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French Carrot Salad

This French carrot salad recipe is simple and fresh! You'll need carrots, olive oil, lemon, honey, cumin, parsley and chives. Chickpeas are optional but recommended.

Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 12, 2024

67 Reviews

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I never knew I’d be so excited about a raw carrot salad. Then again, I’m not sure I’ve ever had French carrot salad before! Have you? Carrot salads are ubiquitous in France and we’ve been missing out.

I’m generally a fan of big, bold flavor, but French carrot salad (salade de carottes râpées) is a delicate balance of sweet raw carrot, tangy lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard and herbs. This carrot salad is a lesson in restraint and tastes more complex than it is.

I discovered this carrot salad at French Market in Kansas City. The girls behind the counter always have French accents, so you know the restaurant is legit.

They offer a variety of pre-made salads and sandwiches, and I couldn’t resist the glowing orange carrot salad. Their version includes chickpeas, which offer some protein and bulk.

I was really surprised by how much I loved that fresh, crisp-tender, sweet-and-savory carrot salad, so here we are. French carrot salad is a lovely side dish to offer at picnics, in packed lunches, with sandwiches, and so on.

French Carrot Salad Preparation Tips

The carrots account for this recipe’s predominant flavor and texture. French Market’s carrot salad features tiny, short slivers of carrot that readily absorb dressing but are difficult to achieve at home. David Lebovitz suggests they’re using a discontinued rotary grater by the brand Moulinex, so I gave up on exactly matching their texture.

Here are your options:

• You can achieve a similar texture by using a julienne peeler (affiliate link) in short strokes like I did for these photos, but it’s tedious work.
• You can also run the carrots through your food processor with the grating attachment.
• Or, grate the carrots on the medium-to-large holes of your box grater.
• The smallest option on your spiralizer might work, too—please report back if you try!

Don’t stress about how you grate your carrots. I think you’ll enjoy this salad no matter what.

Watch How to Make French Carrot Salad

Carrot Salad Serving Suggestions

This carrot salad packs up beautifully for lunch, picnics and potlucks. Serve it with sandwiches, creamy dips or soups, or more fresh salads. Here are a few suggestions:

• Caprese Sandwich
• Favorite Grilled Cheese Sandwich
• The Best Hummus
• Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup
• Cream of Broccoli Soup
• Pesto Pasta Salad

Please let me know how you like this carrot salad in the comments. I love hearing from you! If you’re interested in another carrot salad option, you must try my Roasted & Raw Carrot Salad with Avocado.

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French Carrot Salad

• Author: Cookie and Kate
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes (plus 20-minute marinating time)
• Yield: 4 servings 1x

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 67 reviews

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This French carrot salad recipe is simple and fresh! You’ll need carrots, olive oil, lemon, honey, cumin, parsley and chives. Chickpeas are optional but recommended. Recipe yields 4 servings.

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Carrot salad

• 1 pound carrots, peeled
• 2 tablespoons finely snipped chives or chopped green onion
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
• Optional: 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas

Dressing

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

Instructions

1. To prepare the carrots: You can grate them on the large holes of a box grater, or use short strokes with a julienne peeler, or process them in a food processor fitted with a grating attachment. You’ll end up with about 3 cups grated carrots.
2. Place the carrots in a medium serving bowl. Add the chives, parsley and optional chickpeas to the bowl.
3. To make the dressing, whisk all of the ingredients together in a small bowl until completely blended.
4. Pour the dressing over the carrot mixture and stir until the mixture is evenly coated in dressing. For best flavor, allow the salad to marinate for 20 minutes before serving. Toss again before serving. This salad keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for about 4 days.

Notes

Recipe inspired by French Market in Kansas City.

Make it vegan: Substitute maple syrup for the honey.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

• Category: Salad
• Method: Raw
• Cuisine: French