You're going to love these air fryer honey carrots--they're sweet, caramelized, and have a surprising kick of heat from hot honey (one of my favorite ingredients). Air frying not only speeds up the cooking process, it also frees up oven space if you decide to serve these for your holiday meal.
With only a handful of simple ingredients and a quick cooking time, this is the perfect side dish you'll want to make again and again.
As I mentioned before, hot honey is one of my favorite ingredients. I first had this magical ingredient when I started working with Savannah Bee Company. (I develop recipes and style those recipes for their website and stores.) Savannah Bee hot honey adds just the right amount of heat to so many dishes and makes these carrots something truly special.
While roasting brings out the natural sweetness of the carrots, when you add the butter and hot honey glaze, they become next-level good. Plus, using the air fryer keeps things mess-free and efficient--now that's a big win in my book! And don't worry if you don't have an air fryer--I have instructions for roasting them in a conventional oven too.
This simple side dish is easy enough for busy weeknights but flavorful enough to serve at holiday family dinners. I plan on doubling this recipe for Easter and serving with our traditional ham, my baked macaroni and cheese, our family's favorite broccoli casserole, and serving this decadent coconut cake for dessert!
Are you ready to learn how to make these air fryer carrots with a kick? Let's do it!
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Ingredients
Before we get started, let's gather the ingredients we need for this easy recipe:
- carrots
- hot honey
- olive oil
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- salted butter
- fresh parsley
(See recipe card for quantities.)
Instructions
Now that we've got our ingredients, it's time to get cooking!
- First, preheat the air fryer to 375°F. cut the carrots into 3-inch pieces and toss with the olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Then, pour the carrots into the air fryer basket and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Meanwhile, stir together the butter and honey in the bowl. Add the carrots and toss to coat.
- Finally, return the carrots to the air fryer and cook for 6 to 8 minutes longer or until caramelized and tender. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.
Hint: Line the bottom of the air fryer with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easier cleanup.
Hint #2: Be sure to cut the carrots into equal pieces for even cooking. I try to pick large carrots with even thickness throughout so it's easier to cut into equal carrot sticks. If you do end up with smaller pieces, they may end up caramelized quicker than the rest (which is okay, just remove them first so they don't burn.
Substitutions
Need to make some ingredient swaps? Here are some ideas:
- Hot honey - Savannah Bee Company hot honey is one of my favorite things ever. I seriously put it on everything. If you're not a fan of spicy things, feel free to use regular honey. You can also use maple syrup if you prefer.
- Parsley - Instead of parsley, feel free to garnish with other fresh herbs like fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, or fresh oregano.
- Salted butter - Out of salted butter? That's okay! Use unsalted and add a little more salt to the carrots if you'd like.
Variations
There are so many ways to change up this honey-roasted carrots recipe. Check out these variations:
- Hot Honey Rainbow Carrots - Want to make this dish even prettier? Use rainbow carrots instead.
- Hot Honey Root Vegetables - Other root vegetables, sweet potatoes, and butternut squash are amazing alternatives to the carrots. Parsnips (they look like white carrots) are so underrated and would be great instead of carrots.
- Hot Honey Carrots with Whipped Feta - Give this dish even more of a wow factor. Spoon the carrots over some whipped feta. To make whipped feta, simply crumble feta into a food processor and add a little yogurt and olive oil. Blend until smooth.
Equipment
Here's the equipment you'll need to make this recipe:
- vegetable peeler
- chef's knife
- measuring spoons
- large mixing bowl
- air fryer
- whisk
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Tasty Tip
For the best results, the honey-glazed carrots will caramelize better if they're spread in a single layer in the air fryer. The air fryer I use has a wide pan so I'm able to cook the carrots in one batch. If yours is on the skinnier side, you may want to cook in two batches.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, but make sure to toss the carrots with the honey and the butter at the end of cooking. That way the honey won't burn (since it has a high sugar content.)
Yes, but make sure you place it in the air fryer properly and secure it. The idea is for the hot air to circulate around the carrots instead of blowing around the foil.
I use aluminum foil to line the bottom of the air fryer so that when the honey and butter drips down from the carrots in the perforated pan, that yummy sauce is caught. And, instead of burning on the bottom of the air fryer, I can pour it over the top of the carrots before serving. It's a win-win!
For sure! Use a rimmed baking sheet and roast at 400°F.
Were the carrots spread out in a single layer? If not, crowding of the carrots can cause them to steam instead of brown. Depending on the shape and size of your air fryer, you may need to cook in batches.
Nope! The great thing about honey is that is a natural preservative. It should be stored in the pantry or other cool, dry place to prevent crystallization.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this carrot recipe? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with these honey roasted carrots:
🍽Get the recipe
Easy Hot Honey Roasted Carrots in the Air Fryer
Equipment
- vegetable peeler
- chef's knife
- measuring spoons
- large mixing bowl
- air fryer
- whisk
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb carrots, peeled
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 2 tablespoon salted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoon hot honey
- Chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 375°F. Cut the carrots into equal 3-inch pieces and place in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, salt, and pepper and toss to coat.
- Transfer the carrots to the air fryer basket and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Whisk together the butter and hot honey (in the same bowl you used before). Add the carrots and toss to coat.
- Return the carrots to the air fryer and cook for 6 to 8 more minutes or until golden brown and caramelized. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.
Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips
When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:
- Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
- When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
- I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
- When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
Food safety
Finally, don't forget to keep these food safety tips in mind when making this recipe.
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Follow the manufacturer's instructions when operating the air fryer.
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