I continue to be on the “quick and easy” train this summer. I do not know why, but every time summer rolls around I want to spend even less time in the kitchen and more time outside 🌺. And this Simple Carrot Salad ticks all the boxes for that 😍. It is easy to make, only requires a handful of ingredients, and is super delicious. You cannot really go wrong with this one.
Just look at all that gorgeous orange color!! How beautiful is that, especially when intertwined with the green 🥰. This salad really only has three main ingredients. The sauce is what truly pulls this dish together with hints of sesame (from the sesame oil), cumin, and cayenne. I included raisins as a bit of additional sweetness into the mix as well. I did kind of feel a bit Middle-Eastern inspired by this carrot salad. But whatever you want to call the inspiration – it is truly delicious and that is what counts in my books 😉.
This salad would be an awesome one enjoyed on its own, as part of a BBQ, or brought along to a potluck. There is really nothing else to say on this front – other than: Go and make this truly easy salad and then enjoy the rest of your day 🤗.
Why is this Simple Carrot Salad good for you?
Carrots
I love Carrots for their versatility! You can eat them raw or cooked, and make them savory or sweet. I have a few recipe options below! Carrots are super high in Vitamin A and the antioxidant beta-carotene. Beta carotene was first discovered by a German chemist called “Wackenroder”. He crystallized beta-carotene from carrots, which then bore the name of said discovery! Most fruits and vegetables that fall into the yellow/orange spectrum contain a lot of beta carotene.
Beta-carotene gets converted in the body into Vitamin A so it should not be a surprise that carrots are high in both. Vitamin A is essential for our skin, eye health, mucus membrane, and our immune system. Because beta-carotene is an antioxidant, it protects our cells against free radicals, and ultimately oxidative stress. There is some evidence that suggests that said reduction in oxidative stress may help prevent cognitive decline in men when consumed (in a pill form) over a number of years. Beta-carotene may also combat the damage done to the lungs from oxidative stress, which, ultimately means that our lungs are healthier (or appear younger) for longer.
How can I adjust this Simple Carrot Salad to my dietary requirements?
This recipe is gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, nut-free, and paleo-friendly (raisins tend to have a bit of a higher sugar content). It is, therefore, suitable for all dietary requirements.
Adding the prepped ingredients to a bowl 
Stirring the sauce 
Combining sauce and ingredients
Other Recipes with Carrot on the Blog
Carrots are soooo versatile and can be used in a variety of different recipes. If you love carrots as much as I do – try
- My Gluten-free Carrot Cake with a Vegan Buttercream Frosting (seriously yummy!!!)
- My Baked Carrots with a Curry Dip, or
- My Carrot Cake Overnight Oats for breakfast!! So, so good 😋
- By the way – my Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce also uses carrots as a base… but you would never be able to tell 😉
And there you have it for this week!! Simple deliciousness that comes together in no time. I hope you enjoy this Simple Carrot Salad as much as we do in our household. As always, please let me know how you get on with the recipe – either in the comments below or by rating the recipe! Enjoy and happy grating 🤗.
Simple Carrot Salad
Course: Main, SidesCuisine: Middle-Eastern inspiredDifficulty: Easy4
servings15
minutesDelicious whole food goodness at its best!! This Simple Carrot Salad comes together in minutes and allows the ingredients to shine.
Ingredients
- For the salad
450 gr. 450 carrots, grated
1/3 cup 1/3 (48 gr.) raisins
1 1 large handful of parsley
- For the sauce
4 tbsp 4 sesame oil
1 1 lemon, juiced (ca. 1/4 cup juice)
2 tsp 2 maple syrup
2 tsp 2 mustard
1 tsp 1 cumin
½ tsp ½ salt
Pepper to taste
a pinch of cayenne (optional)
How to
- For the salad
- Wash and grate the carrots (note: if you have a food processor – it can do the grating for you 😉) and add to a bowl. Wash and finely chop the parsley and add along. Finally, add the raisins
- For the sauce
- Add all of the sauce ingredients and mix well. Now simply pour the sauce onto the simple carrot salad and mix well. That is it!! It is truly that simple. Enjoy!!
