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.
Laura@howtocookgoodfood says
I adore veg fries, carrots are a fave as are courgettes. They are lovely and so much better for you than real fries!
Sally - My Custard Pie says
I love the idea of crispy carrots. Will be trying this one out for sure :)
Sarah Maison Cupcake says
Totally with you on this, I love baked/roasted carrots and make them a lot.
MissPond says
Wow Dannii these look delicious!!! I like the idea of coriander with these. When I roast carrots I usually do it with parsnips too and coat them in Chinese 5 spice- that works really well :)
Alison says
oooh I love vegetable crisps, but never tried to make them. These look like a great variant. I wonder if it would work with parsnip and beetroot as well
Kari @ bite-sized thoughts says
These sound great! I do love 'alternative' fries - carrots and celeriac as well as sweet potato. I haven't tried them with your style of coating though so will have to give this recipe a go :)
Over a Cuppa says
I have garden envy! We only have a small garden so no room for growing veg especially with three dogs! I am on a waiting list for an allotment but desperate to get growing some yummy stuff as we get so through so much fresh stuff and it tastes so much nicer.
These look gorgeous, I was going to try doing baked kale this week so may add this to the oven at the same time! Yum! x
Laura says
These look delicious. What a fantastic idea. I think I could eat a whole bowl of these. Excited to make these one day soon. Laura xx
Becky says
These are one of the few healthy substitutes that I have convinced my fiancé to like, he even requests them now instead of potato fries! Parsnip fries are also another favorite :) We will have to add coriander next time too.
Our favourite dip at the moment is Peri Peri Mayo, yum!
Arman @ thebigmansworld says
You and I are potato buddies but I don't mind the odd carrot version WHEN it's eaten in conjunction to the spuds ;)
Isadora @ she likes food says
Potato fries are an obsession of mine too! I actually just made some tonight! I love these carrot fries though! I've been roasting a lot of carrots lately, but never thought to make fries with them. Thank you for this awesome idea!
P says
Hmmm I wonder how these would turn out with panko breading...I've had the stuff in my pantry for a while and have been looking for a reason to use it. This may be it ;)
Kathy @ Olives & Garlic says
Wow, I gotta try these.
Jacqueline Meldrum says
Good idea Dannii. I do love carrots!
Medha @ Whisk & Shout says
What a healthy option! These look amazing :)