When the craving for fries hits, but you want something a little more nutrient dense, then give these Baked Carrot Fries (or carrot chips) a try. Crispy on the outside and deliciously soft and sweet on the inside, these are a great side dish, or even just snacking on them straight off the pan.
All of the flavour and crispiness of fries, but with the health benefits of carrots. Now that is something that we can get on board with! I love fries. I could eat them all day, every day, but that isn't going to make me feel my best. So, these carrot fries are a little healthier alternative. Seasoned with just some salt and pepper, you could add your favourite seasoning blend.
If you are looking for some other ways to use carrots, then why not try our Garlic and Parsley Roasted Carrots, Carrot and Coriander Soup, Carrot and Lentil Soup or Carrot and Coriander Side Salad?
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Why you will love them
- A lighter alternative to potato fries - Nobody is suggesting you give up fries. But, if you want something lighter, or even to make a mixture, then carrot fries are really good.
- Sweet and nutrient dense fries - Carrots have so many nutritional benefits and they are so good when roasted as it brings out all the sweetness.
- Can be eaten as a side or snack - You don't just have to serve these as a side, they are really good for snacking on too.
- Easy to adapt with different flavours - You can keep it simple with just salt and pepper, but any seasoning blend will work too.
Ingredients needed
- Carrots - The star of this recipe. We have used basic supermarket carrots to make this a really budget friendly meal.
- Cornflour (cornstarch) - This is what helps to get the carrot fries crispy. If you leave this out, you won't get that crisp that you expect from fries.
- Oil - We used olive oil.
- Seasoning - We just used salt and pepper, but we have given some options for seasonings below.
- Parsley - A little bit of fresh parsley when serving.
A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
How to make baked carrot fries - Step by step
One: Preheat your oven to 200°C/390°F/Gas 6. Put the carrots in a bowl with the cornflour, olive oil, salt and pepper and mix well.
Two: Lay on to a baking sheet, making sure the carrots are not on top of each other. Bake for 30-40 minutes, turning halfway through, until cooked through.
Health benefits of carrots
Carrots are a good source of beta carotene, which is a compound your body changes into vitamin A, which helps keep your eyes healthy. Beta-carotene helps protect your eyes from the sun and lowers your chances of cataracts and other eye problems.
They are also a good source of fibre, which will help to keep you fuller for longer, as well as vitamin K1, potassium, and antioxidants. So this is a nutrient dense snack.
What carrots to use
We grow carrots most years as they are so easy to grow and they just taste 10 times better than store bought carrots. They are wonderfully sweet and when roasted that just intensifies.
You want to buy the best quality carrots you can if you are not growing them yourself. Try to go to a farmers market, as you will really taste the difference.
We have used regular orange carrots, but why not mix it up and make them even more fun and appealing for kids to eat by using purple carrots?
Healthy Swap
If you don't love carrots this much, then mix it up with half baked sweet potato fries - they are the same colour, so they blend right in. Sweet potatoes will be be more filling and they have lots of nutrition benefits too.
Not only are sweet potatoes a good source of fibre, but packed with B vitamins and vitamin C too. They are also high in beta-carotene.
Seasoning
The great thing about these is that you can use all different flavour combinations to make them a different way every time. If you want to add some heat, then add some smoked paprika and a pinch of cayenne, or your favourite Mexican or Cajun blend.
You could use a mixture of Italian dried herbs, or simply mix up the fresh herbs used at the end and swap parsley for coriander or dill.
What to serve with carrot fries
Fries and burgers are the perfect match, and we have some delicious burger options for you. Why not try our Mexican Burger, Pork and Apple Burger, Chicken Pesto Burgers, Hidden Vegetable Beef Burgers, Cajun Chicken Burger or Mexican Bean Burger?
If you are just going to be snacking on them, then you need yourself some epic dip to go with it. We have got you covered there too. Why not try our Tzatziki, Roasted Carrot Hummus, Healthy Ranch Dressing, Jalapeno Sauce, Homemade BBQ Sauce or Restaurant Style Salsa.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, this recipe is vegan.
Yes, as long as you make sure there is no cross contamination, this is gluten free.
These took around 35 minutes in our oven, however every oven cooks differently. We have given a guide of 30-40 minutes, so check them after 30 minutes and cook them until they are done to your liking.
Yes you can! Why not try our Air Fryer Carrots recipe?
Yes, you can chop the carrots up and season them and keep them in the fridge until you are ready to cook them. They may take a few minutes more if you are cooking them straight from the fridge.
Roasting them in oil is what helps to make them crispy, which makes a change to boiled carrots. However, the key to getting them really crispy is mixing them with cornflour - that really helps to crisp them up.
You could also sprinkle over some grated Parmesan 10 minutes before they are finished cooking - that will give them even more crispiness.
The thinner you cut your fries, the crispier they will become.
We don't recommend storing these as they go limp in the fridge and they don't reheat well. So only cook as much as you need to avoid waste.
Extra tips
• If you don't love carrots this much, then make half and half with baked sweet potato fries.
• Mix up the seasoning and use your favourite spice blend.
• Add extra crispiness by sprinkling some grated Parmesan on 10 minutes before they are finished cooking.
• The thinner you cut the fries, the crispier they will get when cooking.
More vegetarian side dishes
If you’ve tried these carrot fries, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Baked Carrot Fries
Ingredients
- 4 Carrot - peeled and cut in to sticks
- 1 tablespoon Cornflour (corn starch)
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 pinch Sea salt and ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoon Fresh parsley - finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C(fan)/400°F/Gas 6.
- Put 4 Carrot into a bowl with 1 tablespoon Cornflour (corn starch), 2 tablespoon Olive oil and 1 pinch Sea salt and ground black pepper and mix well.
- Lay on to a baking sheet, making sure the carrots are not on top of each other. Bake for 30-40 minutes, turning halfway through, until cooked through.
- Sprinkle 2 tablespoon Fresh parsley over before serving.
Recipe Tips
- If you don't love carrots this much, then make half and half with baked sweet potato fries.
- Mix up the seasoning and use your favourite spice blend.
- Add extra crispiness by sprinkling some grated parmesan on 10 minutes before they are finished cooking.
Nutritional Information
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Holly O'Boyle says
OMG. I am a little (a lot) obsessed with Sweet Potato Chips but these look like a yummy alternative! I HAVE to try these!! :-) xx
Leah | So, How's It Taste? says
Love this! Carrots are almost the only veggie that I will eat in any form. I love them raw and cooked. Must try these "fries!"
Nayna Kanabar (@citrusspiceuk) says
These look and sound gorgeous and very tasty.
Mayuri Patel says
carrot fries, an innovative idea and healthy. I love a yogurt based dip for chips.
Tamzin says
I love carrot chips or any kind of chip if I'm honest and ketchup is my favourite dip and sometimes a little Mayo! I would love a little garden if my own where I could plant some things to eat...maybe one day : )
Manali @ CookWithManali says
Yum yum!! What a healthy snack Dannii! Love it! Pinned
ninjacat says
Carrot fries amazing , I did parsnip fries after Christmas
Kandas says
Yummy! Those look delish. I serious doubt my picky eaters would even try them though... they won't even eat sweet potato fries. More for me!!
I like ranch dressing for dipping. I know, I know. Boring.
Trish says
I love carrots! They are my favorite vegetable. These look amazing. I post your link on my Pinterest veggie side dishes board so I can remember to make these. Thanks!
Working mum's Blog says
I’ve never thought about carrot fries! Sounds like a good healthy substitute to potato fries. My ‘dip of choice’ is mayo - it is simple and it goes with pretty much everything. And yes I do a bit of gardening - I’ve never been lucky with growing my own carrots though! Marrows seem to grow the best in my garden. X
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Love this idea!!! I've had sweet potato fries etc but never thought to use carrots as an alternative to chips. They look so good!
Elizabeth says
Carrots really work well being roasted, so I can imagine how lovely they must be as fries! Yum!
Erica Price says
These sound tasty and healthy too. I love potatoes fries that have been baked, but with carrots there's be more vitamins.
lisa prince says
this is my new love, I am trying to cut down on potatoes so badly especially chips and this is a great alternative thanks for sharing
lisa prince says
really i dont want to lol x
Bintu @ Recipes From A Pantry says
Lush Dannii, would you believe that baking carrot fries has never ever occurred to me?