Comfort Food Archives • A Sweet Pea Chef

Baked Carrot Fries are colorful and impossible to resist! Paired with healthy, no sugar ketchup, these nutritious veggies make a delicious alternative to potato fries. Let's be real here. Fries are delicious and addicting - there's no shame in admitting it. And really there's no getting around this fact. That's why we need these healthy Baked Carrot Fries in our lives! I'm a huge fan of turning veggies into fun, savory bites of goodness, like with these parmesan zucchini spears, these baked zucchini fries, and these broccoli tots. Those are some of our favorites and have been big hits on the blog, too. But this recipe is dedicated to a real superstar and its saucy sidekick; healthy carrot fries with no sugar ketchup. Keep reading! ARE BAKED CARROT FRIES HEALTHY? Yes, because carrots are healthy. Primarily water and carbs, carrots do have some protein. They are also low on the glycemic index (meaning they don’t raise your blood sugar quickly after a meal). Carrots have other good things going for them, too: Vitamins: Vitamin A comes from beta carotene in carrots. Good for your vision and for your immune system, carrots are vitamin A powerhouses. Biotin is important for fat and protein metabolism, and potassium is great for blood pressure. Plant compounds: A couple of the plant compounds to benefit the carrot eater are lutein (for eye health), lycopene (may reduce cancer risk), and anthocyanin, which is an antioxidant. Carrots are a great snack go-to for weight loss and can be paired with healthy high protein snacks. ARE BAKED CARROT FRIES BAD FOR YOU? Baked carrot fries are only bad for you IF you accompany them with a dip that is sugary and full of preservatives. That’s why I’ve given you the awesome homemade ketchup recipe! *More on how to make it below! You can also try yogurt ranch dip<-yum! Not only does this healthy carrot fries recipe allow you to get more veggies in your diet, but it also makes it even easier to avoid the high carb, high salt, high fat, greasy fast food options you might ordinarily be drawn to. That's what I LOVE about clean eating - all the goodness, all the flavor, all while leading a healthy lifestyle. HOW DO YOU MAKE CARROT STICKS FOR FRIES? To make evenly shaped carrot sticks for fries, I take these quick steps. Take fresh, firm carrots and peel off the skin.Then, I slice off both ends.Slice the carrot in half, about the length of a fry (about 3-4 inches).Take each carrot half, slicing it into planks. Cut them evenly, about ¼ inch thick.For the last step, slice these pieces into long fries ready to bake. HOW DO YOU KEEP BAKED CARROT FRIES CRISPY? To keep the baked carrot fries crispy, make sure when placing them on the baking sheet that they are evenly coated in good for you olive oil. Space them apart, lying flat and not touching. That way, they’ll brown evenly all around. Flip them after 15 minutes and cook another 15 to 20 minutes. You’ll want them golden brown on all of the edges. Yep, crispy fries are the best! BUT we're still missing something, aren't we?I mean...it's not really french fries without a tasty dip or sauce, am I right? Yep, I see your head nodding along with me. I started wondering what is a healthy alternative to ketchup and I thought, well, ketchup without sugar, for starters! That’s when I started to make a great healthy ketchup alternative to enjoy with these awesome baked carrot fries. HOW TO MAKE KETCHUP WITHOUT SUGAR Yes, ketchup is amazing, but it's actually loaded with high fructose corn syrup which is a big no-no if you're trying to rid your body of all those refined sugars and processed foods. If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to make homemade ketchup, well, fortunately, homemade ketchup is quite simple to make. In fact, this homemade ketchup without sugar is shockingly similar to the real deal. You can even throw in extra flavors to make it your own favorite version, like a little more garlic powder or even some cayenne pepper to spice it up a bit. But in general, you combine tomato sauce (with no added salt or added sugar), no sugar added tomato paste, raw honey, onion powder, sea salt, apple cider vinegar, and garlic powder. You'll see the quantities in the recipe below. Stir everything together, and enjoy! HOW DO YOU STORE BAKED CARROT FRIES? I store baked carrot fries in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge. When reheating, I place them on a baking sheet at 325F for about 5 minutes. MORE HEALTHY RECIPES Trust me, once you’ve tasted these baked carrot fries, you’ll want to try my easy baked jicama fries and healthy sweet potato fries (with coconut oil!), too. So go on and try ‘em all. You’ll be converted to the healthy fry side, I guarantee. And remember to pair them with the best burger ever! Bet you’ll enjoy these carrot recipes, too! Thyme Roasted CarrotsMaple Ginger Glazed CarrotsDijon-Roasted Chicken and CarrotsHealthy Carrot Cake RecipeCarrot Cake Overnight Oats Baked Carrot Fries With Homemade Ketchup (No Sugar!) Baked Carrot Fries are colorful and impossible to resist! Paired with healthy no sugar ketchup, these nutritious veggies make a delicious alternative to potato fries. For The Baked Carrot Fries:2 lbs medium carrots1 tbsp olive oil1/2 tsp sea salt1/4 tsp ground black pepper1 tbsp Italian parsley (chopped)For The Homemade Ketchup Without Sugar*:1 can tomato sauce (15 ounce, no sugar/salt added)1 can tomato paste (6 ounce, no sugar/salt added)3 tbsp raw honey1 1/2 tsp onion powder1 1/2 tsp sea salt2 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar (or regular vinegar)1/8 tsp garlic powder Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.Start by peeling the carrots to remove the outer skin and then slicing off both ends. Next, slice the carrot in half to create the length of a fry.Carefully slice each carrot half into planks, making them as even as possible. (I try to keep them around 1/4 inch thick.)Slice the planks into long fries - again, making sure to get them as even as possible.Repeat with the remaining carrots.Place all the carrot fries onto the baking sheet and add the olive oil, sea salt, and ground black pepper. Toss to coat.Spread out the carrot fries evenly onto the baking sheet so they are all laying flat and not overlapping.Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.Then carefully flip the fries over and then return to the oven for another 15-20 minutes, or until the carrot fries are tender and are starting to turn golden brown on the edges.Remove from the oven.To make the homemade refined sugar free ketchup, in a small bowl, combine no sugar or salt added tomato sauce, no sugar added tomato paste, raw honey, onion powder, sea salt, apple cider vinegar, and garlic powder and stir to combine well.Garnish with minced Italian parsley, if desired. *As written, the homemade ketchup makes quite a lot of sauce. You can either halve the recipe or store the extra in the fridge for later. Clean, gluten free, Healthy, Low Carb, Side, VegetarianEasybaked carrot fries, carrot fries, carrot fries recipe This post contains affiliate links for products I use regularly and highly recommend.