Carrot Salad
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Ready in 10 minutes, carrot salad is a tangy, vibrant side dish or light lunch. It’s tossed in a simple dressing and is perfect for any potluck or picnic.
Salads are one of my favorite things to eat, especially for lunches during the week.
When I’m busy, a fresh and crisp salad helps reinvigorate me for the day, and this carrot salad has become one of my favorites.
We always have carrots on hand not just for snacking, but for making everything from mashed carrots to maple glazed carrots to carrot cake scones, so making a carrot salad has become part of our weekly routine.
There are many varieties of carrot salad, but my personal favorite is this French-inspired version.
While it can seem fancy, it just has a few ingredients, making it an affordable vegetable option.
Shredded carrots are coated with a quick and easy herbal dressing and served chilled or at room temperature. It truly couldn’t be easier!
How to make carrot salad
This salad is ready in about 10 minutes thanks to the use of a food processor.
If you don’t have a food processor, that’s OK! Simply use a box grater for the carrots (or buy bagged shredded carrots) and chop the parsley by hand.
Trim the ends off your carrots. You can peel the carrots as well, or just clean them well using a vegetable brush.
Fit your processor with a grating disc and grate the carrots. I use the medium setting to keep the carrots crunchy.
Transfer the carrots to a medium bowl, scraping down the processor.
Switch from the grating disc to the standard processing blade. Don’t worry about cleaning the processor bowl, as it will all come together in the end anyway!
Add all of the dressing ingredients to the processor and blend until the parsley is chopped.
Pour half of the dressing over the carrots and mix well. Taste, and add more dressing if desired, or reserve dressing for serving.
You can enjoy this salad at room temperature right after making it, or let it chill out in the fridge for a while to let the flavors meld.
Recipe variations
This simple carrot salad is such a great option when you’re tired of green salads, and it’s easy to customize as well.
You can try other herbs in addition to or in place of the fresh parsley. Dill, chives, and basil are all good options to start with.
Change the vinegar to your tastes. I often use cider vinegar or red wine vinegar in place of the champagne vinegar.
If you like extra crunch, chopped pistachios are a wonderful addition. Add them just before serving.
For sweetness, add golden raisins, dried cranberries, or chopped apple.
Storage tips
This carrot salad will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. However, it is best the day it is made.
Store it in a bowl covered with cling wrap, or in an airtight container.
Any leftover dressing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
FAQ
Any carrot variety will work for this recipe. Sometimes I grab a bag of multicolored carrots to make it look even more beautiful!
You can also use pre-shredded carrots. Baby carrots will work, but are somewhat harder to shred. Use what you have!
I love this dish alongside burgers or roasted chicken, but you can truly serve it with anything you like!
It even makes a great tangy topping for fish tacos.
Whether you make this crunchy, tangy salad for cookout season or as a fresh side to your supper, it’s a great easy option to keep in your back pocket.
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Carrot Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound carrots
- 1/2 cup olive or walnut oil
- 1/4 cup champagne vinegar
- 1/4 cup packed fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Shred carrots using the shredding disk on a food processor (or a box grater). Pour carrots into a large bowl, and swap the shredding disk for the standard processor blade.
- Add oil, vinegar, mustard, honey, and parsley to the processor and pulse until parsley is chopped and mixture is blended. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour dressing over carrots (you might not need all of it) and toss to coat. Serve immediately or cover and chill until ready to serve.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate based on online calculators. Any nutritional information found on Stetted should be used as a general guideline only.
About Megan
I focus on fresh ingredients and easy methods, with spins that keep meals interesting. Dinnertime shouldn’t be stressful or complicated, and I’m here to help you enjoy the time spent in the kitchen. Read more…
What a lovely salad! I don’t eat enough salads–the lettuce kind or otherwise. This one looks so refreshing–love the carrot-mustard flavor combo too!
I’ve made a version of this lovely salad and can vouch for its deliciousness! So simple and beautiful!!!
Megan, I love this simple carrot salad. IN fact, I would probably have to double the recipe because I could eat a whole bowl of it myself Like you, I eat a lot of salad, but I’ve started to use lettuce as a bed, rather than the main element in most salads because it is so boorrriinngg. I’d much rather have a salad like this one, or better yet, this one, and a celeriac salad, and a tomato salad – all with a baguette and a nice wedge of cheese. What a meal!
Sublime! The gorgeous color and the simple beauty of the salad is just sublime! Eating salad greens is not something I enjoy on a daily basis too. This salad is great for parties !
This is so beautiful and adds a lovely bright color to any plate. I love that you used a French dressing and can’t wait to try it! Beautiful addition to our #ProgressiveEats fest!
I love how light and bright this carrot salad sounds, a perfect addition to this month’s French themed menu!
This is so beautiful and adds a lovely bright color to any plate. I love that you used a French dressing and can’t wait to try it! Beautiful addition to our #ProgressiveEats fest!