Discover the perfect side dish with this Air Fryer Honey Roasted Carrots recipe. Enjoy the perfect balance of caramelised sweetness and crispiness all cooked to perfection in your air fryer.
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These simple, yet super tasty honey-roasted carrots in the air fryer combine the natural sweetness of carrots with the caramelised goodness of honey.
The result? A mouth-watering treat that is easy to make and healthy and nutritious.
If you love your air fryer as much as I do, you may want to also want to make these air fryer pork belly strips & air fryer chicken skewers.
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❤️ Why You Will Love This Recipe
- This is a quick & easy side dish that cooks in just 15 minutes.
- Using an air fryer uses less oil than traditional roasting, making it a healthier way to cook.
- They are the perfect balance of sweet and salty flavours.
- Crispy on the outside and soft & tender on the inside.
- These glazed roasted carrots are gluten free, dairy free and egg free.
🥘 Ingredients Used
This is such an easy side dish that only uses a few ingredients that most people will have at home in their cupboards.
✋ Be sure to double check all packaging for allergens. ✋
- Carrots: For this recipe, you can either use baby carrots or buy regular carrots and chop them into carrot sticks. You can buy carrot sticks pre-chopped from the supermarket, but it does cost considerably more to buy them this way.
- Honey: Using runny honey is best as it will be easier to coat the honey. If you only have raw honey check out this handy guide to de-crystalize it to make it usable for this recipe.
- Oil: I have used regular olive oil but any neutral-flavoured oil would work.
- Seasoning: Just standard salt & pepper are needed. Try and use good quality sea salt and freshly ground black peppercorns if you can
⚡ Variations
- Make It Vegan: Simply swap the honey for a good quality maple syrup or sprinkle in a teaspoon of brown sugar with the olive oil and seasoning.
- Mix Up The Veg: Add some parsnips with the carrots, just be sure to cut them the same size so they will all cook evenly.
- Seasoning: I have just used salt & pepper, but why not try adding some dried rosemary or thyme? Sprinkling chilli flakes on the sticky carrots before cooking will add a touch of spiciness too.
✏️ How To Make Air Fryer Honey Roasted Carrots
⬇️ For the full printable recipe, along with ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the end of the post ⬇️
Start by preheating your air fryer to 400°F (200°C). This will ensure that the air fryer will be at the correct temperature when the carrots are added and so will cook evenly.
Next, grab a mixing bowl and combine the olive oil, honey, salt, and black pepper. Give it a good stir until all the ingredients are well combined.
If you're using whole carrots, give them a quick scrub to remove any dirt, but there's no need to peel them as this is where all the goodness is. Then, slice the carrots into sticks.
If you're not sure how to do this, don't worry! I have an easy tutorial here that will guide you through the process of how to cut the carrots into sticks.
Once your carrots are prepped and ready, add them to the bowl with the honey mixture. Make sure every piece gets coated evenly in the glaze by giving them a good toss.
Now it's time to transfer the honey-coated carrots to the air fryer basket. It's important to arrange them in a single layer, without overcrowding the basket. If you have a large batch of carrots, you can cook them in batches to ensure they cook properly.
Don't forget to shake the basket a few times during the cooking process to ensure even cooking. This will help the carrots become tender and develop a slightly caramelized finish.
Once the cooking time is up, carefully remove the carrots from the air fryer. Transfer them to a serving dish, and if you'd like, garnish with some fresh parsley for an extra touch of freshness and a pop of colour.
💡 Tips & Tricks
- Make sure you try and cut the carrots into equal-sized batons to ensure even cooking. If you are using baby carrots and there are a few that are bigger than the others, simply cut them in half.
- I have personally tested this recipe using my Instant Pot Vortex Plus Clear Cook air fryer, so the recommended temperature and cooking times are tailored for this specific make and model. It's important to note that different air fryer brands may vary in their cooking performance, so you may need to make adjustments accordingly. The key is to monitor your food closely and check for readiness as you cook.
- To ensure proper cooking, it's essential to avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket. It's important to leave some space between the food items, to allow the air to circulate freely around the food and evenly cook the ingredients.
🥡 Storage & Freezing
These air fryer honey-glazed carrots are best eaten straight away as this is when the texture will be at its best.
Storage
As I have said above, I recommend eating the carrots immediately after serving, however, they can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Reheat
To retain the crispy exterior of the carrots, it is preferable to reheat them in the air fryer using the designated reheat function for a few minutes. This method preserves the texture better than microwaving, which can result in soggy carrots.
Freezing
Although it is safe to freeze these carrots in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months, it is worth mentioning that freezing may affect their texture and make them less crispy, therefore freezing is not recommended, but if you choose to do so, thaw the carrots overnight in the fridge and reheat using the method above.
🔪 Equipment
Air Fryer: As always, all of my air fryer recipes are tested in the Instant Pot Vortex Plus Clear-Cook I absolutely love this air fryer! It cooks really quickly and evenly and I love that it has a see-through cooking drawer with a light, so you can see how the food is cooking without having to open the air fryer basket.
🍴 Serving Suggestions
These honey-roasted carrots are incredibly versatile and complement a wide range of dishes!
They are particularly ideal when you're preparing a big roast dinner and find yourself in need of extra oven space.
They go beautifully with slow cooker breast of lamb, roast potatoes cooked in the slow cooker, and Brussels sprouts infused with bacon and garlic.
💬 FAQ
Absolutely! You can use baby carrots, whole carrots sliced into sticks, or even carrot chunks, depending on your preference. Just make sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly for larger or smaller carrot pieces.
Yes! If you prefer a sweeter flavour, you can increase the amount of honey in the recipe. Equally, if you prefer a milder sweetness, you can reduce the amount of honey or even substitute it with a different sweetener like maple syrup.
Absolutely! Feel free to get creative and add other vegetables to the mix. Vegetables like parsnips, sweet potatoes, or red onions can be roasted alongside the carrots. Just ensure that the vegetables you choose have similar cooking times and adjust the seasoning and cooking time accordingly.
📖 More Vegetable Side Dishes..
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Honey Roasted Carrots
Equipment
Ingredients
- 500 g (1lb) carrots (normal or baby) chopped into sticks
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon honey can be substituted for maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
- Combine the olive oil, honey, salt, and black pepper in a mixing bowl. Stir until well combined.
- If using whole carrots, scrub the outside of them (no need to peel) then slice them into sticks. You can find an easy tutorial on how to slice the carrots into sticks here.
- Add the chopped / baby carrots to the bowl and toss them in the honey mixture until evenly coated.
- Place the honey-coated carrots in the air fryer basket in a single layer, making sure they are not overcrowded. If necessary, you can cook them in batches.
- Cook the carrots in the air fryer for about 10-15 minutes, shaking the basket a few times to ensure even cooking. The carrots should be tender and slightly caramelized.
- Once cooked, remove the carrots from the air fryer and transfer them to a serving dish. If desired, garnish with fresh parsley for added freshness and colour.
Notes
- Make sure you try and cut the carrots into equal-sized batons to ensure even cooking. If you are using baby carrots and there are a few that are bigger than the others, simply cut them in half.
- I have personally tested this recipe using my Instant Pot Vortex Plus Clear Cook air fryer, so the recommended temperature and cooking times are tailored for this specific make and model. It's important to note that different air fryer brands may vary in their cooking performance, so you may need to make adjustments accordingly. The key is to monitor your food closely and check for readiness as you cook.
- To ensure proper cooking, it's essential to avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket. It's important to leave some space between the food items, to allow the air to circulate freely around the food and evenly cook the ingredients.
Let me know what you think of this recipe!