Fresh and flavorful, this carrot salad recipe is infused with Indian flavor! Studded with toasted cashews and raisins, fresh grated carrots are tossed in a delicious Indian curry dressing. Easy, healthy, vegan, and perfect for gatherings!
Why you’ll love this Carrot Salad
Here is my all-time favorite carrot salad recipe! As a chef, I love creating recipes that elevate humble ingredients, like the simple carrot. I’ve been making this carrot salad recipe for years, bringing it to potlucks and gatherings, and even using it in my catering business, and people constantly ask for the recipe. Indian spices come together to create the flavorful curry dressing, and the carrot salad is generously dotted with cashews and raisins, providing the best texure. I believe this recipe really brings out the best in carrots!
The best part is that this carrot salad can be made with store-bought grated carrots (fast and easy), and the salad gets even better with time! Make it ahead for the busy week and enjoy a nutritious salad throughout. Rich in vitamin A and many other nutrients, carrots are not only delcious, but they are also healthy and full of many health benefits.
Carrot Salad Recipe Ingredients
- Fresh Grated Carrots– the star of the recipe! Or use store-bought matchsticks or grated carrots.
- Garlic and ginger- for a kick of punchy flavor.
- Raisins– golden raisins or regular raisins.
- Toasted Cashews– or slivered almonds
- Herbs: scallions, cilantro (or Italian parsley)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Orange and lime juice (or sub apple cider vinegar)
- Maple syrup- or sub honey, agave, or alternative sweetener
- Spices: salt, pepper , yellow curry powder, turmeric and cayenne
Carrot Salad Variations
- add toasted coconut flakes!
- add chickpeas for extra protein!
How to make Carrot Salad
Step one: Grate the carrots! If you scrub them, there is no need to peel them. You’ll need 4-5 cups.
Step 2: Place the grated carrots in a large bowl with the remaining ingredients, and toss to combine. Adjust salt to taste.
Storing Your Carrot Salad
This carrot salad gets even better with time and will keep up to 4-5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Serving suggestions
Serve with Crispy Tofu, or Baked chicken, alongside a sandwich, or wrap!
More Carrot recipes you may like:
- 15 Best Carrot Recipes (Easy, Healthy & Full of Flavor)
- Moroccan Carrot Salad
- Carrot Ginger Soup
- Carrot Quinoa Salad
- 40 Must-Try Vegan Salads
- Carrot Salad with Quinoa and Almonds
- Moroccan Lentil Salad
- Celery Salad with Lentils, Dates and Almonds
- North African Carrot Soup with Chermoula
I really hope you enjoy this cartto salad! It’s one of those salads that will make you happy knowing it is in the fridge waiting for you- especially during hunger emergencies. xoxo Sylvia
Print
Indian Carrot Salad Recipe
- Prep Time: 15
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4-5 cups 1x
- Category: Gluten Free, Make-ahead, salad, Side Dish, vegan
- Method: tossed
- Cuisine: Indian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Carrot Salad is studded with cashews and tossed in the most flavorful Indian curry dressing. Simple to make, healthy vegan, this carrot salad recipe is so addicting!
Ingredients
- 10-12 ounces carrots, grated or matchsticks (about 4- 5 cups, feel free to use store-bought matchsticks)
- 1 tablespoon lime or orange zest (or some of both)
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced ( use a garlic press)
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely minced ( or use ginger paste)
- 1/3 cup raisins (golden or regular)
- 1/2 cup toasted cashews ( or slivered almonds)
- 3 scallions, sliced thinnly
- 1/2 cup cilantro (or Italian parsley), chopped
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (or sub apple cider vinegar)
- 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, honey or agave, or alternative sweetener
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric (or use 1-2 teaspoons fresh grated)
- 1 teaspoon yellow curry powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional, and add more to taste)
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a large bowl, sprinkle with the seasonings, and toss well.
- Taste. Adjust salt, acid, and sweetness to taste.
Notes
This will keep up to 4 days in the fridge.
If making this ahead, leave the cashews out until serving time.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 251
- Sugar: 18.8 g
- Sodium: 307.3 mg
- Fat: 15.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 29.1 g
- Fiber: 3.8 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This is delicious! I used my spiralizer to do the carrots, which works really well. Will for sure make again!
Love that!
I made this to go with your emerald Dahl but this stole the show. Loved it!
Yum Yum! Just what the Dr ordered and as I had surplus carrots to use.
Thanks Sylvia!
Keep Blessed…
In this recipe~ how did you get your carrots so nice? Can’t wait to try this recipe.
Hi Debra, so I cheated and used match-stick carrots already cut up from the grocery store. 😉
It was a real success as the dinner party 🙂
Thank you so much!
This.recipe.is.AMAZING! I am so glad I found it. Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe!!
Great flavors! I got a bit too big of a pinch of cayenne but we like things hot so it was OK. I upped the ginger, deliberately. This is a really refreshing salad!
Thanks so much! xoxo
So fresh, crisp, and delicious. Thank you!!
I absolutely LOVE this carrot-slaw salad. Beautiful balanced flavors, easy to make, and packed with goodness.
Thanks Patsy! great to hear! 🙌 🙌 🙌
Excellent recipe. I would not change a thing. Thank you
Thanks so much Bertha!
Sooo good. Have made it several times now. Keeps well also. Have replaced cashews with toasted slivered almonds in a pince and works well. Thanks for the recipe!
Perfect!!!
I really don’t like curry. What can be substituted? Maybe cumin?
Hey Michelle, the curry here is the main flavor of the salad and balances out the sweetness. I hesitate to substitute in the this case. But do as you please. 🙂
I made this and everyone loved it. I grated 4 large carrots so probably should have made a bit more dressing. I also threw in diced celery and apples. I was excellent. Thanks for sharing!
Out of this world… delicious when you are wanting to have something with a bit of zing to it.
Delicious 😋 would highly recommend to try and I will be definitely making it again👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks Bella!
What on earth is yellow curry powder?
Hi. 🙂 Here in the states, in the spice section of regular grocery stores, you can pick up a basic curry powder ( spice blend) that is yellow. Do you not have that where you live?
So delicious! I used Italian parsley from my garden, slivered almonds, and added a bit of chopped pear.
Wow, this salad was absolutely amazing! It’s definitely on my list of favorites.
Easy to make and tastes great
Dang that’s good! A really nice combination of sweet and sour going on. This just ‘dethroned’ Thai green papaya salad in my house and that’s no small feat!
This was soooo good!! I didn’t expect the flavors to come out that way! Thanks for a great recipe, will be coming back for more! 🙂
Delicious!
Thanks Sylvia! This got rave reviews at a work party today.
Thanks so much!
This is so good! Love the flavours. Trying not to eat it all. 🙂
Loved this recipe, I added roasted cauliflower as I had some on hand, thanks