Oven-Baked Carrot Fries

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

These are the ultimate healthier version of French fries. I have nothing against potatoes. In fact, I really love them, but carrots are more nutritious since they are loaded with vitamin A, antioxidants, beta-carotene and fiber.

You don’t need an air-fryer. Great things can happen with a hot oven and a pan. That includes these fries. Don’t feel like you have to add another small appliance in your kitchen.

The seasoning mix is a simple way to boost the flavor of the carrots. This vegetable is often described as sweet. That’s why it goes perfectly with a combo of very savory spices including earthy cumin, spicy smoked paprika, onion powder and garlic powder.

The Ingredients

Tahini Dipping Sauce for Serving

If you feel like you can’t eat fries without dipping them into something, also included in the recipe is a super simple sauce with the following ingredients:

• Tahini
• Fresh lemon juice
• Salt & pepper

How To Make Carrot Fries

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a sheet pan with non-stick cooking spray.

1. Peel and cut the carrots into batons.

2. Stir the carrots, spices and oil in a large bowl.

3. Spread the carrots across the pan. They should be in a single layer and not overlapping.

4. Bake the fries until they are lightly browned and crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. This will take about 22-27 minutes. Flip them over halfway through roasting. While the fries are in the oven, you can quickly whisk together the tahini sauce.

Leftovers & Storage

You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days. Warm them on a pan in a 350-degree F oven. They won’t have the exact same texture as when they are first baked, but they will still be tasty.

Recipe Tips

Cut the carrots the same size (as best as you can). I know this is tricky because carrots taper at the ends. (And please don’t call me out for uneven carrots in these photos).  As you know, when you roast any veggie, the closer they are in size the more consistently they will roast. With oven fries it’s more about the thickness than the length. It’s ok if some are longer than others.

Feel free to customize the spice mix to your taste. If you want the fries to be less spicy, then reduce or eliminate the smoked paprika. Up the garlic powder if you want them to be more garlicky. At the very least you need to season them in salt and pepper, and then you can go from there.

Don’t crowd the pan. The carrots should not overlap each other. You need that hot air to circulate around them, so they don’t steam. And each one should make direct contact with the hot metal of the baking sheet.

Keep an eye on the carrot fries as they roast. Even if you cut the carrots identical sizes, some will cook faster than others. Consider rotating the pan part way through baking if you know there is a hot spot in your oven. And if some are done sooner than others, remove them from the pan.