Craving fries but trying to stick to a healthy or keto diet? Look no further! These keto carrot fries offer a delicious and guilt-free alternative to traditional potato fries. Whether you bake them in the oven or air fry them, these fries are easy to make, packed with nutrients, and incredibly satisfying.
Why Carrot Fries?
If you are looking for heathy alternatives to fast food, this recipe is for you. Out of all comfort foods, fries and chips have always been a favorite. Carrot fries are a fantastic way to enjoy the satisfying crunch of fries while boosting your nutrient intake. Carrots are a healthy food packed with essential nutrients such as vitamin A, which supports vision and skin health. Clocking at 80 calories per serving, carrot fries are perfect for the diet. 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. Carrots also contain several other beneficial plant compounds which further improve immune function and reduce the risk of several diseases, including cancer!
Key Ingredients and Their Benefits
- Carrots: The star of the show, providing sweetness, fiber, and essential vitamins. It’s best to use carrots around the same size to cut even-sized pieces. When picking carrots, look for firm carrots with bright colored skin. You can use baby carrots if that's what you have on hand, just know that they won't be as crisp since they have a higher moisture content.
- Olive Oil: Helps to crisp up the fries and adds a touch of healthy fat. One tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil makes carrot fries crispy and delicious. A great alternative is avocado oil, or use coconut oil for a distinct flavor.
- Spices: Season to your likings. A blend of spices elevates the flavor profile, making these fries irresistible.
Oven-Baked Keto Carrot Fries Recipe
This method delivers evenly cooked fries with a slightly caramelized exterior.
Ingredients:
- Carrots
- Olive oil
- Salt and seasonings (sea salt, smoked paprika and garlic powder)
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Wash carrots, trim the ends and path dry them with a clean towel.
- Cut carrots into sticks, then place in a large mixing bowl.
- Toss with olive oil, smoked paprika, salt and garlic powder.
- Arrange the carrot sticks on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer, making sure they do not overlap.
- Bake in hot oven for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Tips for Perfect Oven-Baked Fries:
- Cut even fries: So they cook evenly.
- Don’t overbake carrots. The longer they bake, the drier they’ll get.
Air Fryer Keto Carrot Fries Recipe
For extra crispy fries in less time, the air fryer is your best bet.
Ingredients:
- Carrots
- Olive oil
- Salt and seasonings (sea salt, smoked paprika and garlic powder)
Instructions:
- Wash and peel carrots. To make fries, start by cutting them in half lengthwise, then cut each segment in half widthwise. Now, cut each piece into ¼-inch sticks.
- Combine carrot fries with oil, salt, pepper and paprika, or your preferred seasoning, in a large mixing bowl, and toss till carrots are coated with seasoning.
- Preheat the air fryer to 375°F for 2 minutes.
- Spread carrots in a single layer. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may have to split your carrots in 2-3 batches.
- Cook for 12-15 minutes, shaking the basket at the half way point. If you like them crispier, put them back in for another 2-3 minutes.
Tips for Perfect Air Fryer Fries:
- Don’t overload in the air fryer. You might need to cook 2-3 batches.
- The carrot fries air fryer recipe may take less time to be ready, depending on how powerful your machine is.
Parmesan & Ranch Keto Carrot Fries Recipe
Ingredients:
- 3 eas fresh carrots, medium USDA
- 2 tablespoons tap water FNDDS
- 1 bag Atkins Ranch Protein Chips
- 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated USDA
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha Cha! sriracha sauce USDA
- 1 sml raw egg USDA
- 1 teaspoon Real Lemon lemon juice, 100% FNDDS
- 1/4 cup Hellmann's Real Mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley FNDDS
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut carrots into 4 inch long, ¼-inch thick batons (French fry shape). In a medium flat bottom bowl, use a fork to whisk together the egg and water until frothy.
- In another medium flat bottom bowl, place finely crushed Atkins Ranch Protein Chips and parmesan, mixing until evenly dispersed.
- Dip the carrot sticks in the egg wash and let any excess drip off. Then place in the chip mixture and press to evenly coat each side. Place on the prepared baking sheet and repeat until all carrots are coated. Sprinkle with kosher salt and bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven, flip each carrot stick, and cook another 10 minutes or until the coating is browned.
- While the carrots are cooking, in a small bowl combine mayonnaise, sriracha, and lemon juice. Chop the parsley. Serve carrot fries, sprinkled with chopped parsley, with the spicy dipping sauce.
Variations
This easy air fryer carrots recipe is easily adaptable. You can even switch it up and make them sweet or savory.
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
- Savory: Add some herbs like fresh thyme, oregano, or rosemary.
- Sweet: Another delicious way to cook these carrots is to make them sweet.
Choosing the Right Carrots
- Imperator carrots: This type of carrot is long and skinny.
- Danver carrots: Danver carrots are thick at the top and come to a pointed end near the root.
- Nantes carrots: These carrots are bright orange, uniform in shape, and smooth.
- Rainbow carrots: These carrots come in all different colors ranging from purple, red, and yellow.
- Baby carrots: Baby carrots are made mostly from Imperator carrots and are marketed for munching as a snack.
Serving Suggestions
Crispy carrot fries are great as a tasty snack or as a side dish alongside burgers, sandwiches, or salads. Pair them with a dipping sauce such as garlic aioli, honey mustard, or tzatziki for the best experience. These carrot fries are pretty versatile and can be served in many ways. They make great appetizers or snacks with sweet and spicy sriracha mayo or sweet fry sauce for dipping. Serve them as a side with the burger of your choice.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
- Make-Ahead: You can cut the fries the evening before.
- 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.
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for a maximum of 3 days. For the best storage, let the sticks cool and then place in an airtight food container.
- Baked carrots can also be frozen in zipper bags for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: When you’re ready to eat leftover carrots, reheat them in the air fryer. To reheat, simply air fry for 2 minutes at 350°F. Pop them back in the oven (10-15 minutes) or air-fryer (a few minutes) at 375F/190C. Freezing air-fried carrots is not recommended.
Common Questions
Should I peel the carrots?
If you wash the carrots well, then it isn’t vital. However, we prefer to peel non-organic carrots. It’s up to you.
Are carrot fries healthy?
Carrots are low calorie (with less than 50% of the carbs and calories in potatoes), high fiber, and a great source of beta carotene, potassium, vitamins A, C, and K, fiber, and antioxidants. When paired with minimal amounts of heart-healthy oil, you can’t go wrong! Air fryer carrot fries are way healthier than their deep-fried version. They're also a healthier alternative to traditional fries since a serving of carrot fries contains only 78 calories as compared to roughly 175 calories in air fryer 'potato' french fries.
Are carrot fries crispy?
While they don’t become as crispy as potato fries, the addition of cornstarch helps to create a lovely crispy shell with slight crunch. Carrot fries made in an air fryer will produce the crispiest shell.
Can I make carrot chips instead of fries?
Absolutely! Use a vegetable peeler/ mandoline (1-2mm) to cut strips of carrot, pat them dry, season, then bake in a single layer with space between at 350F/180C for about 14-16 minutes, flipping halfway. Alternatively, air fry the carrot chips at 400F/200C for 8-12 minutes, flipping after 6 minutes. Note the carrot chips will crisp up more as they cool.
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
Why are my carrot fries soggy?
If your carrot fries turn out soggy after cooking, you can easily fix this next time. This happens when there's too much moisture on the carrots. Dry them off with paper towels before air frying them for crispier skin.
How long does it take to air fry carrots?
Similar to other air fryer recipes, roasting carrots in the air fryer doesn't take as long as they do in the oven. Depending on the thickness of the carrot and the air fryer used it may take about 12-16 minutes to cook carrots in the air fryer.
Can I use frozen carrots?
Yes, you can make air fryer roasted carrots using frozen carrots.
Tips and Tricks for the Best Carrot Fries
- Cooking time can vary: The exact cooking time will vary based on the thickness of the fries and your oven/air fryer.
- Don’t omit oil: Roasted carrot fries don’t become as crispy as regular potato fries, so a small amount of fat is used to encourage it.
- Cut even fries: So they cook evenly.
- Extra Crispy: To make them extra crispy, add 1 teaspoon cornstarch to the seasoning mix and toss carrots with it.
- Customize the seasoning: Using the seasoning suggestions from above, you can dress them up to compliment your meal.
- Best results: These carrot fries taste the best when freshly air fried or baked. You can prepare and season them ahead of time, but cook them just before serving.
- The Spices: Feel free to adjust the spices to your liking. You could add more - like onion powder or cayenne pepper (for heat).
- Feel free to adjust the thickness of your carrot sticks, just remember that the cooking time will also need to be adjusted.
- 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.
- 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.
- For Paleo and keto carrot fries: Skip the cornstarch.
Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto