Oven-Baked Parmesan Carrot Fries with Pesto Aioli
This oven-baked carrot fries recipe is a delicious & healthy vegetable side dish or snack—perfect for dipping in pesto aioli and a great alternative to French fries when there aren’t any potatoes in sight or just because you simply love carrots.
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Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound medium carrots, peeled
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil (like avocado or grapeseed)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
- For The Pesto Aioli
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons pesto sauce, store-bought or homemade
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425°F. Cut 1 pound of carrots into thin sticks and combine in a large bowl with 1 tablespoon oil, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss until thoroughly coated.
- Place carrots on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Do not overcrowd. If they are too close together, separate them into 2 baking sheets.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, or until browned in spots and crisp.
- While the carrots bake, make the aioli. Mix all ingredients in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Taste and add more salt or lemon juice if you'd like.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter and 2 cloves minced garlic together in a small pan over medium heat. Remove the fries from the oven and drizzle the garlic butter all over the fries. Sprinkle parmesan over the fries. Gently toss the fries in the garlic butter and parmesan right on the baking sheet until thoroughly coated.
- Serve the fries with pesto aioli. ENJOY!
Notes
- Don’t skip the cornstarch: It helps create that light “crisp” coating in the oven.
- Spacing is everything: Carrots need room or they steam. Use two pans if needed.
- Best fresh: These are crispiest right out of the oven. Use the oven or air fryer to re-crisp (microwave will soften them).
- Herb swap: No oregano? Use thyme, Italian seasoning, or parsley. Dried herbs are stronger—use about 1/3 the amount of fresh.