Easy Carrot Salad Recipe (Bright, Aromatic and Refreshing)

• Food: Carrot Salad
• Writer: Lizzie Green
• Content-Type: Food Blog

This easy carrot salad recipe takes only 15 minutes to prepare! It’s bright, aromatic, and refreshing when tossed with a gently sweet, cumin-spiced dressing.

One of my new favorite salad recipes is carrot salad. It’s one of my favorites because it’s quick (you can make it in 15 minutes or less), colorful, and delicious.

Nutty pistachios, fragrant cilantro, and mint combined with crisp carrot matchsticks. A cumin-spiced dressing binds it all together, and Medjool dates provide sweetness.

This carrot salad recipe would be a beautiful side dish for a big occasion breakfast or dinner, and it also makes a great lunch or picnic dish. I usually eat it at the counter, scooping forkful after forkful directly from the bowl.

It’s light, airy, fragrant, and energizing. You all know how much I love vegetables, but even I couldn’t believe how delicious a simple carrot salad can be.

Ingredients for Carrot Salad

This carrot salad recipe simply requires ten ingredients:

• Of course, carrots! Make use of the greatest you can find. If they’re multicolored, you’ll get bonus points!
• I adore the sweet flavor of Medjool dates with the aromatic dressing and earthy carrots.
• Pistachios — For a little crunch! To bring out their nutty flavor, I recommend toasting them. Cook, turning periodically, until they’re aromatic, about 1 minute in a small dry skillet over low heat.
• Fresh cilantro and mint — If you’re making this salad ahead of time, wait until the last minute to add the herbs.  They’ll stay nice and fresh and won’t wilt before you consume them this way.
• The dressing – Make this quick homemade vinaigrette in no time! In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, tahini, honey, garlic, cumin, and salt. Season to taste.

Traditionally, shredded carrots are used in carrot salads in France and the United States, but I prefer to julienne mine instead.

The texture of julienned carrots is crisper and more delicate than grated carrots, making this salad more enjoyable to consume. They’re also stunning in this setting.

Carrots can be julienned in two ways: with a julienne peeler or with a knife. This post includes step-by-step directions.

Avoid using a store-bought bag of pre-cut carrots at all costs. When you create this salad with exceptionally sweet, crisp carrots, it truly shines. They won’t be as good if they’re in a bag.

Suggestions for Carrot Salad Servings

This carrot salad recipe is really adaptable, so it’s a nice one to keep on hand. It’s a fantastic supper or brunch side dish as written.

Serve it with brothy white beans, vegetable or black bean burgers, crunchy falafel, or any other protein of your choice for dinner. If you’re serving it for breakfast, try it with one of the following savory dishes:

• 5 Ways to Make a Vegetable Frittata
• Breakfast Casserole that’s good for you
• Mini Frittata Muffins with Shakshuka
• Bring the meal to a close with something sweet! Chocolate chip muffins, blueberry scones, cinnamon rolls, or French toast would all be fantastic.

Otherwise, for lunch, I prefer to have this carrot salad. I frequently serve it with an egg salad or a Caprese sandwich, or I top it with crispy roasted chickpeas and eat it alone.

Carrot Salad

This carrot salad recipe is quick and easy to make. Make it ahead of time and pack it for lunch, or serve it as a side dish for dinner or breakfast. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Ingredients

• 1 pound carrots, julienned
• 3 Medjool dates, pitted and diced
• ¼ cup chopped pistachios
• ⅓ cup finely chopped cilantro
• ¼ cup mint leaves, optional

Dressing

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• ¼ teaspoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 small garlic clove, grated
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

1. In a large mixing basin, toss the julienned carrots with the dates.
2. To make the dressing, combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, tahini, honey, garlic, cumin, and salt in a small bowl.
3. Toss the carrots with the dressing to coat them. Mix in the pistachios and cilantro and toss once more. Serve with a garnish of mint leaves.