Easy Carrot Salad Recipe

Find more recipes at fussfreeflavours.com

A close up of a blue bowl of easy carrot salad.

4.95 from 20 votes

Grated carrot salad is an easy French classic. Let the carrot take centre stage with this recipe. It's fresh, vibrant, easy & adaptable!

Servings:

Author: Helen Best-Shaw

Prep Time10

Cook Time0

Total Time10

Ingredients

Dressing

2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice - or vinegar
1 tsp smooth Dijon mustard
1 tsp honey - or maple or agave syrup

Salad

450 g carrots
2 spring onions - scallions

Instructions

Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a salad bowl.
Peel and grate the carrots. The quickest way is with a food processor. Finely chop the spring onions/scallions
Add the carrots and spring onions to the dressing mixture. Mix well together to coat the carrot evenly in the dressing. Leave to stand and absorb the dressing before you serve.

Notes

Hints & Tips

I can't state this enough - but grate or shred the carrot finely! It makes a massive difference to the final dish. A simple recipe sometimes only shines if you pay attention to the details. A sharp box grater, food processor or electric mouli is your friend here.
Go easy on the dressing. You don't need as much dressing as you would use for a green salad. Obviously don't be mean but remember that you don't want to drown the carrot.
Let the salad stand before serving: leaving it for an hour makes a big difference.
The salad is best served at room temperature as chilling can diminish flavour.
You can make this in advance and keep in a covered container in the fridge for up to 48 hours. Take it out an hour before serving to let it warm to room temperature.

Variations for Carrot Salad

Carrots do not have to be orange! Use colourful heritage carrots as the base for the salad.
Mix up the vegetables. Add (or even substitute) parsnip, squash or pumpkin, all finely grated of course.
Finely shredded sugar snap peas or blanched French or runner beans make a delicious addition.
Add a generous tablespoon of fresh herbs such as parsley, tarragon, chives,or chervil.
Make it a bit sweeter with a handful of raisins.
Add some chopped gherkins or capers.
If you don't have lemons substitute white wine vinegar, or even the vinegar from the jar of pickles.
Add some crunch with a sprinkling of seeds before serving. I like sunflower or pumpkin.
Make a more substantial salad by adding in a can of rinsed chickpeas.
Japanese Carrot Salad: add a spoon of miso and a glug of toasted sesame oil to the dressing, and stir through some dried seaweed. Garnish with sesame seeds.
Moroccan Carrot Salad: Add half a teaspoon of ground cumin to the dressing and stir through a handful of finely chopped fresh mint leaves.

Nutritional Information

This recipe is 6 Weight Watchers points per portion

• Please note that the nutrition information provided below is approximate and meant as a guideline only.

• Unless stated otherwise cup conversions have been made with an online tool. For accuracy please check with your favoured conversion tool. We recommend buying inexpensive digital kitchen scales.