This Moroccan carrot salad is a light and refreshing side dish. Made with fresh carrots, parsley, mint, pistachios, dates, and an orange-cumin dressing. Vegan.
The secret of fortune is joy in our hands.~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
This Moroccan Carrot Salad is such a joy to make. Colorful carrots can be grated or shaved into paper-thin ribbons using a vegetable peeler. Toss with fresh parsley and mint, chopped pistachios and dates, and a bright and vibrant orange-cumin dressing. It’s a delicious, healthy side dish with lovely, bright flavors.
I got lost in the colors of these carrots today. It’s so amazing how roots, grown in dark brown earth, can have such vibrant colors. One of the joys of being in the kitchen is experiencing the incredible beauty and essence of nature. And somehow, being here, paying attention to them for just a few moments at the end of the day, refreshes and restores my spirit.
Why you’ll love this Carrot Salad recipe!
Flavorful: This vibrant salad is bursting with bright flavors from the fresh orange, fragrant mint, and pistachios.
Crunchy Texture: Thinly shaved carrot ribbons provide a satisfying crunch with every bite. You can also grate them!
Health Benefits: Carrots are packed with essential nutrients like vitamins A, C, and K, as well as fiber. This salad is a great way to incorporate these nutrients into your diet, promoting overall health and well-being.
Tip: When entertaining, I peel the carrots for a pretty, vibrant color. When I make this for my husband and me, I scrub them but don’t peel them. Carrot peeling is full of nutrients!
Carrot Salad Recipe Ingredients
- Colorful Carrots: Carrots are the star ingredient of this salad. We use them raw in the salad- grate them or make carrot ribbons.
- Pistachios: Toasted pistachios add crunch and a nutty flavor to the salad. Substitute with almonds or pecans.
- Fresh Herbs: Fresh flat-leaf parsley and mint are added to the salad for a burst of freshness. You can substitute cilantro for either.
- Chopped green onions: add a mild onion flavor and a touch of brightness to the salad. They bring a subtle savory element to balance the sweetness of the carrots.
- Fresh Orange. We use the zest and juice here for a refreshing, bright, vibrant flavor.
- Olive Oil: Extra Virgin Olive oil is a staple in Moroccan cuisine and it serves as the base for the salad dressing. It adds richness and a smooth texture to the salad.
- Vinegar: apple cider vinegar, pomegranate vinegar or red wine vinegar is used to create a tangy bright dressing.
- Salt, Black Pepper and cumin.
- Chopped dates or golden raisins
How to make Carrot Salad
Step one: Prep the carrots. Peel them and either grate the carrots using a box grater or food processor, or shave them with a simple veggie peeler. It’s easy to make carrot ribbons with a veggie peeler, but it takes a little more time.
Step two: Make the dressing. Whisk the salad dressing ingredients together in a small bowl.
Step three: Combine. Add the fresh herbs, scallions, dates, orange zest, and chopped pistachios, then toss with the dressing.
Step four. Taste and season. Adjust salt and vinegar to taste. Sometimes I’ll add more orange juice or orange zest. Find your perfect balance, carrots really vary in sweetness!
Carrot Salad Serving Suggestions
Place in a serving bowl, top with more chopped pistachios. If making this ahead, chill the salad but wait to dress it until serving. Serve with our Moroccan Chicken or Moroccan Rice. See our whole category of Moroccan recipes here.
Storing Carrot Salad
This salad is best served on the day it’s made (if entertaining), but will keep for up to 3-4 days in the fridge in an airtight container. It keeps longer when grated than when shaved into ribbons.
This Moroccan Carrot Salad is such a delightful combination of flavors, textures, and health benefits! It’s a versatile dish that can be enjoyed as a side dish, snack, or as part of a larger Moroccan-themed spread.
More favorite carrot recipes
Best Carrot Salad Recipe
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 cups 1x
- Category: salad, Side Dish, Vegetable
- Method: tossed
- Cuisine: American, Moroccan
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Moroccan carrot salad is a light and refreshing side dish. Made with fresh carrots, herbs, pistachio nuts, dates, and an orange-cumin dressing. Vegan.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 lb carrots (multi-colored are very pretty, but orange are fine too.)
- 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 2–4 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped (or parsley or cilantro)
- 1/4 cup green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/8–1/4 cup dates, chopped (or sub raisins)
- 1/4 cup chopped toasted pistachios (or toasted almonds)
- 1 orange (zest and juice)
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate vinegar (or use apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar or , red wine vinegar)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon orange zest, more for sprinkling
- 1–2 tablespoons orange juice, more to taste
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/8–1/4 teaspoon cayenne, optional
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced, optional
Instructions
- Prep the carrots. Peel the carrots. Either grate or shave them into long ribbons using a vegetable peeler. Place in a large bowl.
- Make the dressing. Whisk everything together in a small bowl.
- Combine. Add the chopped parsley, mint, green onions, chopped pistachios, chopped dates, and orange zest. Toss with the dressing to lightly coat.
- Serve immediately, or chill until serving. Salad is best served right away!
Notes
If making ahead, chill, but wait to dress the salad until serving.
Salad will keep up to 2-3 days in the fridge.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 158
- Sugar: 7.1 g
- Sodium: 369.8 mg
- Fat: 10.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 14.6 g
- Fiber: 4.2 g
- Protein: 2.8 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Easy and delicious. Sylvia is an inspiration to any cook at any level.
Thanks David!
I love so many of your recipes, but this one has to be one of my favorites! So fresh and bright (love the pomegranate vinegar) and surprisingly easy to make. Definitely a big pay out for minimal work 😍
Great to hear Cindy!
Delicious 🙂 I used pomegranate molasse and didn‘t add the honey. Great side dish 🙂
Oh perfect Les!
This is very lovely!
Glad you enjoyed Aga!
This recipe is so delicious! Making it today for the second time.
So happy you liked this Cindy!
After making this carrot salad for nearly every potluck, family gathering, holiday meal for the past 6 years I realized I really needed to leave a comment of gratitude. For using such a humble vegetable as it’s main ingredient, this salad wows everytime I serve it. It is equally brilliant for cutting through the richness of a Thankgiving feast as it is welcome alongside a light, grilled seafood meal in the summer. It makes vegans happy and my carnivores are typically surprised by how much they love it, too. It’s easy to prep beforehand, travels well and I love snacking on the salad in the days after – I’ve even piled it up with turkey for a crazy good ‘leftovers sandwich’. I have shared the recipe with so.many.people. Thank you for what has become a tradition in my family!
Awwww 🥰 thanks, Erin. I appreciate this and you. Very much. ❤️
Love this salad so much. The ribbons are fabulous.
I have been making this salad for years. So healthy and flavorful! ~Jeanette
Cette salade est superbe
Comment faire du vinaigre de grenade,car je n’en trouverai pas ;
Merci pour la réponse Chris 06
This salad is superb. How to make pomegranate vinegar, because I will not find any?
thank you for the answer.
Chris- you can use redwine vinegar as a substitute!
I have found raspberry vinegar which works as well as pomegranate vinegar. You also can mix pomegranate juice and red wine vinegar.
Great ideas Maria!
Hi Sylvia,
What can we use to substitute the pomenegrate vinegar? Thanks!
Red wine vinegar would work!
Awesome post, thanks for sharing this post..
These carrots are so beautiful! Lovely salad!
What a lovely salad, the pictures, the words and the recipe. Very, very nice!
This is absolutely gorgeous and so flavorful. I love it!
I have been really appreciating all of your comments… thank you Mary Frances! Hope you are having a wonderful weekend.
Wow: what a lovely places………
Gorgeous salad, I love the rainbow carrots and your vinaigrette sounds wonderful!
Thanks Laura, I’ve been enjoying your blog! 🙂
What a beautiful carrot salad! I love the sound of pomegranate vinegar too
It adds a really lovely unique flavor.
the colours are amazing. will definitely get those fussy kids to eat their carrots.
Yes! So gorgeous, colourful and full of life. Ugh, I’m hungry now.
Thanks!
This looks so good. So colourful, full of goodness and life! Ugh, I’m hungry now.
I love how colourful this is!!
This. This will totally be my weekend refrigerator salad- the one I absolutely dive into all.weekend.long. But edamame instead of pistachios. It looks amazing.
That’s a great idea!