Air Fryer Carrots tossed with brown sugar and vegan butter, then air fried so they become sticky, savory-sweet with gorgeous caramelized edges. This super quick and easy vegan carrot side dish is so delicious you'll have to stop yourself from eating the entire batch!
The easiest way to add amazing flavor to just about any vegetable is to air fry it, and carrots in the air fryer are no exception. In a similar way to roast carrots, air frying intensifies the natural flavor. That means these air fryer carrots are super delicious! We're talking sweet and tender on the inside and sticky and caramelized on the outside.
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Air fried carrots are a veggie side dish that definitely needs to be on your table. And don't worry if you don't have an air fryer because I've also included instructions for making them in a regular oven.
Ingredient notes
Here are the ingredients you will be needing to make air fryer roasted carrots, and a little about why. I'll also include details of any substitutions you can safely make:
- Carrots - The carrot must be fresh (not frozen or canned). I like to use large carrots and cut them into generous chunks, but you could use baby carrots if you prefer. They might not take quite as long to cook depending how tiny they are.
- Melted vegan butter or olive oil - When mixed with the sugar, it forms a sticky glaze. Vegan butter will give the carrots a better flavor than oil though so is what I recommend using if you can.
- Brown sugar - You can use dark or light brown sugar. Coconut sugar will work too. It gives them a really delicious flavor and creates a glaze, making them sticky and delicious. Don't use maple syrup instead as everything will be too liquidy for your air fryer.
- Salt & pepper - Seasoning is so important!
- Thyme - It's so good with carrots and withstands air frying well. Fresh thyme is recommended but if you don't have any dried will do. You could use fresh rosemary stalks instead, or add some fresh chopped parsley or cilantro after the carrots are cooked. The carrots are still delicious without herbs if you don't have any.
How to make Air Fryer Carrots
Making these air fried roasted carrots is really quick and easy. The prep time is minimal and the ingredients list is short.
- Mix the melted butter/oil, brown sugar, salt and pepper together in a large bowl.
- Add the carrot chunks and toss to coat then air fry carrots with the thyme until fork tender, golden and caramelized. Keep the bowl and the buttery residue in it for later.
3. Once the carrots are done, I like to tip them back into the bowl and toss them about so they pick up any butter mixture that was left.
Success tips
- It might look like a lot of carrots at first when you cut them up, but they shrink quite lot in the air fryer.
- All air fryer makes and models cook a little differently so my cook time is a guide. Shake the basket frequently and have a quick look at them. Remove sooner if they are soft and caramelized. Cook them a little longer if they are not. The size of the carrot pieces will also affect the cook time.
- Don't crowd your air fryer. If the carrots won't all fit into your basket comfortably then cook them in 2 batches. You can keep the first batch warm on low in the oven if it's on anyway, or just tip them out into a bowl or plate. When the 2nd batch is done, tip the first batch back in on top of the new batch and let them warm through for 2 minutes.
- Make sure all carrot pieces are approximately the same size to ensure even cooking.
- Don't be afraid of them getting nice and caramelized along the edges. That's where the great flavour and texture comes from!
Making ahead & storing leftovers
These air fried carrots are great for making ahead. Cook them as instructed, then store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. When you are ready simply reheat them then serve.
- To reheat in an air fryer - Tip the carrots into the air fryer basket and air fry on 325°F for about 5 minutes or until piping hot.
- To reheat in an oven - Tip the carrots into an ovenproof dish and cover with a lid or foil. Bake at 350 °F (175 °C) for about 10 minutes, or until piping hot.
- To reheat in a microwave - Microwave loosely covered on medium until hot. The time will vary depending on the wattage of your microwave but it will only take a couple of minutes max.
Once done, you can toss them in a little vegan butter before serving to moisten them up and make them look nice and shiny. A squeeze of fresh orange juice and a bit of zest would be lovely to help moisten them up too.
Serving suggestions
Air fryer roasted carrots are so delicious that you can easily enjoy them on their own with some buttered crusty bread for a super quick, no fuss meal. If they make it to the table as a side though they are amazing with most meals including:
And they are also a classic addition to holiday dinner tables, including Christmas and Thanksgiving.
Variations
Try adding different flavors to the carrots. Add garlic powder, onion powder, orange zest or your favorite spices to the butter mixture. Smoked paprika, ginger, chili pepper flakes and cumin would work particularly well. You could also throw in some garlic cloves (still in their skin but slightly crushed) to flavor the carrots. I don't recommend chopping it as it will probably burn. Crushing it in its skin lets the flavor get out without it burning.
Grate over some vegan parmesan cheese or sprinkle over some chopped nuts for a protein boost (pistachios would work particularly well) with a drizzle of vegan honey (I like Bumble Bloom), good quality maple syrup, extra virgin olive oil or chili oil. Or how about a lovely tangy sauce made from vegan yogurt, garlic and fresh herbs like cilantro or parsley?
You could also cut the carrots into thinner, longer pieces and make glazed air-fryer carrot fries! They won't take as long to cook so keep an eye on them.
Hungry for more?
Love these air fryer roasted carrots and want more tasty air fryer recipes? You might enjoy:
Recipe FAQs
Yes you can roast them in the oven. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Peel, trim and cut the carrots then coat them in the buttery sugary mixture as per the instructions. Spread out on a large baking tray and roast for 15 minutes. Toss, then cook for another 15 to 20 minutes or until tender and caramelized. Keep an eye on them towards the end as the sugar can start to burn if they are in for too long. Drizzle over any buttery residue from the bowl before serving.
Yes. Any type of fresh carrot is fine to use.
I like to peel them because they look better and I might be imagining it, but I find they taste a little better without it. If you don't want to peel them though that's fine. Just give them a good wash and dry before using.
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Carrots
Author:
Ingredients
- 2lb (32oz / 1 kg) carrots
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar , or coconut sugar
- 3 tablespoons melted dairy-free butter , or olive oil (butter gives the best flavor)
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme , or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
- Peel and trim the carrots then cut them diagonally into 2 inch lengths. Cut thicker ones in half lengthwise so they are all roughly the same thickness.
- To a large bowl add the melted dairy-free butter, (or olive oil) brown sugar, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Pull the leaves off the thyme stalks and stir them through.
- Add the carrots to the butter mixture and stir to coat.
- Transfer the carrots to the air fryer basket. There will be some buttery mixture around the sides and maybe in the bottom of the bowl. Leave that there and don't pour it in the air fryer or it will just drain through the holes and be wasted. We'll use it after so set the bowl aside for now. If you've got a few spare thyme stalks you can throw them on top of the carrots for extra flavor.
- Air fry the carrots on 380°F (190 °C) for 17 to 20 minutes, shaking the basket a couple of times throughout. When done they will be soft when poked with a fork, and nicely caramelized around the edges. The cook time is just a guide because the time they take will vary depending on how big or small the carrots were cut and the make and model of your air fryer.
- Remove from the air fryer, pick out any thyme stalks, then tip the carrots into the bowl from earlier and toss in the buttery residue. Even if it doesn't look much it's worth it to get that extra flavor and a nice glisten! Serve immediately.
NOTES
- It might look like a lot of carrots at first when you cut them up, but they shrink quite lot in the air fryer.
- All air fryer makes and models cook a little differently so my cook time is a guide. Shake the basket frequently and have a quick look at them. Remove them sooner if they are soft and caramelized. Cook them a little longer if they are not. The size of the carrot pieces will also affect the cook time.
- Don't crowd your air fryer. If the carrots won't all fit into your basket comfortably then cook them in 2 batches. You can keep the first batch warm on low in the oven if it's on anyway, or just tip them out into a bowl or plate. When the 2nd batch is done, tip the first batch back in on top of the new batch and let them warm through for 2 minutes.
- Make sure all carrot pieces are approximately the same size to ensure even cooking.
- Don't be afraid of them getting nice and caramelized along the edges. That's where the great flavour and texture comes from!
- To reheat in an air fryer - Tip the carrots into the air fryer basket and air fry on 325°F for about 5 minutes or until piping hot.
- To reheat in an oven - Tip the carrots into an ovenproof dish and cover with a lid or foil. Bake at 350 °F (175 °C) for about 10 minutes, or until piping hot.
- To reheat in a microwave - Microwave loosely covered on medium until hot. The time will vary depending on the wattage of your microwave but it will only take a couple of minutes max.
NUTRITION
Nutritional information is provided for convenience & as a courtesy. The data is a computer generated estimate so should be used as a guide only.
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