are done, remove them from the air fryer and drizzle 2 tablespoons honey over the carrots, toss to coat.
- Cilantro lime: add the juice and zest of ½ lime to the cooked carrots, plus 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro. Toss to combine.
- Cinnamon brown sugar: along with the salt and melted butter (preferred) or oil, toss the carrots with ¼ teaspoon cinnamon. When the carrots are done, remove them from the air fryer and immediately add 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar. Gently toss the carrots with the sugar, until the sugar melts into the warm carrots.
- Maple orange: add the zest of ½ orange and 2 tablespoons orange juice to the cooked carrots, plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup. Toss to combine.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can make this same air fryer recipe using a one-pound bag of store-bought frozen crinkle carrots. Follow the recipe as written, except you may need to add an additional 1 - 2 minutes to the cook time for better browning.
And just so you know, while frozen carrots work great in a pinch, I think using fresh carrots results in a better texture and browning than using the frozen carrots.
Yes, you can make this air fryer baby carrots recipe using regular carrots instead. Just peel the carrots and slice them on an angle, into about ½ inch (1.3 cm) thick slices. If the carrots you are using are very large, cut the thickest part of the carrots in half lengthwise before slicing.
Yes, you can easily freeze cooked baby carrots to enjoy later. See the Storage and reheating section above for more info on freezing the cooked carrots.
While it is safe to freeze uncooked baby carrots, the texture will deteriorate once they are thawed. Therefore, I don't recommend freezing raw baby carrots.
Related recipes
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Air Fryer Baby Carrots
This is a super quick and easy way to cook baby carrots to perfection using the air fryer. But, you can also take your air fried carrots to the next level with one of the delicious flavor combos listed in the notes section!
- Prep Time: 3 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 18 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: side dish
- Method: air fry
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 pound (454 g) baby carrots
- 2 tablespoons oil or butter
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal; for table salt or Morton kosher, use only ½ teaspoon, or salt to taste)
- 2 tablespoons honey (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer at 375 degrees F for 3 - 5 minutes (see note 1).
- If using butter, place it in a small microwave-safe bowl, covered with a folded paper towel to catch any spatter. Microwave on high for 15 - 20 seconds, or until melted.
- Add the baby carrots to a medium bowl. Pat the baby carrots dry very thoroughly with paper towels.
- Add the oil or melted butter to the carrots, along with the salt (1 teaspoon for Diamond Crystal kosher, ½ teaspoon for table salt or Morton kosher. Or, salt to taste). Toss to combine. If using the melted butter, it may solidify around the cold carrots - don't worry, this is ok!
- Place the baby carrots into the preheated air fryer and spread them out in one even, single layer. Air fry for 12 - 15 minutes, stirring the carrots halfway through the cook time (make sure to spread the carrots out in one even layer again after stirring).
- When the carrots have reached your preferred level of tenderness, remove the baby carrots from the air fryer (see note 2). If desired, drizzle the honey over the hot carrots and toss gently to coat.
Notes
The amount of preheating time will depend on your model of air fryer. For specific preheating instructions, check your air fryer manual.
You can test how tender the carrots are by piercing a few with a fork. The amount of cook time needed will vary based on the size of baby carrots you are using, the type of air fryer you have, and your own preferences.
Flavor suggestions:
- Honey nut: halfway through the cook time, after stirring the carrots, sprinkle â…“ cup roughly-chopped nuts over the carrots. Continue to cook as directed in the recipe. When the carrots are done, remove them from the air fryer and drizzle 2 tablespoons honey over the carrots, toss to coat.
- Cilantro lime: add the juice and zest of ½ lime to the cooked carrots, plus 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro. Toss to combine.
- Cinnamon brown sugar: along with the salt and melted butter (preferred) or oil, toss the carrots with ¼ teaspoon cinnamon. When the carrots are done, remove them from the air fryer and immediately add 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar. Gently toss the carrots with the sugar until the sugar melts into the warm carrots.
- Maple orange: add the zest of ½ orange and 2 tablespoons orange juice to the cooked carrots, plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup. Toss to combine.
The nutrition information was calculated with 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and 2 tablespoons honey. The nutrition counts of your dish will vary based on the brands and exact amounts of ingredients used. The nutrition information listed is an estimate only, provided by an online nutrition calculator, and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical, health, or nutritional advice. See our full disclosure policy.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¼ recipe
- Calories: 128
- Sugar: 14.7 g
- Sodium: 361 mg
- Fat: 5.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 20.3 g
- Fiber: 2.8 g
- Protein: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
Kathy
Love air fried carrots
Kate
Thank you I hope you enjoy! 🙂