French Carrot Salad

Carottes rapées is a salad my mom used to make us regularly during the Summer months. It’s simplicity at its best: grated carrots are tossed with a tangy, herby, and garlicky dressing.

This type of carrot salad is usually served as part of a “crudités” platter, which is a dish with cold veggies such as radishes, cucumbers, asparagus, or beets served as an appetizer.

I hope you will love this simple, yet bright and flavorful salad!

⭐️ Why You Should Try It

• Crisp and juicy. Finely grated raw carrots bring a ton of crispiness and soak up the dressing beautifully! The result is a salad that is loaded with texture and super fresh thanks to the bright and herby dressing. It’s no wonder “carottes râpées” is considered one of the most renowned French salads!
• Fresh and healthy. This carrot salad is one of our favorite last-minute summer salads thanks to its simplicity and fresh flavor. On top of that, it’s a healthy salad as it uses vibrant and nutritious ingredients.
• Simple yet customizable. You will need less than 15 minutes of prep time to whip up this salad. Plus, you can customize to your liking by incorporating dried fruits, chopped nuts, extra veggies, and more!

📘 What is Carottes Rapées

“Salade de carottes râpées” (grated carrots) is a French salad that consists of raw grated carrots tossed with a dressing made of olive oil, lemon juice or vinegar, garlic, and parsley. It’s a simple salad that is incredibly popular during the summer months in France. It is so popular that it can be found sold in every supermarket or convenience store.

🥕 Ingredient Notes

Here is what you will need to prepare this salad:

• Carrots – Use fresh and firm orange carrots. We do not recommend buying pre-grated carrots or whole carrots sold in a plastic bag, as these are typically of lower quality.
• Shallot and garlic – For a pungent aroma.
• Olive oil – Use high-quality virgin olive oil for a fruity and nutty flavor.
• Lemon juice – For tanginess and freshness. We highly recommend using freshly squeezed lemon juice for optimal flavor. Bottled lemon juice never tastes as fresh.
• Orange juice – Optional but recommended. It brings a natural sweetness and a hint of orange flavor that goes very well with the carrots. A quick tip: add a sprinkle of orange zest as well for extra flavor!
• Maple syrup – We like to add a teaspoon of maple syrup to the dressing to balance the tanginess of the lemon juice. Instead of maple syrup, feel free to use agave syrup or granulated sugar.
• Dijon mustard – Optional. Adding mustard will help emulsify the dressing and add a hint of spiciness. If you don’t like mustard, simply omit it.
• Salt and pepper – To season.
• Fresh herbs – We use parsley but feel free to use cilantro or basil.

🥣 How to Make It

1. Grate the carrots. Wash and peel the carrots. Grate them using a box grater or a food processor fitted with the grating disk. Transfer the grated carrots to a large mixing bowl.
2. Mince the shallot and garlic. Peel and thinly minced the garlic and shallot. Add them to the bowl containing the grated carrots.

3. Add the dressing and seasonings. Pour in the olive oil, orange juice, lime juice, and maple syrup. Sprinkle the salt and ground black pepper. Note: If you are using Dijon mustard, whisk together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl first to emulsify them.

4. Toss to coat. Using two large spoons, toss the grated carrots to coat them with the dressing. Add the chopped parsley and toss again to combine.
5. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Taste the salad and adjust the saltiness, tanginess, and sweetness to your liking.
6. Serve. You can serve this salad immediately or chill it in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours.

🍊 Variations

This carrot salad is versatile so you can easily customize it to your liking. Here are a few suggestions:

• Dried fruits: Add extra sweetness by incorporating raisins, chopped dates, or figs into the salad.
• Nuts: For nuttiness and crunchiness, stir in toasted pine nuts, walnuts, or slivered almonds.
• Seeds: Incorporate sesame seeds or sunflower seeds for extra nutrients and texture.
• Zest: We love to add orange or lemon zest to this carrot salad for a citrusy flavor! Use 1-2 teaspoons of finely chopped zest.
• Cheese: For extra freshness, add scrambled vegan ricotta or finely chopped vegan mozzarella.
• Spices: A pinch of cumin and/or coriander pairs very well with these carrots!

🧆 What to Serve It With

You can serve this salad as an appetizer, a light lunch, or a side dish with falafels, sautéed tofu, corn fritters, or high-protein vegan burgers!

💬 FAQ

This French carrot salad is a classic that you will love during the hotter season. It’s crispy, refreshing, and healthy! We typically double or even triple the recipe to make sure we have enough to enjoy throughout the week!

🥗 More Simple Salads

Fresh Couscous Salad

French Green Lentil Salad

Vegan Potato Salad (French-Inspired!)

Thai Mango Salad

⭐️ Did you like this recipe? Let us know in the comments below, and tag us on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!