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    Home » Recipes

    Air Fryer Baby Carrots

    Published: Mar 26, 2023 · Modified: May 29, 2023 · 1 Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    These air fryer baby carrots are sweet, savory, and totally delicious. We coat them in a blend of spices, air fry them to caramelized perfection, and serve them with anything and everything. They're the perfect easy side dish and so so fast.

    Air fryer baby carrots in a serving bowl topped with green garnish.

    We love buying big bags of baby carrots from Costco or Sam's Club because they're perfect for a quick snack or side dish and they last forever. This air fryer baby carrot recipe is our favorite. We make these carrots in less than 10 minutes and there's hardly any cleanup. The seasoning is easy to throw together with spices you probably already have in your pantry.

    These baby carrots are perfect for spring and summer gatherings, but they're also great as a holiday side dish at Thanksgiving or Christmas. They're also perfect for routine weeknight meals because they're so so easy and go with everything.

    Jump to:
    • Key Ingredients and Substitutions
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • Top Tips
    • Frequently asked questions
    • More Air Fryer Recipes
    • Air Fryer Baby Carrots Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Key Ingredients and Substitutions

    • Baby carrots
    • Light brown sugar- The brown sugar gives these carrots some caramelization and a little bit of sweetness, but not in an overbearing way. If you're following a Paleo diet, use coconut sugar instead of brown sugar.
    • Oil- This is for coating the carrots. It helps the spices stick and makes the carrots slightly crispy on the edges. We use avocado oil, but regular vegetable oil or olive oil works too.
    • Spices- paprika, salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, mustard powder, and ground cayenne. If you really hate spicy stuff, leave out the ground cayenne.

    See recipe card for amounts.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    Step 1: Add brown sugar, paprika, salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, mustard powder, and ground cayenne to a small bowl. Mix to combine.

    A bowl of spices.

    Step 2: Add carrots, oil, and the spices to a large mixing bowl. Use your hands or a spoon to mix everything until the carrots are evenly coated with oil and spices.

    Baby carrots coated in seasoning in a mixing bowl.

    Step 3: Add the carrots to your air fryer basket. Cook at 400°F for 7-8 minutes, or until tender. Stop the air fryer around the 4 minute mark to shake the basket and redistribute the carrots.

    Cooked baby carrots in an air fryer basket. They're slightly browned on the edges.

    Top Tips

    • If your air fryer allows, line your basket with aluminum foil or air fryer liners for easy clean up.
    • You can make a double batch of this if you have a bigger air fryer than I do. I don't recommend shoving too many carrots into a small air fryer, because they won't cook as well. Ideally, they should be in a single(ish) layer on the bottom of your air fryer basket.
    • Don't skip the brown sugar. It's tempting to make this recipe slightly healthier by omitting it, but the added sugar makes these carrots so decadent.
    • Air fryer cook times vary based on your machine, so check your carrots every 3 minutes to ensure that they don't burn or overcook. Take them out once they're tender and slightly browned on the edges.

    Frequently asked questions

    My carrots aren't fully cooked. What's wrong?

    These carrots are usually tender and slightly browned on the edges within 7 or 8 minutes. If yours aren't done in the instructed cooking time, try shaking the basket to redistribute them, then cook them a little bit longer, checking them every minute or two to make sure they don't overcook (no one wants mushy carrots).

    Can I make these carrots Paleo-friendly?

    Yes! Use coconut sugar instead of brown sugar in the BBQ rub.

    How do I store and reheat these carrots?

    Store the leftover carrots in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for 3-4 days. To reheat them, pop them back in the air fryer for a minute or two, until warm.

    More Air Fryer Recipes

    Looking for other great air fryer sides? Try these:

    • Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower
    • Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Dates
    • Air Fryer BBQ Brussels Sprouts
    • Air Fryer Salmon Bites
    • Air Fryer Marinated Salmon Bites
    Air fryer baby carrots in a serving bowl topped with green garnish.
    Air Fryer Baby Carrots Recipe

    Air Fryer Baby Carrots Recipe

    Recipe by Mollie

    These air fryer baby carrots are sweet, savory, and totally delicious. We coat them in a blend of spices, air fry them to caramelized perfection, and serve them with anything and everything. They're the perfect easy side dish and so fast.

    Course: SidesCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
    5 from 5 votes
    Pin
    Print
    Servings

    2

    servings
    Prep time

    5

    minutes
    Cooking time

    7

    minutes
    Calories

    140

    kcal
    Total time

    12

    minutes
    Cook Mode

    Prevent your screen from going dark!

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon 1 light brown sugar

    • ½ teaspoon ½ paprika

    • ¼ teaspoon ¼ salt

    • ¼ teaspoon ¼ black pepper

    • ¼ teaspoon ¼ onion powder

    • ½ teaspoon ½ garlic powder

    • ¼ teaspoon ¼ mustard powder

    • ⅛ teaspoon ⅛ ground cayenne (optional- omit if you don't like spicy food)

    • 10 ounces 10 baby carrots, cut in half lengthwise

    • 1 tablespoon 1 oil (we use avocado oil; vegetable oil also works)

    Directions

    • Add brown sugar, paprika, salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, mustard powder, and ground cayenne (optional) to a small bowl. Mix to combine.
    • Add carrots, oil, and the spices to a large mixing bowl. Use your hands or a spoon to mix everything until the carrots are evenly coated with oil and spices.
    • Add the carrots to your air fryer basket. Cook at 400°F for 7-8 minutes, or until tender. Stop the air fryer around the 4 minute mark to shake the basket and redistribute the carrots.

    Notes

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ronda M says

      March 28, 2023 at 5:34 pm

      So easy and delicious!

      Reply

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    Primary Sidebar

    hi, we're Michael and Mollie

    Welcome! We are Michael & Mollie, a hangry economics enthusiast and her husband. Our goal is to provide you with delicious, accessible, and healthy-ish recipes that are both time- and money-efficient.

    More about us →

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