With just 6 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep, you’ll be well on your way to a healthy side dish with an overwhelming surplus of diggity. These air fryer carrots are super flavorful and go with just about any type of protein or main dish. And thanks to air frying and just a splash of olive oil, they’re low fat and low calorie.
I’ll walk you through the recipe below, and you’ll find a printable recipe at the bottom of the post. Let’s go!
Cut carrots in half crosswise and in half again lengthwise, creating 3″ pieces.
You’re primarily after evenly sized carrot pieces here. If a carrot is thicker on one end, you may need to quarter it instead of just halving. Length won’t matter as much as thickness.
And because it’s always asked in my air fryer carrot fries recipe, you could probably get away with using baby carrots and skipping the cutting altogether. This may slightly affect cook time, though.
Toss with olive oil + balsamic vinegar and air fry at 400ºF for 12 minutes.
Easy enough, right? The only tip I have here is to keep any remaining oil and vinegar in the mixing bowl to toss the air fried carrots in before seasoning in the next step. Like I mentioned in my air fryer Greek potatoes recipe, if you dump the bowl straight in, you’ll lose some goodies through the air fryer grates.
You can get an idea of how much oil and vinegar you can save in the photo below.
Toss with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Air fry another 10-12 minutes at 400ºF.
If you want another way to season carrots, check out my air fryer potatoes and carrots recipe. The cajun-ish seasoning blend in that recipe is a great choice.
You could also swap the garlic powder for freshly crushed garlic like in my carrot fries or garlic parmesan air fryer red potatoes recipes.
Aim for fork tender and slightly charred around the edges.
I used the Instant Pot Air Fryer + Pressure Cooker Combo for these air fryer carrots. I’ve tested it against the 6.5-quart Ninja Foodi, and the time and temperature seems to be pretty spot on. So if you’re using a Foodi, I doubt you’ll need to make any changes. That said, if you’re using a different air fryer, check on your carrots a few times to avoid burning them.
Air Frying to Your Personal Preference
It’s also worth mentioning you can air fry these carrots more/less to fit your personal preference. If you like a carrot with a bit more texture, pull them early. Or if you’d rather have a more cooked carrot with a softer texture, extend the cook time by a few minutes. Shaking the carrots in the air fryer should prevent burning and allow you to cook for longer.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Carrots
It would be hard to go wrong with roasted chicken, or any type of chicken for that matter. Here are some of my favorite recipes that came to mind when eating these carrots:
- BBQ Pulled Pork Tenderloin
- Pan Fried Crispy Buttermilk Chicken Breast
- Naked Chicken Tenders
- Healthy Hamburger Steaks with Gravy
- Mustard Balsamic Chicken Thighs
Let me know what you end up serving your carrots with. I hope you enjoy!
Balsamic Roasted Air Fryer Carrots
Carrots air fried to perfection in a blend of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Ingredients
- 1 lb Carrots, halved and cut into 3" pieces
- 1 Tbsp (16g) Olive Oil
- 1 Tbsp (15g) Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
Instructions
- Wash and dry the carrots before removing the stems, cutting them in half crosswise, then cutting each in half again lengthwise. For larger carrots, you may want to quarter the top half for even pieces.
- Toss the carrots in the olive oil and balsamic vinegar before adding to an air fryer basket. Use tongs or a rubber spatula to transfer the carrots to the basket, keeping any remaining oil and vinegar in the bowl. Air fry at 400ºF for 12 minutes.
- Transfer the carrots back to the mixing bowl and toss with any remaining oil and vinegar. Add the garlic powder, salt, and pepper, tossing to evenly coat.
- Add the carrots back to the basket and air fry an additional 10-12 minutes, shaking halfway through, until the carrots are fork tender and slightly charred around the edges.
- Toss the finished carrots with fresh parsley or parsley flakes and serve.
Notes
*I used an Instant Pot Air Fryer + Pressure Cooker Combo. Different air fryers may require slight modifications to cook time.
Each serving has 1 WW SmartPoint (blue).
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Servings Serving Size: 1 ServingAmount Per Serving: Calories: 85Total Fat: 4gCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 1g
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