These beautiful honey glazed roasted carrots are made in an air fryer in less than 25 minutes!! The carrots are flavorful, slightly caramelized and most importantly quick and easy to make!
A perfect side dish for holidays, as well as on busy weeknights.
I really refused to jump on this whole air fryer bandwagon for so long! I like to think of myself somewhat minimalist when it comes to kitchen appliances, and thought air fryer was just a fad.
Well, guess what? Now that I’ve had my air fryer for over 3 months, my only regret is not getting it sooner!
Truly!
WHAT IS AIR FRYER?
So, air fryer is basically a small convection oven (fan-forced oven). Nothing special. BUT unlike a traditional oven, air fryer heats up in seconds and allows you to start cooking right away thanks to its small compact-size.
I don’t know about yours, but my oven takes a good 30 minutes to heat to 400°F!
Another reason I love my air fryer is that it allows me to cook different side dishes without waiting on my oven. Especially on holidays, like Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Last Christmas, I was cooking a prime rib in the oven, which cooks low and slow. And I made scalloped potatoes in my Instant Pot, and these honey glazed roasted carrots. It was a huge hit without much effort!
Now, let’s talk about carrots… And if you don’t have an air fryer, I also included oven directions below!
INGREDIENTS FOR HONEY ROASTED CARROTS:
View the recipe card for the full list of ingredients, but here’re some pointers:
- Honey – Honey varies from light to dark. The general rule is the darker the honey the bolder the flavors. So try a few options before choosing the one that suits your palate. I personally use and recommend raw honey.
- Balsamic vinegar – The price dictates the quality just like fine wine, so be sure to select one that suits your pocket.
- Baby carrots – The recipe calls for baby carrots, but if you have regular carrots on hand you can use those too. Baby carrots offer so much convenience no washing, peeling and cutting required. Although it may seem like baby carrots are far sweeter, the truth is they have the same amount of natural sugar!
HOW TO MAKE AIR FRYER HONEY GLAZED ROASTED CARROTS
- Step 1. In a small bowl whisk together all the ingredients (except the dill and carrots).
- Step 2. Pour the liquid mixture over the carrots and toss to combine.
- Step 3. Place the carrots into the air fryer for 15-20 minutes. Once done, toss carrots with the excess sauce on the bottom of the pan and garnish.
TIP: No need to line your air fryer we are going to use the excess sauce in the bottom basket at the end.
No air fryer? No problem!
Oven Instructions: You can easily cook these roasted carrots in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Arrange the carrots on a baking sheet, lined with foil, and roast for 15-20 minutes, or until nice and tender.
CAN HONEY GLAZED CARROTS BE MADE AHEAD?
- You can definitely make air fryer carrots ahead. But with just 20 minutes from start to finish, I think it’s not necessary.
- If you do however decide to make it ahead, heat your air fryer to 325°F and reheat the carrots for 5 minutes, shaking halfway, and then enjoy!
CAN I FREEZE ROASTED CARROTS?
- Unfortunately, I don’t recommend freezing these roasted carrots. They’ll turn into a mush, if you freeze them. So instead, make them fresh or make them a day or two prior and re-heat.
We (tell me I am not the only one!) are all guilty of our good intentions of buying a bag of lovely fresh regular carrots at the start of the week only to find them limp in the drawer at the end of the week.
Well, check out this great guide on how to prep and store carrots for the week, so you ensure you use them all. As mentioned above, you can use regular carrots for this recipe.
And here’re some great main dishes to serve with your roasted carrots:
- Bacon-Wrapped Filet Mignon
- Garlic & Herb Crusted Boneless Prime Rib
- Super Juicy No Brine Roast Turkey
- Rack of Lamb
- Oven Baked Spiral Ham
Enjoy freeing up your oven during those busy holidays with an air fryer!
Air Fryer Honey Glazed Roasted Carrots
Ingredients
- 2 lbs baby carrots Note 1
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Fresh dill chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Place carrots in a large bowl, or ziplock bag.
- In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter, honey, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.
- Pour the honey mixture over the carrots and toss to combine.
- Place the carrots in the Air Fryer basket. No need to use a liner or anything.
- Cook the carrots at 375°F for 15-20 minutes, or until carrots are nice and tender. (Note: Some of the sauce will drip through the holes in the basket and carrots will look slightly dry during cooking. But don’t worry, once the carrots are cooked, simply toss the carrots into the bottom basket and mix with the sauce.)
- Garnish with fresh dill and serve.
Tips & Notes:
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