Carrot Currant Salad

Looking for an easy and classic carrot salad recipe? This one is all grown up without a trace of mayo in sight!

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.

• 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.

1. Wash, Peel, Rewash the Carrots - then trim the ends and use a large box grater or a Spiralizer.

2. Plump up the currants by pouring hot water over them (above) and straining.

3. Finely Dice - the shallot.

4. Add - the parsley, fresh orange zest and dried currants.

5. Make the Vinaigrette - All the rest of the ingredients get mixed for drizzling later.

6. 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 just love a 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, chicken or fish.

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.

  Carrot Currant Salad

  Carrot Currant Salad is a riff off the classic carrot salad recipe, and is a great vegetable side dish

  Course: Salad

  Total Time: 30 minutes

  Servings: 6

  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.