Carrot Fries | Baked or Air Fried (Low-Carb)

How to make carrot fries; baked or air-fried. This low-carb side dish or snack is a delicious and nutritious replacement for potato fries, uses just a few simple ingredients, and is ready in under 40 minutes!

When it comes to fries, I love them as much as the next person; thick baked potato wedges, cheesy vegan Parmesan wedges, and even dishes like loaded nacho fries are some of my faves. But, for those days when I’m wanting something a little different (and the higher carbs in these polenta fries won’t cut it), then these lower-carb, slightly sweet baked carrot fries are the best!

They may not be as crispy as their potato counterparts, but they are flavorful, slightly caramelized, nutritional, and you can bake them in the oven or make them as Air fryer carrot fries (which are crispier!).

Best of all, this recipe is super versatile; make them as roasted carrot sticks, or even carrot chips, and with the seasonings of your choice!

Nutritious and Delicious Low-Carb Carrot Fries

In comparison to potatoes, carrots not only contain less than 50% of the carbs AND calories, with double the dietary fiber – but they also come with a list of additional health benefits too. This includes being a great source of vitamin A (beta-carotene) and K (for improved immune function, vision, growth, bone health, and blood coagulation), potassium (great for blood pressure control), and antioxidants as well as fiber (for gut health).

Carrots also contain several other beneficial plant compounds which further improve immune function and reduce the risk of several diseases, including cancer! Not to mention that they’re also fairly low GI, too!

So next time you’re in the mood for a healthy snack or side, bake your carrots into delicious air-fried or roasted carrot fries.

The Ingredients

• Carrots: The star of the show – Use fresh carrots, peeled. It’s best to use carrots around the same size to cut even-sized pieces. If you use organic/ no-peel carrots then you can skip the peeling step entirely.
• Oil: This will help the fries to crisp up slightly more and brown. Use any neutral high-heat cooking oil like vegetable oil, avocado oil, etc.
• Cornstarch: This will also help to slightly crisp up the carrots. You can alternatively use arrowroot flour. You may also be able to use potato starch or tapioca flour, though I haven’t tried.
• Spices: I used a combination of paprika, smoked paprika, ground cumin, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Read the recipe notes for alternatives.

For the full ingredients list, measurements, complete recipe method, and nutritional information, read the recipe card below.

How To Make Carrot Fries

Step 1: Prepare the carrots

• First, preheat the oven to 450F/220C and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Peel the carrots and slice them into sticks about 1 1/2 cm thick. I used a crinkle-cut knife, though a regular one will also work.

Step 2: Season and bake the fries

• Add the carrot sticks to a large bowl along with all the remaining ingredients; spices, cornstarch, and oil – and toss to combine and coat the carrots well. Then, transfer them to the baking sheet in a single layer.
• Bake for around 30 minutes, flipping halfway. However, I recommend checking on them at 25 minutes as the size/thickness of the sticks and your particular oven may mean they take slightly less or longer (40 mins).
• Once baked, optionally sprinkle the fries with some fresh herbs like parsley or even some vegan Parmesan, and enjoy with this Yum Yum sauce!

For Air Fryer Carrot Fries

• Cut and season the fries as mentioned above. Then, lay them out in a single layer on your Air fryer basket, with a little air between and air fry at 350F/175C for 15-20 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through.

The Air fryer carrots are definitely crispier than the oven-baked fries, so the method you choose is up to you!

How To Store?

Make-Ahead: You can cut the fries the evening before. Cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight then remove them from the fridge to bring back to room temperature before seasoning and baking.

Store: These baked carrot fries are best enjoyed while fresh and warm from the oven or Air fryer, and they will become limper as they cool down. However, you can store any leftovers in an airtight container for 2-3 days and reheat in the oven/Air fryer to re-crisp slightly or even within a skillet on the stovetop (with a little oil).

Serving Suggestions

There are many ways to enjoy these roasted carrot fries. Whether you want to serve them as a snack or low-carb side dish, here are some of my favorite options:

As a side to:

• Quesadillas – like this spinach quesadilla or veggie quesadillas.
• Portobello steaks – in place of regular fries
• Burgers – like this black bean burger or even shawarma sandwich.
• Cauliflower steak – for a delicious lower-carb meal
• Tacos – like these baked spinach tacos or chickpea tacos.
• For loaded fries– swap out the spuds and use these carrot fries instead for these vegan chili cheese fries.

As a finger food– with sauces and dips like this keto BBQ sauce, oil-free hummus, creamy spinach and artichoke dip, French onion dip, etc. They make for a great option to encourage kids to eat their carrots too. Serve them up as finger food at parties and kids events

Alongside other veggie sides – like crispy onion rings, baked plantain chips, or crispy chickpeas.

Recipe Notes & Variations

• The Spices: Feel free to adjust the spices to your liking. You could add more – like onion powder or cayenne pepper (for heat). You can also sprinkle the fries with this (homemade) vegan Parmesan precooking too.
• Feel free to adjust the thickness of your carrot sticks, just remember that the cooking time will also need to be adjusted. Thinner fries will likely be crispier, too.
• You could adapt the recipe to carrot chips – cut the carrots on a diagonal or use a potato peeler to peel long strips of the carrot. Then season and bake or air-fry. The time will be reduced, so check on them after 10 minutes (in the oven) and even sooner in the Air fryer and adjust accordingly.
• Don’t omit the oil if you want crispier fries. Since I decided to cut mine fairly thick, the fries aren’t very crispy when baked (they are more so when air-fried). However, the oil definitely helps to brown up the outside and add a little crisp. If you’re cutting your fries thinner, then the oil is even more vital for crispier results.
• You can broil the carrots for a minute or two at the end of the baking process for slightly crispier results!

Other Low Carb Side Dishes

Here are some other low-carb sides that you might enjoy:

• Keto Crackers
• Keto Tortillas with Almond Flour
• Vegan Coleslaw
• Keto BBQ Sauce
• Cauliflower Patties Recipe
• German Cucumber Salad

Other Carrot Recipes

• Best Vegan Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
• Creamy Vegan Carrot Ginger Soup
• Creamed Peas And Carrots
• Vegan Dumplings (Gyoza)
• Carrot Cake Donuts
• Vegan Gluten-Free Carrot Cake
• No-Bake Carrot Cake Bars

If you try my recipe for these Air fryer or roasted carrot fries, I’d love a comment and ★★★★★ recipe rating below. Also, please don’t forget to tag me in re-creations on Instagram or Facebook with @elavegan and #elavegan – I love seeing them.