Air Fryer Baby Carrots

I was surprised at how much I liked the way these air fryer carrots turned out! Made savory but could be sweet with a bit of brown sugar, they have a great texture and flavor. One of our easy air fryer recipes we love.

I shared how to make them on a savory note below but sweet with a sprinkle of brown sugar would work too. You choice. We made Instant Pot carrots a while back, which you can make in a Ninja Foodi as well, BUT if you don’t have that small kitchen appliance, you can make these in a Cosori or AirWave just as delicious.

I will start by saying I am not a fan of cooked carrots BUT these turned the page for me. I’ve made them several times this month already as with a few other air fryer vegetables when I didn’t have meat on hand and all of it was a huge hit.

Ingredient Notes

We started with a bag of baby carrots but you could certainly buy fresh, peel and dice into dials that are bite sized. In that case just make sure that they are all relatively the same size and thickness in order to get them all fork tender at the same rate.

Olive oil is used on the outside to keep them moist and also allow the seasonings to stick. An alternative to this would be avocado oil.

If you want them sweet (and get your kids to ask for seconds, not even realizing they are eating vegetables) the recipe for this one is in the notes of the recipe card below. Instead of oil and salt you would need brown sugar, butter and honey + an air fryer pot.

How do you get oil to stick to baby carrots?

One key to getting the oil and seasoning to stick on well and keep these babies nice and hydrated is to dry them first. Use a few paper towels on the bottom and the top and press down as you see here. Then mix everything in a bowl and you’re ready!

As far as seasonings go use your favorites but we typically go with; Garlic salt, Onion powder and some Paprika.

How Long to Cook Baby Carrots in Air Fryer

It is up to you what type you use. I grabbed a bag of baby carrots which need NO prep whatsoever. If you think that whole is best then by all means use those, but either way you need about 16 minutes to get them to fork tender, that is it!

This is all we needed to make this….I know, so simple. Just as easy as Crockpot carrotsbut is done much faster. Here are a few questions you might have to begin with:

It isn’t necessarily steaming because you’re not adding water into the bottom. We did do that when making air fryer broccoli, I didn’t find liquid necessary for these. Hot air makes them tender enough with just the hot air circulating around the food.

Ninja Air Fryer Carrots

With Ninja Foodi recipes you can pressure cook or air crisp them as you see here. If you want them a bit breaded and more fun looking you could slice and make carrot fries too. Pressure cooked is a great option too to get them super duper tender but there won’t be a crispy element to that method.

Tips

You should always try to preheat for a good 5 minutes before adding your cut carrots. This way your food cooks evenly from the start to the finish of your entire cooking time.

For us 16 minutes is perfect but I like a bit of a “bite” to them, not super soft. If you’re the opposite, 20 minutes might be more to your liking. Just test after 15 and shake every 2-3 until they’re perfect for you.

FAQ

It is best to add most of the seasonings once they are cooked for the best flavor. I will sprinkle on a bit of salt at the beginning but leave the butter and additional seasonings for when they are cooked to tender and ready to serve.

It is all about texture. Some people like them to be more tender than others so you just need to check near the end of the cook time. Use a fork and if they slide in easily then they are done and ready to enjoy.

Always wait until food is at room temperature before putting into freezer bag or containers free from air. Then refrigerate and reheat on stovetop with a bit of olive oil or in microwave in 30 second intervals stirring in between each time.

Other family friendly dishes you’ll love

We make the baked pork chops all the time with these. If we have someone else over I may make these with it too. These are great with frozen chicken breast in air fryer. Spoon bbq sauce on top and it’s a yummy duo. If you have any leftovers, make this simple chicken pot pie recipe or our leftover turkey pot pie with them!

What else can I make with baby carrots?

This is just one easy idea. You can make this and then blend to make homemade baby food for your little one. OR add taters and make Instant Pot potatoes and carrotstogether.