Air Fryer Carrots with Balsamic Glaze

Name: Air Fryer Carrots with Balsamic Glaze
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 lb fresh carrots; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp honey; ¼ tsp salt; ¼ tsp pepper; ¼ tsp garlic powder; 2 tbsps balsamic glaze (divided); 1 tbsp butter (melted); 2 tsps fresh parsley (chopped)

Perfectly cooked sweet and savory air fryer carrots drizzled with flavorful balsamic reduction.

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Carrots on a plate with balsamic glaze on top.

Our quick and easy recipe for air fryer carrots with balsamic glaze is the perfect side dish for most meaty entrées. The mouthwatering combination of sweet carrots and tangy balsamic reduction makes this vegetarian side dish simply irresistible.

Table of Contents

Balsamic carrots are done in less than 30 minutes and therefore make the perfect weeknight dinner side. However, you can also serve these scrumptious gluten free and dairy free carrots on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve or at any fancy dinner.

Our homemade balsamic glaze is incredibly easy to make but a thousand times better than store bought. It takes this roasted vegetable dish to a whole other level.

❤️ WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS AIR FRYER CARROTS WITH BALSAMIC GLAZE RECIPE

✔️ It only takes 5 minutes to prepare this dish.

✔️ The balsamic glaze perfectly compliments the sweet flavor of carrots. The sweet and tangy flavor is perfect.

✔️ The air fryer cooks the carrots to perfection.

✔️ Crowd pleasing side dish that goes well with most meats.

air fried carrots on a plate with balsamic glaze and sprinkled with parsley

INGREDIENTS

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for air fried balsamic carrots, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

You may have all of these balsamic carrots ingredients in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store. See recipe card below for ingredient amounts.

Fresh Carrots: Use fresh, crisp, whole carrots. This way you can determine which way you want to cut them and keep the size more evenly. Baby carrots will work in a pinch.
Olive Oil: You can also substitute avocado oil.
Honey: Any type of honey works in this recipe. Make sure your honey is fairly liquid, so it tosses easily and coats the carrots well. In case your honey is a bit solid, warm it up in the microwave for a couple of seconds.
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Balsamic Glaze: Use your favorite store bought balsamic reduction or make your own. Check out our super easy and quick recipe for homemade balsamic glaze. It tastes incredible!
Unsalted Butter

VARIATIONS: Try Finishing Your Carrots in Different Ways!

Not a big fan of balsamic glaze? You can easily omit the balsamic reduction and simply toss your carrots with butter and parsley.
If you love sweeter carrots, try drizzling them with maple syrup instead of balsamic glaze.

ingredients for air fryer carrots with balsamic glaze

INSTRUCTIONS

This section shows how to cook balsamic carrots in the air fryer with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For full instructions, nutritional information, to print the recipe or to have the recipe scaled to double or triple, see the recipe card below.

PREPARE CARROTS: Wash, peel and cut carrots into ½” thick pieces. Cut diagonally or cut into sticks or rounds, if you prefer.

Carrots tossed with herbs and spices in a bowl.

COAT CARROTS: In a bowl, toss the carrots with olive oil, honey, salt, pepper and garlic to coat.

COOK: Spray air fryer basket with non-stick cooking spray to prevent the carrots from sticking. Place the carrots into the air fryer basket. Cook at 400°F for about 20 minutes. Stir or toss the carrots once or twice while cooking. Remove from the air fryer when they’re tender crisp or the consistency you prefer.

🔴 TIP: Adjust cooking time if necessary. Some air fryers have a pre-heat option. Preheating may reduce the cooking time a little bit. Do not overcook carrots. They will become mushy. A fork should be able to poke into the cooked carrot with a little resistance.

GLAZE CARROTS: Mix carrots with 1 tablespoon of balsamic glaze and melted butter.

Balsamic glaze drizzled over carrots in air fryer.

SERVE: Garnish with 1 tablespoon of balsamic glaze drizzled over the top. Sprinkle with fresh parsley.

RECOMMENDED TOOLS

Air Fryer – The air fryer perfectly cooks the carrots by circulating hot air around them without adding a lot of oil.

HOW TO MAKE AIR FYER CARROTS AHEAD

You can peel and cut your carrots up to 3 days in advance. Just make sure you store them in an airtight container or ziplock bag in the fridge. Only toss them with the honey and seasoning right before cooking.

Another way to make this roasted vegetable dish ahead is cooking the carrots up to 2 days ahead of time. Follow our recipe steps 1-4. Let them cool completely after they come out of the air fryer and store them in the fridge in an airtight container. When you are ready to serve the carrots, reheat them in the air fryer at 400ºF for 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Then toss with melted butter and balsamic reduction. Garnish and serve.

HOW TO MAKE BALSAMIC GLAZED CARROTS IN THE OVEN

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.
Wash, peel and cut carrots into ½” thick pieces. Cut diagonally or cut into sticks or rounds, if you prefer.
In a bowl, toss the carrots with olive oil, honey, salt, pepper and garlic to coat.
Transfer carrots onto the baking sheet at roast in the oven for about 30 minutes. Turn carrots after 10-15 minutes, using a cooking spatula.

🔴 TIP: Monitor carrots. Cooking time depends on the actual size of your carrot pieces. To avoid overcooking, start checking them after 20 minutes in the oven.

Mix carrots with 1 tablespoon of balsamic glaze and melted butter.
Garnish with 1 tablespoon of balsamic glaze drizzled over top. Sprinkle with fresh parsley.

TIPS FOR THE BEST AIR FRYER CARROTS WITH BALSAMIC GLAZE

Follow these tips to make the best balsamic glazed carrots.

✔️ Make your own balsamic glaze. Follow our quick and easy recipe to make the most delicious homemade balsamic reduction. Way better than store bought!

✔️ Don’t crowd the air fryer. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you might have to cook in batches. Make sure carrots leave enough room for the air to circulate properly.

✔️ Make sure not to overcook carrots. A fork should be able to poke into the cooked carrot with a little resistance.

STORAGE TIPS

Refrigerate: Let leftover air fried carrots cool completely. Then store them in an airtight container or ziploc bag in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Freeze: Transfer cooled balsamic carrots to a freezer safe container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

Defrosting: Thaw your carrots overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature for a couple of hours. To reheat, pop them into the microwave or air fryer until heated through.

cooked carrots in the air fryer sprinkled with parsley

WHAT TO SERVE WITH AIR FRYER CARROTS WITH BALSAMIC REDUCTION

Serve air fried carrots with balsamic glaze with a hearty meat dish, such as our chicken in white wine sauce or mouthwatering marinated tri-tip roast. To complete the meal serve creamy mashed potatoes, lion house rolls or easy cheesy garlic rolls. For a side salad we recommend fresh caprese salad or crisp and delicious greek salad.

Roasted balsamic carrots also pair well with caprese stuffed chicken breast, caprese stuffed portobello mushrooms and caprese chicken thighs. Also check out our amazingly delicious caprese pizza recipe.

MORE AIR FRYER VEGETABLE RECIPES

If you love love air fried balsamic carrots you’ll enjoy our other air fryer vegetables. We also love making beets, cauliflower, broccoli, green beans and Brussels sprouts in the air fryer. Try drizzling any of these amazingly flavorful roasted vegetables with our mouthwatering homemade balsamic glaze.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

For perfect results every time, here are answers to the most common questions about cooking .

Can I use parchment paper in the air fryer?

If you prefer to use less oil, you can line your air fryer basket with parchment paper. We recommend using special air fryer paper or making your own. Simply cut a piece of parchment paper slightly smaller than your air fryer basket and punch a couple of holes into it. Only add the parchment paper right before adding your carrots.

I don’t have an air fryer. Is it possible to make this dish in the oven?

Yes. Follow the detailed instructions provided above on how to make balsamic carrots in the oven.

Are air fryer carrots healthy?

Air fryers use relatively little oil and cook by circulating hot air. This cooking process doesn’t add many calories to the vegetables, therefore making them a healthier option compared to other cooking methods. Additionally, our air fryer carrots with balsamic glaze are gluten and dairy free. They can be served as part of vegetarian and vegan meals.