Air Fryer Baby Carrots (with honey glaze)

These tender roasted air fryer baby carrots are made with a flavorful honey glaze. And if honey is not your thing, don't worry, I have other flavor variations for you below. This is an inexpensive side dish that is perfect for a weeknight meal or for your next holiday gathering.

Looking for more side dishes? I got your back... try some of these clean eating side dishes! Roasted cauliflower steak, roasted asparagus, Paleo coleslaw, Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes, broccoli and kale salad, cold wild rice salad, air fryer sweet potato cubes, and skillet green beans with mushrooms and onions.

Reasons to Love This Recipe

• Easy. I love the extra ease of using baby carrots as no peeling or cutting is required. Simply open your bag of baby carrots, mix with the honey glaze, and air fry.
• Healthy. These little orange gems are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They have many health benefits, including supporting you immunity, potential of reducing your risk of certain cancers, and promoting digestive health.
• Love by all. Not only do carrots have a natural sweetness, but the slight sweetness from the honey and the creamy texture of roasted carrots makes a side dish that even the pickiest eaters will love.

Ingredients

A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below. Here are some specific notes and substitutions.

BABY CARROTS - Look for baby cut carrots and not the petite/mini carrots. The ones that are on the larger side roast up better and have a better overall texture. Regular carrots can absolutely be used too, you'll just need to peel and slice them first.

EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL - You'll need some oil for the glaze. Either extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil can be used.

HONEY - You can use an all-purpose honey like acacia or clover, or you could try any variation of honey you'd like.

Clean food tip: Look for raw unfiltered honey, as it does not go through the same processing as commercial honey. A lot of the flavor and health benefits honey is known for are lost during processing of conventional honey.

Step-by-Step Directions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper.

2. Add baby carrots to a large mixing bowl and pour honey glaze over carrots. Mix to coat all the carrots in the glaze.

3. Add carrots in a single layer to your air fryer basket (if a few overlap that is okay as they will shrink while cooking and create more space).

4. Air fry at 400F for 15-20 minutes, shaking air fryer basket halfway through. Carrots are done when they are tender and can easily be pierced with a fork. If you'd like them more roasted, you can continue cooking.

Note: If you have leftover glaze in your mixing bowl, you can add this to the carrots at the halfway point when you shake the air fryer basket.

5. Remove from air fryer basket and place in a serving bowl. I like to sprinkle with some freshly chopped parsley and dried thyme. Fresh or dried chives and/or dill would also be great to sprinkle on the top.

Tip: For an extra shiny glaze on the finished carrots, mix some additional honey and olive oil together and brush onto carrots (if sprinkling with herbs, brush on the honey mixture first).

How Long to Air Fry Baby Carrots?

The total time for air frying your carrots will depend on how big they are and the air fryer you are using. Unfortunately, all air fryers aren't created equal.

Some air fryers cook faster than others, even at the same temperature. Halfway through baking time you'll want to shake your air fryer basket to mix up the carrots. At that time, you can gauge how they are cooking and adjust additional time accordingly.

For baby carrots, I find that 17-20 minutes at 400 degrees F is perfect. At a minimum, you want to be able to easily pierce a fork through the carrots. However, if you want your carrots more browned and caramelized, you can continue cooking them to you're liking.

Oven Directions

If you don't have an air fryer, no problem! These can easily be made in the oven.

Preheat oven to 425F. After carrots have been coated in the honey glaze, spread them out on a baking sheet that's been lined with parchment paper, or a silicone baking mat. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until browned to your liking.

Flavor Variations

Not in the mood for honey glazed carrots? Mix up one of these glazes with the carrots before air frying.

• Maple syrup and butter - For a rich sweet buttery flavor, combine 3 tbsp. melted butter, 3 tbsp. pure maple syrup and ½ teaspoon salt.
• Cinnamon spice - Mix 3 tbsp. melted butter or oil (avocado or extra-virgin olive oil) with ½ tsp. cinnamon and/or a pinch of nutmeg or pumpkin spice.
• Garlic and herb - Combine 3 tbsp. oil, 1 tsp. Italian seasoning and ½ tsp. garlic powder. Or sprinkle carrots with a mix of dried basil, dried parsley, dried thyme, and dried oregano, and garlic powder. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Types of Carrots

This recipe as written uses baby carrots as I love the ease of them (no washing, peeling, cutting), but any type of carrot can be used for this recipe.

Rainbow carrots - Give rainbow carrots a try! Follow recipe as written but use rainbow carrots instead.

Pre-cut carrot sticks or carrot chips - Use pre-cut carrot sticks or carrot chips. You will most likely need to reduce cooking time. Check air fryer after 12 minutes and continue cooking until soft and tender.

Large carrots - Wash, peel, and slice carrots in half lengthwise. You could also slice them diagonally into ½" slices. However you cut them, try to make them roughly the same size to ensure even cooking. Depending on how thick your carrots are will dictate total cooking time, but it should be roughly the same time as cooking baby carrots.

FAQs

What to Serve with Air Fryer Baby Carrots

These make a simple side dish for any meal, especially an easy protein like baked chicken or quickly cooking up a steak. Aside from that, try serving alongside the below.

Air fryer turkey burgers (these can also be made on the stovetop or in the oven)
Cashew chicken salad
Cilantro lime chicken
Chili stuffed sweet potatoes
Paleo Pulled pork