Air fryer carrots will be 'perfectly cooked' in 10 minutes if you follow 1 simple method

Carrots can sometimes end up overcooked and mushy or underdone and too hard. But there's one method that's quick, easy, and delivers perfectly cooked carrots in just 10 minutes. It involves using an air fryer, and it's fast becoming the go-to way to cook vegetables. Carrots come out crisp on the outside, tender in the middle, and packed with flavour.

All it takes is a few simple ingredients and no more than 10 minutes in the air fryer. There's no need to roast or boil them anymore, and the results are consistently delicious. This method works especially well when you need a healthy side dish on the table quickly, and it pairs with almost any meal.

Food blogger Lisa Bryan says this is now her favourite way to cook carrots. Writing on her website Downshiftology, she said: "Air fryer carrots are the best way to get perfectly cooked carrots in under 10 minutes.

"They're crisp on the outside, tender on the inside, and seasoned just right."

Lisa, who is a bestselling cookbook author and YouTuber, added: "Carrots are one of my personal favorite veggies and I'm always looking for new ways to cook them.

"And since I've been making more air fryer recipes lately, it was only a matter of time before air fryer carrots popped up on my to-do list."

She says this technique also works for baby carrots or carrot fries. Just reduce the cooking time slightly to five to seven minutes, and keep checking them halfway through.

For the seasoning, Lisa recommends keeping it simple with dried thyme, salt, and pepper, although you can easily switch it up.

Some of her favourite alternatives include:

• A sweet honey glaze with butter, garlic, cinnamon and ginger
• A Moroccan-inspired version with cumin, garlic powder and coriander
• A mix of garlic and dried herbs like oregano, basil, and parsley

She also suggests peeling the carrots before air frying to keep the texture soft and even. And for best results, they should be cooked in a single layer in the air fryer basket.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced on a diagonal
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

Toss the ingredients - In a large mixing bowl, mix the sliced carrots with olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.

Place in air fryer - Transfer the carrots to the air fryer basket in a single layer. If your air fryer is small, cook in batches.

Cook - Set the air fryer to 190C and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Shake the basket halfway through to make sure the carrots cook evenly.

Serve - Remove when crisp on the outside and tender inside. Serve hot.