Looking for an easy and classic carrot salad recipe? This one is all grown up without a trace of mayo in sight! Refreshing and sweet, this salad is updated with shallots, currants, fresh orange zest and a full-flavored vinaigrette. Wonderful!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Call me psychic, but I’m guessing exactly none of you are sitting around fantasizing about eating carrot salad.
Maybe you’d never even consider making a carrot salad, because at that last potluck it was loaded with raisins, pineapple, sugar, and heavy globs of mayonnaise. With all this baggage, carrot salad might not be your first choice for any reason, ever.
Stay with me here, because this carrot currant salad is different. REALLY different.
- This salad is SUPER fresh tasting, with a clean carrot flavor.
- It’s a potluck staple updated and seriously delicious with baked chicken or ham or even a grilled cheese sandwich.
- We all need a colorful, delicious veggie side dish to add to our repertoire.
- This recipe is easy and can be made a day in advance, and it’s great with a table of other salads, like Superfood Salad or Simple Chickpea Salad.
Ingredients You’ll Need for This Recipe
- Carrots: Organic, if possible,then grated or Spiralized.
- Shallot: Shallots have a mild, delicate flavor that adds so much without being overpowering.
- Parsley: Italian flat leaf parsley is a culinary miracle that I use on everything but pancakes.
- Fresh Orange and Lemon: For zest, for juice, for freshness, for a burst of citrus flavor.
- Currants: Sort of like a small, juicy raisin, currants lend a sophisticated texture and sweetness to this salad.
- Peanuts: Totally unexpected, totally crunchy without a strong peanut flavor.
- Olive Oil: We’re making fresh vinaigrette, so we’ll need extra virgin olive oil
- Dijon Mustard: Always and forever my favorite mustard.
- Seasonings: Salt and freshly ground lemon pepper bump up the overall flavor.
Step-By-Step Instructions
For the full recipe, please scroll down to the recipe card below.
- Wash, Peel, Rewash the Carrots – then trim the ends and use a large box grater or a Spiralizer.
- Plump up the currants by pouring hot water over them (above) and straining.
- Finely Dice – the shallot.
- Add – the parsley, fresh orange zest and dried currants.
- Make the Vinaigrette – All the rest of the ingredients get mixed for drizzling later.
- Season – Lemon pepper, salt and a serving bowl or platter and you’re good to go.
Tips For Success
- If you plan to make this salad ahead of time, toss it with the vinaigrette just before serving.
- Slice the shallots very thin, then chop them as small as possible to blend into the salad.
- Double the recipe for a BBQ or potluck… you’ll be shocked how many people LOVE carrot salad.
- If your vinaigrette is too sour – this varies based on your citrus – just add another teaspoon of honey.
This Carrot Currant Salad is a tasty and healthy side dish that’s perfect with baked ham.
Serving Ideas
- I love to eat this salad with a slice of thick, toasty bread that’s been slathered with butter.
- Serve in a colorful shallow bowl or platter with a large serving spoon alongside.
- Make a couple of easy salads to eat for lunch during the week! Here’s a couple more: Simple Chickpea Salad and Celery Salad with Roasted Hazelnuts.
- I also highly recommend this Blackberry Salad with Toasted Hazelnuts.
- If you’re having company, make this beautiful Roasted Nectarines with Caramel Sauce for dessert and enjoy!
More Recipes to Try:
- Strawberry Asparagus Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette: A really tasty, fresh salad.
- Naan BLT with Sun Dried Tomato Mayo: A favorite recipe.
- Maple Roasted Squash with Goat Cheese: Bookmark this delicious side!
- Pan Roasted Pear Salad: So good, you’ll love this one.
- Carrots with Almonds: A wonderful side dish.
- Healthy Vegetable Side Dish Recipes: A round-up of favorites.
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Carrots: Absolutely delish!
- Favorite Broccoli Salad without Bacon: Fresh, crunchy, perfect!
If you’ve tried this Carrot Currant Salad or any recipe on Studio Delicious, please tell me all about it in the comments below!
Carrot Currant Salad
Carrot Currant Salad is a riff off the classic carrot salad recipe, and is a great vegetable side dish
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Servings: 6
Calories: 102kcal
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Currants, dried
- 1 cup Water, boiled
- 1 pound Carrots, organic if possible
- ¼ cup Peanuts, salted, chopped small
- 1 ½ tbsp Shallot, diced fine
- 2 tablespoons Italian (flat leaf) Parsley Plus more for garnish
- ½ teaspoon Orange Zest, freshly grated
- FOR THE VINAIGRETTE:
- 1 tablespoon Orange Juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 teaspoons Honey see recipe notes
- 2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Lemon Pepper, freshly grated
Instructions
- For the SALAD
- Place the dried currants in a strainer with a bowl underneath and pour the hot water over them. Let the currants strain while you prep the carrots.
- Wash, peel and rewash the carrots.
- Trim off the ends, and peel them. Grate the carrots using the large holes of a box grater and transfer to a medium-sized bowl.Alternatively, you can use a Spiralizer for the carrots too.
- Add the chopped peanuts to the bowl with the carrots.
- Finely dice the shallot and place it in the bowl with the carrots.
- Add the chopped flat leaf parsley, fresh orange zest and dried currants.
- MAKE THE VINAIGRETTE
- Combine all the ingredients together in a small glass bowl and whisk them together Alternatively, put the ingredients in a canning jar with a lid and shake it to combine.
- Pour the vinaigrette slowly over the salad, gently tossing the ingredients together with a large spoon, using enough vinaigrette to completely coat it.
- Season with a another twist of lemon pepper and a pinch of sea or flake salt, transfer to serving platter or bowl Add more flat leaf parsley for garnish if desired
Notes
- Zest the orange by using the small holes of a cheese grater.
- If your vinaigrette is a little sour, just add another teaspoon or so of honey.
- Leave out the peanuts if there are allergy issues.
- Make this salad ahead of time and toss with the vinaigrette just before serving.
- Cut the shallots very thinly, and then dice them, you want them small.
- This recipe is easy to double for more people.
Nutrition
Calories: 102kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 267mg | Potassium: 311mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 12742IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg
Tips for Success with Every Recipe
- Super important to read the whole recipe before you begin
- Pay attention to the ingredient list and photos for the recipe
- If possible, prep your ingredients a little before you start
- Always use a sharp knife for safety
- Use the size of pan called for in the recipe
- For savory recipes, taste and season as you go
- Buy fresh, organic ingredients, locally sourced whenever possible
Did you make this recipe?Show me! Tag @studiodelicious or use the hashtag #studiodeliciouseats!
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This post was updated with new text August, 2024.
Looks great Paige. I found a similar recipe here in Mexico that added jalepeno. I might try it in my La Gringa cooks series. Love your photos.
Tracey
Thank you, Madam.
I have become a fan of carrot salads! The vinaigrette makes this salad incredibly tasty. It’s a great side all year long!
Yes it is! Thanks
There’s a lot of ingredients, but this modern salad comes together deliciously.
They are easy ingredients too..thanks
This is such a pretty and delicious salad! Love the flavor and the crunch it has. Yum!
Thank you!
This would be the perfect side dish for pretty much any meal! 🙂 I love all the zesty, juicy flavors. It looks so simple and healthy, too!
Thank you!
I have never tried to make a carrot salad but this one looks really good and healthy. I am so excited to make this for my family.
This salad is definitely unique. The Dressing is perfect and the combinations are awesome.
I love a raw carrot salad and this is a very lovely recipe that I will definitely add to my family’s salad dishes.
Oh great..thanks
I love carrot salads! We usually have our carrot salads with grilled chicken so I’m really excited to try that with this recipe!
Oh great! Hope you like it !
This modern carrot salad looks so delicious. I especially love the bit or orange juice and zest in this recipe for a bit of citrus zing!
It really makes a difference in the flavor! Thanks 🙂
We love carrot salad and this modern version sounds even better! I can’t wait to give this recipe a try on Easter afternoon!
Great idea!
I love dried currants in salads like this!! I haven’t tried this carrot salad yet, but this is about to change now – looks great!!
Thank you, hope you like it !