Air Fryer Carrot Fries

The taste and look of fries but in the form of a healthy vegetable!

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No matter how unhealthy they might be, fries are often irresistible to our taste buds. If only there was a way to get the taste of fries but in a healthy way. Well, that’s exactly what you can have with air fryer carrot fries. They have the look and crunch of sweet potato fries, not to mention the tender inside and seasoning that will delight your taste buds. But because they’re made of carrots inside an air fryer, they’re a healthy snack or side dish. In fact, you can probably cook them a little faster than traditional fries.

Everything you love about traditional fries you’ll find with these carrot fries. They’re crispy, a little salty, and packed with flavor. Of course, you’ll get to play around with the seasoning to create the taste you like. You can even create your own dipping sauce if you’re so inclined. These fries are all of that and more, making them a great natural replacement for fries that will also give you all of the health benefits of carrots.

Admittedly, some folks accept no substitutes when it comes to fries. We understand if trying to replace fries with carrots is taking things a bit too far. But that’s okay because there are ways to cook healthy fries. It’s possible to cook homemade french fries in an air fryer or make air fryer sweet potato fries. If carrots aren’t your favorite but you like the idea of adding fruits and veggies to your diet, you can try baked parsnip fries or perhaps avocado fries. Last but not least, if you’re watching those carbs, you can try keto French fries, which have just four grams of carbs.

Are Air Fryer Carrot Fries Healthy?

There is little doubt that air fryer carrot fries are among the healthiest types of fries. For starters, the air fryer takes away so much of the grease and oil needed with traditional fries, which is a big reason why these are healthy fries. Equally important, you’ll be getting a big dose of carrots in your diet.

Carrots are naturally high in nutrients and low in calories. A full serving of carrots can practically give you all of the vitamin A you need for one day. The fiber, antioxidants, potassium, and other vitamins in carrots also play a role in regulating your weight and blood pressure. You may have also heard that carrots are good for your eyes. Finally, if you omit the sprinkle of cheese on top, this is a dairy-free side dish.

Carrot fries from around the world

While the recipe calls for black pepper and garlic powder, the seasoning on these carrot fries is entirely up to you. Cooking fries of any kind is the perfect opportunity to play around with various seasonings. In fact, you could infuse these carrot fries with flavors from all over the world.

For example, a little bit of cayenne, coriander, and cumin could give you Indian carrot fries. Meanwhile, if you prefer Italian seasoning, feel free to douse these carrot fries a couple of teaspoons of that. With pepper, paprika, and chili powder, you can create Mexican-style carrot fries. Finally, if you mix paprika, cinnamon, and pepper flakes, you’ll have Mediterranean carrot fries. Of course, you can feel free to mix and match spices any way you want; the possibilities are almost endless.

INGREDIENTS

4 medium-sized whole carrots
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Optional for serving: 2 tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese skip for dairy-free option
Optional for serving: 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

INSTRUCTIONS

Prep

Peel and slice the carrots into fry-shaped sticks, keeping them thin for the perfect crunch.

Season

Toss the carrot sticks with avocado oil and a blend of garlic powder, salt, and pepper to coat them in savory flavors.

Air Fry

Cook the seasoned carrot fries in the air fryer until they reach a delightful golden crispiness.

Garnish

Finish with a sprinkle of parmesan and parsley for a gourmet touch, then enjoy your healthy, crispy treat!

Devour!

FAQs & Tips

How to Make Ahead and Store?

If there are leftover fries, let them cool and then store them in the fridge inside an airtight container. They should be good for 3 to 5 more days. Just remember to heat them up in the air fryer or oven because they’ll be soggy if you microwave them.

A little space

Like with anything else in an air fryer, make sure the carrot fries are well spaced so that they cook evenly. Also, avoid layering the carrot fries on top of one another.

Cut evenly

To help the carrot fries cook evenly, make sure each fry is around the same size. Otherwise, smaller fries will be crispier than the rest. Needless to say, smaller fries will be crispier and take less time to cook.

Secret sauce

If you want, try to whip up or purchase a spicy mayo for dipping your carrot fries.

Serving Suggestions

In theory, carrot fries can be used as a side dish for just about anything. However, it’s best to think of them as carrots rather than fries. That’s not to say they won’t go great with a burger. But carrot fries might work better as a complement to something like oven-baked chicken thighs or air fryer salmon. Just keep in mind that since they’re technically fries, carrot fries are good with less formal meals like keto sloppy Joes. Finally, since these carrot fries don’t take long to prepare, they can be a nice side dish for a quick lunch, especially if you’re eating a chicken pesto sandwich.