These roasted air fryer carrots have a fantastic texture, with crisp edges and soft and fork-tender insides. A sweet honey sauce caramelizes on them and enhances their flavor.
Carrots make an excellent side dish because they are inexpensive, healthy, and kid-friendly. They are naturally sweet, which means even veggie haters like my kids will eat them!
And this recipe includes a sweet honey sauce, which both glazes the carrots and can be used as a dipping sauce. This makes them irresistible, to kids and adults.
And when you make carrots in air fryer they will be ready in a fraction of the time it would take to cook in the oven.
Whether you are looking for a simple side for a family dinner or a holiday-worth side dish these air fryer carrots are perfect! Add some to your menu this week.
Love easy vegetable side dishes? Check out my recipes for air fryer butternut squash, air fryer eggplant, or air fryer corn on the cob.
Key Ingredients
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
Carrots – I used full-sized rainbow carrots cut into 1-inch pieces. You can vary the recipes with other kinds of carrots. See below for complete directions.
Butter – The butter coats the veggies and helps caramelize them with honey. Substitute olive oil if you prefer.
Honey – This makes the sweet sauce that coats the carrots and helps bring out their flavor. You can substitute maple syrup or brown sugar.
Spices – I season these with thyme, salt, and pepper. Feel free to substitute another fresh herb such as fresh rosemary, parsley, basil, or dill.
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How to Make Air Fryer Carrots
1. Mix
Wash and peel the rainbow carrots. Pat them with paper towels. Dice them into 1-inch pieces.
Put the butter in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted. Whisk in the honey, half of the thyme, salt, and pepper.
Add the carrots to the bowl and toss to coat them with the seasoning.
2. Air Fry
Put the carrots mixture in the basket and spread them out in a single layer. Don’t overcrowd the basket and cook them in batches if necessary. Set the air fryer at 375 degrees F and cook them for 10 minutes.
Then pull the basket out and shake it or stir them with a spoon to move them around and ensure they cook evenly. Cook for another 10 minutes until they are tender and lightly caramelized and the edges start to brown.
3. Serve
Take the carrots out of the basket with tongs. Then pour the accumulated juices in the basket into a bowl to serve with them.
If you dump the basket out, the juices will end up on the serving platter instead of in a separate bowl. Sprinkle the carrots with the remaining fresh thyme and serve. A little cinnamon sprinkled on top is also delicious.
Serving Ideas
I love to serve these roasted carrots as a healthy side dish with a simple dinner, like a whole chicken or air fryer tilapia. Of course, they are also perfect for making with your Easter ham.
How to Store
These air fryer carrots will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days.
Carrot Variations
Here are some ways to switch up the carrots:
- Slice the carrots into skinny French fry shapes. These will cook a little faster, in about 12 minutes.
- Use baby carrots. This saves you the time spent peeling and dicing since baby carrots are pre-peeled.
- Use whole carrots. You might have to cut them to fit in the basket, but whole carrots make a spectacular presentation, perfect for a holiday meal. These will need a little more cooking time, about 25 minutes total.
- Use frozen precut carrots. For frozen carrots, reduce the temperature to 360 degrees F and cook for 15 minutes.
FAQ
Put them in the air fryer and heat them at 350 degrees F for 3 minutes.
Yes, it is straightforward to air fry carrots even if frozen. Put them in the air fryer. No extra oil or water is necessary. Cook them at 360 degrees F for 15 minutes.
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Roasted Air Fryer Carrots Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pound carrots *see notes
- 3 tablespoons butter or olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Wash and peel the carrots. Then chop them into 1-inch pieces.2 pound carrots
- Put the butter in a large bowl. Microwave it until melted. Then whisk in the honey, half the thyme leaves, salt & pepper. Add prepared carrots, and toss to coat.3 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Add carrots and sauce to the basket in a single layer. Roast at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes. Then pull out the basket and shake it or stir to ensure even doneness. Cook for another 10 minutes or until tender and lightly caramelized.
- Once done, use tongs to remove the carrots to a serving platter. Sprinkle with the remaining thyme leaves. Pour the accumulated juices into a bowl for serving.
Notes
- Slice the carrot pieces into French fry shapes. Cook 12 minutes total.
- Use baby carrots.
- Use whole carrots, cutting if needed to fit in the basket. Cook 25 minutes total.
- Use frozen precut carrots. Reduce the temperature to 360 degrees F and cook for 15 minutes.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
