5-Minute Raw Carrot Salad

French-inspired raw carrot salad is an easy recipe with a few simple ingredients. Easily customize this quick side dish to create different flavor profiles. See the substitutions section for variation ideas.

This vibrant carrot salad is a play on the French carrot salad called carottes râpées, which translates to shredded carrots and is found at just about any French bistro.

Instead, this recipe has crunchy carrots that are ribboned and tossed in a light tangy dressing. It’s simple yet flavorful and is a great way to add more vegetables to your plate. For the best flavor and texture, serve immediately.

Enjoy it as a side dish alongside maple miso sheet pan salmon, lemon butter fish, or gluten free general tso’s chicken.

Ingredients

• Raw carrots – rich in Vitamin C and dietary fiber, and lend a natural sweetness to the salad. 
• Simple vinaigrette – extra virgin olive oil, sherry vinegar, dijon mustard, honey, salt, and black pepper.
• Fresh herbs – I used fresh parsley, but any soft herbs will do such as cilantro, parsley, dill, tarragon, or mint. 
• Hemp seeds – full of healthy fats and add another texture to the salad.

How to Make This Simple Carrot Salad

Step 1. Use a vegetable peeler to peel off the outer layer before creating the carrot ribbons.

Step 2. Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.

Step 3. Pour the dressing over the carrots and toss to combine. Add in the minced fresh parsley and a sprinkle of hemp seeds.

Make It Your Way: Substitutions & Variations

Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.

How can you make this raw carrot salad recipe using what you already have? Here are some ideas…

• No hemp seeds? – you can also use pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or any type of nut.
• No sherry vinegar? – use a different type of vinegar for different flavor profiles such as apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, or white vinegar.
• Different textures – for more of a true French carrot salad, use a julienne peeler to make julienned carrots or shred carrots using the large holes on a box grater or the grating attachment on a food processor.

Variations

• Asian-inspired carrot salad – use rice vinegar or lime juice, a splash of toasted sesame oil, cilantro, and toasted sesame seeds. Or toss with lime tahini dressing. 
• Moroccan salad – use lemon juice instead of vinegar, ground cumin, fresh mint, golden raisins, and slivered almonds.
• Italian carrot salad – minced garlic, lemon juice, pine nuts, and parsley.

More Simple Salads

• Broccoli Salad Without Bacon (Or Mayo)
• Warm Potato Asparagus Salad
• Italian Green Bean Salad
• Bok Choy Salad With Sesame Lime Dressing