This Italian Carrot Salad is a fresh spring recipe featuring fresh carrots, tomatoes, onions, peppers, and basil. It's seasoned with a Dijon vinaigrette.
With its crisp, garden-fresh carrots, light lemon dressing, and a medley of Mediterranean-inspired herbs and spices, this vegan carrot salad celebrates both taste and good health.
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Whether you're looking for a light appetizer, a side dish to complement a meat or fish entree, or a nutritious snack, this recipe is a must-try.
Why I Love This Salad
This Italian carrot salad recipe was inspired by Ray Peat Carrot Salad, the pro-metabolic salad that might give your thyroid a boost and aid in digestion.
I love Ray Peat's salad and I try to eat a cup of it every day! It's made with shredded carrots, coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, and salt. It's very basic but it's a great way to add a healthy dose of fiber to your diet.
How To Shop For Fresh Carrots
At the grocery store or farmers market, choose carrots that are deeply colored and firm to the touch. They should not be wilted, cracked, or soft. The green tops should look vibrant and lively.
Closely related to parsley, cilantro, and parsnip, the carrot is a favorite staple in many homes across the globe.
The soil type, pH balance, and seed variety are all important factors in producing great-tasting carrots. For the best tips on growing carrots, visit The Journey with Jill, to listen to her podcast all about growing carrots. I wish I had the room!
Carrots are high in Vitamin A beta carotene (which gives them their orange color), Vitamin A, Vitamin C, fiber, and potassium.
What You Need
This healthy salad is dressed with a lemon vinaigrette. I've added additional vegetables (onions, garlic, tomatoes, and peppers) to make it a family-friendly salad.
- Large or medium fresh carrots (not baby carrots)
- Cherry tomatoes, halved
- Red onion, diced
- Green bell pepper, diced
- Lemon wedges
- Fresh basil leaves
- Fresh thyme
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Lemon
- Garlic
- Salt and black pepper
How to Make Italian Carrot Salad
The first thing you have to do is grate the carrots into ribbons. Peel the carrots, discard the outer peel, and then keep peeling until there's almost nothing left.
You can also grate carrots on the large holes of a box grater or the grating attachment on your food processor.
Halve the tomatoes across their bellies instead of lengthwise. I find them to be juicier this way.
Slice a red or purple onion. You can also substitute scallions or a diced white onion.
Seed a bell pepper, any color. If you have a basil plant, pull a few leaves from the plant. If they are healthy leaves with good form, there is no need to chop them--they make salads look gorgeous!
In a large bowl combine the grated carrots with cherry tomatoes, red onion, and green pepper. Gently toss the salad with the dressing. Garnish with lemon wedges and fresh basil leaves.
Carrot Salad Vinaigrette
I made a mild vinaigrette dressing for this salad with tangy lemon juice.
In a screw-top jar, add olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Shake the jar until the dressing is incorporated or whisk in a small bowl.
- Olive oil or avocado oil
- Fresh lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
- Dijon mustard
- Garlic
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Tasty Additions
Add any of these healthy toppings to the Italian Carrot Salad:
- roasted peppers
- green onions
- radishes
- cooked beets
- fresh herbs including thyme, parsley, or oregano
- toasted pumpkin seeds
- olives
How to Garnish Carrot Salad
For a serving dish, you can use a simple white bowl to accentuate the beautiful salad. Or, use a teal or blue bowl which will have a sharp contrast with the vibrant color of the orange carrots.
Pull fresh basil leaves off a basil plant and scatter over the salad. They sell basil plants in most grocery stores' produce sections and have lively leaves that make any salad look spectacular.
Storage
Store the salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 days.
Summary
This delicious salad is a blend of crisp, fresh vegetables. The medley of sweet carrots and tangy dressing creates a perfect balance of flavors.
Fresh carrots are a healthy vegetable, low in fat, and sodium. They contain beta-carotene that may help promote bone and eye health and are rich in Vitamins A and C.
This grated salad can also be the base of a main dish. Serve with a side of protein such as roasted yellowtail snapper or add a big scoop of shrimp salad or veggie tuna over the top.
FAQ
Absolutely! Feel free to tailor the salad to your taste. You can add other herbs or vegetables, such as mint or cucumbers, to enhance the flavors.
Yes, it makes a fantastic side dish. Its refreshing flavors and simple preparation make it an excellent complement to various main courses, especially during warmer seasons.
"📖 Recipe"
Italian Carrot Salad
Equipment
- Chef's Knife
- 1 Mixing Bowl
- Tongs
Ingredients
FOR THE VINAIGRETTE
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or 1 T apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 small garlic clove minced or pressed
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE SALAD
- 6 medium carrots or 3 large carrots, shredded into long ribbons with a vegetable peeler
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 small red onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- fresh thyme for garnish
- fresh basil for garnish
- lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Add olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, a big pinch of salt, and freshly ground black pepper to a screw-top jar. Shake the jar until the dressing is incorporated.
- In a large bowl combine the grated carrots with cherry tomatoes, red onion, and green pepper. Gently toss the salad with the dressing.
- Garnish with lemon wedges and fresh basil leaves. Serve cold.
Notes
- green onions
- radishes
- cooked beets
- roasted bell peppers
- fresh herbs including thyme, parsley, or oregano
- toasted pumpkin seeds or pine nuts
- olives
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