How to Make Carrot Fries (Crispy & Delicious!)

You CAN have it all, thanks to these carrot fries. I make these whenever I’m craving crispy fries, but want them to be a bit lighter. Let me show you how to make your new favorite snack or side dish.

I first made these carrot fries one night when I had a chicken roasting in the oven and a serious craving for fries — but no potatoes in sight. I did, however, have a pile of carrots waiting to be used. I figured if potatoes could turn into great fries, carrots deserved a chance, too. Not only did they turn out better than I expected, but my daughter made them disappear almost immediately. They’ve been a regular in our house ever since whenever a fry craving hits.

And yes — they really do get crispy. As the carrots bake, their natural moisture evaporates, allowing them to soften first and then brown and crisp on the outside. The combination of oil, cornstarch, and seasonings creates a light coating that turns golden and crunchy in the oven. They’re crisp enough to pick up without flopping over, which is really all you can ask of a fry. No sad carrots here.

I usually make these carrot fries in the oven since it’s easy to bake them alongside whatever else I’m cooking, but an air fryer works beautifully too if that’s what you prefer. Either way, they get wonderfully crisp.

Serving ideas

Burgers and fries are the ultimate combo. Try serving them with my Swiss mushroom burger or black bean veggie burgers. And don’t forget a dip! Chipotle mayo is my favorite, and dijonnaise is also nice. A little bang bang sauce or spicy tomato jam works well, too!

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Crispy Carrot Fries Recipe

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 25 minutes mins

Total: 40 minutes mins

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Have you ever tried carrot fries? If not, you need to! They're an easy-to-make and delicious side dish. Seasoned to perfection, the sweetness of the carrot amplifies as the natural sugars caramelize, and the outside becomes crispy and delicious while the inside stays soft.

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Ingredients

• ▢ 2 lb carrots
• ▢ 2 tablespoons cornstarch (see notes)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon EACH: garlic powder and onion powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ▢ ½ teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper
• ▢ 2 tablespoons avocado oil (or another neutral-flavored oil)
• ▢ Finely minced parsley (to serve)

Instructions 

• Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line 2 – 13×18" baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut the carrots into thin sticks.
  2 lb carrots
  
• Place the carrot fries in a large bowl and toss with the cornstarch. Add the garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper and toss again. Drizzle the oil over the top and toss it one more time until the spices create a sort of light batter on the fries. This is easiest with your hands.
  2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 tablespoon EACH: garlic powder and onion powder, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 2 tablespoons avocado oil, ½ teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper
  
• Divide the carrot fries between the two baking sheets, making sure none of the fries are touching each other.
  
• Bake for 15 minutes and then remove the trays from the oven and turn each of the fries over. Put them back into the oven for another 10-15 minutes, or until they are brown and crispy. Serve with some finely minced parsley over the top.
  Finely minced parsley
  

Video

Notes

The cornstarch and seasonings when combined with the oil create a sort of batter for the fries, which is what gives them a nice, crispy texture when baked. 

How to cut carrots into fries: Overall, you aim to make sticks that resemble French fries and to make them uniform so that they cook evenly. Here are a few helpful tips for cutting your carrots into fries:

1. Carrot selection: The first step is to choose great carrots! Look for firm ones with a vibrant color. Avoid any that are limp or have soft spots.
2. Clean: Prep the carrots by washing them under water.
3. Trim & slice: Trim the edges off the carrot first, then slice – the number of slices you make will depend on the length of the carrot, but usually two or three cuts to make smaller tubes around 2 to 3 inches long, depending on preference.
4. Make sticks: Then slice lengthwise to create a plank, around ¼ to ½ inch thick. Stack the planks and cut them lengthwise again to make strips that resemble French fries. Easy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving = ¼ of the recipe, Calories: 214kcal (11%), Carbohydrates: 28g (9%), Protein: 3g (6%), Fat: 11g (17%), Saturated Fat: 1g (6%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Sodium: 741mg (32%), Potassium: 767mg (22%), Fiber: 7g (29%), Sugar: 11g (12%), Vitamin A: 37889IU (758%), Vitamin C: 14mg (17%), Calcium: 84mg (8%), Iron: 1mg (6%)

© Author Kristen Stevens

We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.

How to make carrots crispy

Fries are best when they’re all crispy on the outside but soft on the inside. So what’s the secret for making crispy baked carrot fries? We did some trial and error to find out! There are three things you need to do:

1. Starch: Coating the carrot sticks in a starch, like cornstarch, makes them nice and crispy when baked! Tapioca starch and potato starch work just as well.
2. Season: Serving the same purpose as the starch, a generous coating of spices helps to create a crispy layer on the outside of the fries.
3. Bake time: Leave them in the oven a little bit longer than you think you should! You want them to be well browned. If you look at the pictures, you’ll see they almost look burned in places. Nearly but not quite is the sweet spot here.

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