These Air Fryer Carrot Fries are the perfect low calorie side dish or kid-friendly snack! You only need 30 minutes and 3 basic ingredients to turn this veggie into the perfect crispy fry.
I know what you are thinking. There is no way that you can make carrots taste like fries. Well, I’ve got news for you, friends: 3 simple ingredients and an air fryer creates some sort of magic that actually makes carrots taste very similar to sweet potato fries!
I actually do not care for carrots. I enjoy them in stir fries or a salad, but it is never a vegetable I would eagerly reach for. This recipe has completely changed my mind! Even if you are a carrot hater, give these a try, I really think they will surprise you!
Why you will love this recipe:
- Versatile – This method is fantastic with all kinds of seasonings, so you could switch up the flavors depending on what you are serving alongside these.
- Wholesome – You only need three basic ingredients and two seasonings for this tasty little snack! It’s a good “back to the basics” vegetable side dish, but with a more fun, kid-friendly presentation.
- Simple & Quick – These are ready to plate in under 30 minutes! It’s quick enough for an afterschool snack, toddler lunch, or a family dinner side dish on a busy weeknight.
Ingredients for Carrot Fries
As always, you will find the printable recipe and instructions at the bottom of the post. This is a quick overview of the ingredients you will need for these delicious, crispy carrot fries:
- Carrots: Fresh, not frozen. These should be thinly sliced (think thin, crispy fast food french fries, not fat fries) into fry shapes. You technically don’t have to peel them, but I like the texture more peeled.
- Olive Oil: This helps to crisp the carrots as they cook and allows the corn starch and spices to really stick to the carrot. Feel free to use another neutral cooking oil like avocado oil.
- Corn Starch: Must-have ingredient! This absorbs moisture and helps to make the carrots crisp. Without this ingredient, you will get more “roasted carrot” texture, not “carrot fry” texture.
- Paprika & Garlic Salt: These basic seasonings bring out a delicious, savory flavor in the usually-sweet carrots. You could swap this for ranch seasoning or your favorite blend/seasoning salt.
How to Make Carrot Fries in the Air Fryer
- Prep. Preheat the air fryer for 3 minutes at 390 degrees F. Cut your washed, peeled carrots into thin fry shapes.
- Season. Toss the sliced carrot fries with olive oil until they are completely coated, then add the cornstarch, paprika and garlic salt. Stir well so that every piece is well covered.
- Cook. Spray the basket of the preheated air fryer, then toss in the fries. Your total cook time will be about 16-17 minutes, but you will want to shake the basket at the 6-minute mark and 12-minute mark to help make sure they are evenly cooked and getting crispy on all sides. You can see in the images below the first photo is after 6 minutes, the second photo is after 12 minutes total cooking time.
What should I Serve with Carrot Fries?
These carrot fries pair perfectly with just about anything! We especially love them with simple lunches like turkey roll ups, crockpot sandwiches, or chicken wraps. This is a great side dish for fun family dinners, too. It’d be great with a crescent ring recipe, French bread pizza, or chicken wings.
Storage and Reheating
These are best served fresh because you won’t get that same tender-on-the-inside-crisp-on-the-outside texture after these are cooled and reheated. However, you could refrigerate these up to 3 days in an airtight container and reheat them in the oven (350 degrees F) or air fryer (325 degrees F) until they are warmed through.
Air Fryer Carrot Fries FAQs
How do you slice the carrots?
Slice the carrots thinly, like straight fast food French fries. Do not cut them in a thick steak fry shape, they will never crisp up because carrots contain so much moisture. Be sure to slice them as uniformly as possible so they cook evenly.
What kind of Air Fryer should I use?
Any variety should work. I use a Ninja 4 quart air fryer. This recipe works great for this size. If you want to double it, I would cook in batches as to not overcrowd the basket.
If you have a larger air fryer such as a 6 or 8 quart you can accommodate multiples of this recipe without a problem.
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Carrot Fries Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups carrots thinly sliced into fry shapes (about 6 medium carrots)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer for 3 minutes at 390 degrees F.
- In a medium bowl toss the sliced carrot fries with olive oil until they are completely coated. Add the cornstarch, paprika and garlic salt and stir very well until completely coated.
- Add the fries to the preheated air fryer and cook 6 minutes, shake well, cook another 6 minutes and cook an additional 4-6 minutes until it reaches your desired texture.
- Note: The cooking time will vary greatly depending on how you slice your carrots. Carefully watch your carrots and remove them from the air fryer when they are crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.
Notes
Cooking time after 12 total minutes: 
Cooking time after 16-17 total minutes: 
Nutrition
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