Name: Air Fryer Rosemary Butter Carrots
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 17 min
Ingredients: 4-5 medium whole carrots (peeled and cut into chunks); 2 tablespoons butter; 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon pepper

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These Air Fryer Carrots are seasoned with dried rosemary and creamy butter. When made in the air fryer, carrots end up packed full of flavor and perfectly tender. This delightful side dish is perfect for the holidays and is ready in under 12 minutes!

Carrots come out perfectly roasted in the air fryer, that’s why we love cooking them this way. Try more of our vegetable Air Fryer Recipes, like these Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts with Bacon or Air Fryer Roasted Broccoli Parmesan.

A plate of rosemary carrots made in the air fryer.

The Best Air Fryer Carrots

The best way to make carrots is to roast them in the air fryer. They end up caramelized and sweet with the perfect texture, soft and fork tender. There is something about the fresh butter and rosemary combination that makes these carrots taste like they were roasting all day long.

But, in reality this is a quick cooking dish that will be ready in under 15 minutes!

This carrot recipe is delicious enough to serve at a dinner party, Sunday supper or make as a fancy side dish for any holiday like Christmas, Easter, or Thanksgiving.

I like to use carrots pieces that are all about the same size, this will guarantee that they all cook evenly and in the same amount of time. You can use cut up whole carrots or baby carrots for this recipe.

Up close of a carrot on a fork over a plate of carrots.

One of the reasons I love cooking in the air fryer is because not a lot of oil is needed. But, carrots are kind of a different story. I tried a recipe for carrots which didn’t use any oil or butter in the air frying process, and they just did not taste right. The flavor was bland and the texture was dried out. That is why some kind of fat is needed to make this air fryer recipe.

Why this recipe works

Quick to cook: These carrots cook quickly in the air fryer, but still retails all the flavor of carrots that have been roasted in the oven. Just add them in and cook them, they will be ready in no time at all.
Healthy vegetable: Carrots are so super healthy! They are full of vitamin A and fiber. This is a healthier side dish, but it does have butter added.
Great side dish: This recipe pairs great with any main dish like air fryer chicken breast no breading or marinated chicken thighs. It’s perfect for weeknight dinners or fancier occasions.

Ingredients Needed

Carrots: My favorite way to make this is with whole carrots. Use carrots that are firm and not limp. And are about medium in size. If carrots are larger, just cut them into uniform pieces.
Butter: I use unsalted butter, cooking with a fat also brings out the natural sweet flavor of carrots.
Seasonings: Freshly ground pepper, garlic powder, dry rosemary, and salt are the seasonings needed for this recipe.

Ingredients to make carrots in the air fryer.

How to Cook Carrots in the Air Fryer

STEP 1: Prepare the carrots, wash them then use a vegetable peeler to take off the outer skin.

STEP 2: Preheat the air fryer.

STEP 3: While air fryer is preheating, dry off the carrots thoroughly and cut carrots into chunks.

STEP 4: In a large bowl, melt the butter. Mix in garlic powder, salt, pepper, and dried rosemary.

STEP 5: Place carrots into preheated air fryer. Cook, flipping the carrot pieces over half way through cooking time.

STEP 5: Serve the carrots hot.

Step by step instructions to make air fryer carrots.

How to Serve Air Fryer Carrots

Carrots make a great healthy side dish. They pair perfectly with all proteins, any chicken dishes, beef, pork, or seafood. You can also serve them with vegetarian main dishes like stuffed poblano peppers. Make an easy holiday meal by trying carrots with air fryer ham steaks and some cheesy garlic mashed potatoes.

Cooking Tips and Tricks

Don’t overcrowd basket: Keep the carrots in a single layer with a little space between pieces so that they cook evenly.
Equal sizing: Try to cut the carrots into equal sized pieces. I like to try to use whole carrots that are about the same size. Any bigger pieces can be cut in half or even fourths.
Open air fryer: Check on the carrots at any time during the cooking process. Don’t be afraid to open the air fryer to see how your food is doing. If they start getting overly wrinkly, they may be over cooking.
Shake basket: Halfway through cooking time, shake the air fryer basket to ensure even cooking.
Adjust cooking time: Smaller carrot pieces are going to cook quicker and larger pieces are going to take longer to cook.

Above view of a plate of air fried carrots with some parsley and a striped towel.

Recipe Variations

Once carrots are cooked, add some chopped up herbs like fresh parsley, dill, or even mint.
Swap out the butter for olive oil to keep this recipe vegan.
You can switch up the flavor on these carrots, some seasonings you could also use are thyme, paprika, curry powder or onion powder.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the air fryer need to be preheated before cooking carrots? It is preferred to preheat the air fryer if yours has that setting. If not, that is ok.

Can I use frozen carrots? Frozen carrots can be used for this recipe, but you will have to be thawed beforehand. They also may not have the same texture as fresh carrots because they retain more water.

Can I use baby carrots? Yes, baby carrots can be used instead. Keep in mind that they may cook faster than big chunks of carrots.

How to Store & Reheat

How to store it? Let the carrots to cool to room temperature (but not longer than 2 hours) and put in an airtight container. They should last about 3-4 days in the fridge.

How do you reheat ? Pre-heat the air fryer to 350° F. Cook leftover carrots for 3-5 minutes.

Up close view of cut up carrots sprinkled with dried rosemary and parsley.

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