This Moroccan Carrot Salad is made with shredded carrots and a simple dressing of olive oil, lemon, and cumin. This beauty is a vibrant side dish you can prepare in just a few short minutes. It is bright and flavorful and goes with everything!
Recipe Price: $2.98 | Per Serving: $0.75 | Makes: 4
The humble carrot is the star of the show in this simple raw carrot salad recipe. It's so easy to make and since it requires only a few ingredients it's easy on the wallet too! In past content, I've referred to versions of this dish as "punchy carrots" or "slaw" but today I'm sharing the OG recipe for the original dish I started making back in 2022!
These make a great addition to a grain bowl or protein bowl to add a burst of flavor!
If you love carrot recipes you've got to try my stovetop pistachio carrots next!
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Why You Will Love This Moroccan Carrot Salad Recipe
- No Mayo! This carrot salad ditches the mayo for a simple yet healthy vinaigrette made with fresh lemon and extra virgin olive oil.
- Easy Summer Salad. Enjoy any time of year but this salad is perfect for summer days when you don't want to cook too much and need a simple salad that goes together in a flash.
- Bright and Sweet Flavors. The brightness of the lemons and the naturally sweet, earthiness of the carrots come through in this tasty Moroccan salad recipe.
Ingredients
Our Moroccan carrots can be tossed together with just seven simple ingredients (including salt and pepper!). Here's a look at what you need:
- Carrots: You want to pick up fresh carrots for this recipe. Make sure they are crisp (no limp carrots please) and free of any blemishes. There's no need to peel them unless that's your preference, you can simply scrub them thoroughly before grating.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Be sure to get a good one for salads!
- Fresh lemon: We will be using the juice and lemon zest. Be sure to zest it first and then squeeze the juice. It's much easier!
- Cumin: Ground cumin adds an earthiness, sweetness, and slightly nutty element to the dish enhancing similar flavors in the carrots.
- Fresh herbs: Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro add a bit of contrasting color and pop of flavor.
- Optional Black sesame seeds: I love these for a bit of color and crunch, but they're totally optional. After serving this carrot salad at Thanksgiving in Estonia, I learned Estonians have a similar dish using pumpkin seeds!
Variations
- Make it Spicy: Add a pinch of harissa spice blend, cayenne pepper, or red pepper flakes if you want to add a hint of some heat.
- Add more Protein: Looking to add a bit of plant protein? It's great with some chickpeas! You can mix in some canned chickpeas or even add a sprinkle of crispy chickpeas on top.
- Nuts and Seeds: Add some chopped pine nuts, pistachios, or almonds on top of the Moroccan salad. You can also add some toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds on top.
- Sweet Version: Sweet versions of this cold carrot salad exist in some regions of the Middle East. If you're looking to bring out the natural sweetness of the carrots a bit add some raisins, golden raisins, or chopped dates to the salad along with the carrots.
How to Make Moroccan Carrot Salad
Step 1: Shred the carrots. Use the larger holes on a box grater or the medium grater blade with your food processor to grate the carrots.
Step 2: Zest the lemon. Use a microplane or a fine grater to zest the lemon. Make sure you avoid the white pith under the yellow of the peel. The white pith is bitter and might not be the flavor profile you're going for.
Step 3: Mix everything together. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, fine salt, black pepper, and ground cumin to the bowl. Use tongs to toss the ingredients together. Top with fresh herbs, sesame seeds, or toasted pumpkin seeds. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Grating. I like the medium grate for this dish so the carrots retain some texture, but any size will work.
- Serving: This Middle Eastern carrot salad has simple flavors and goes great with so many dishes. It adds a punch of flavor and color to your meaty mains, like these Slow Cooker Pork Chops. We also love adding them to Mediterranean Quinoa Bowls.
- Storing: Store leftovers in the fridge for up to seven days. Know that the carrots will be crunchiest on day one, and will soften with the passage of time. This carrot dish is not suitable for freezing.
FAQs
No, it's not necessary. Because the carrots are grated, they quickly soak up the lemony dressing.
Sure, you can! This Moroccan salad is traditionally made with carrots but you can also add some grated zucchini, grated or thinly sliced Brussels sprouts, or some grated beets. Note that grated zucchini will release more water and the beets will change the color of the dish.
More Easy Salad Recipes
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Moroccan Carrot Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound carrots
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil get a good one for salads here!
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
Optional
- 2 tablespoons fresh herbs black sesame seeds for color, or toasted pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- Using a box grater, shred the carrots on the large grater side. (You can also use a food processor, but use the medium grate size).
- Add to a large bowl and top with the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, fine salt, and cumin. Toss to combine.
- Top with optional toppings such as fresh herbs (parsley or cilantro), sesame seeds, or toasted pumpkin seeds. Enjoy!
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