You've found a delightful summer carrot salad recipe with just enough spice to make it really nice. This carrot salad will have people loading up their plates for seconds and thirds it is so good. If you need a summer side dish that is quick to make and tastes great immediately, you've found the right recipe! Take a look at how easy it is to make.
This carrot salad recipe is gluten free, primal, low carb and has some sassy spice.
A SPICY CARROT SALAD RECIPE READY FOR ANY SUMMER GATHERING.
In France, carottes râpées (translated simply to "grated carrots") are a nationally recognized side dish. At the grocery stores here you will find at least four differently prepared carrot salads ready to be plucked right from the cooler. Some have whole grain mustard, others are mixed with a vinaigrette or a creamy sauce. All are really tasty. You will find in most fresh air marchés (think farmers market the way you always wanted to see one) between six and ten different preparations of carrot salad... and each one will be absolutely delicious. What you will not find in France is my carrot salad recipe. Why? Simple: it is très épicé... very spicy.
Although this carrot salad recipe has some spice elements, it is very easy to tame the flame. But before you do, just give it a try. You will love the delicate balance between the heat, the sweetness of the carrots and the cream in the sauce. When was the last time a side dish danced across your tongue? Get ready for the party because it is about to get started. Speaking of party, feel free to take this to any party for your friends or family with confidence.
HOW TO JULIENNE CARROTS
Most people will tell you to get a good mandoline to julienne carrots or other vegetables. Sounds like a good idea, right? Well, I'm going to let you in on a big secret: I HATE MANDOLINES. They are a pain in the butt to setup, use and clean. They are also dangerous for most of us to use. But how else can you easily julienne carrots? Here's the secret...all you need to get is a julienne carrot peeler. If you can peel a carrot, you can use this kitchen gadget. I'm not a huge fan of "single use" kitchen equipment, but this one can be used for carrots, zucchini, sweet potatoes and more! The one that I have used for this recipe is a French brand, so for this post there is no link to pick one up. All you need to do is head over to Google or your favorite search engine and type in Julienne Carrot Peeler. There are about 30 different models and each one will most likely work really well. Or, head to your local kitchen supplier and they will have one there ready for you today!
QUICK COOKING TIP: Let's just say that you don't want to buy a julienne peeler and have no interest in spending hours cutting carrot threads by hand. I get it. So here's the tip: get out your box grater. Find the side that has about 100 holes on it that are about ⅛" in size. Grate the carrots being careful not to damage your finger tips. Grated carrots are delicious and easy to make. Bam. Just saved you six bucks. Take that Emeril.
Let's take a closer look at this yummy carrot salad recipe.
SUMMER CARROT SALAD RECIPE
A wonderful, zippy summer carrot salad recipe that will have your friends and family coming back for seconds and thirds!
Ingredients
- 4-5 Large Carrots, washed, trimmed and julienne sliced (4 cups yield)
- ½ Cup Mayonnaise
- ¼ Cup Heavy Cream
- ¼ Cup Shallot,, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon Each: Parsley, Cilantro and Chives
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Fresh Cracked Pepper
- 2 tablespoon Chili Oil*
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
- ¼ teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar
Instructions
- In a bowl, add the mayonnaise, heavy cream, shallot, herbs, spices, oil, vinegar and lemon juice. Mix well.
- Add to the carrots in a large bowl and mix well to incorporate.
- Taste, adjust the seasonings and taste again.
- Serve cold and happy eating!
Notes
* If you do not have Chili Oil, add in 2 tablespoon Olive oil and ¼ teaspoon cayenne powder. Add less if you don’t love spice or add more if you really love the heat.
This recipe can be made a day ahead and it is really remarkable when the flavors are left to meld together. If you leave it longer than a day, you will find that the shallot tends to take over the dish, giving it a heady onion flavor.
Keep in mind that although we start with 4 cups of carrots and over a cup of additional ingredients, the yield will be much less than expected. If you are planning on taking this to a party, double or triple the ingredients.
Nutrition Information
Yield
6Amount Per Serving Calories 256
FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE CARROT SALAD RECIPE:
The first time I made this carrot salad recipe was for my wife's best friend Alexis. She just came to visit us in France (the first friend to cross the pond to stay with us) which has been a fantastic visit. For her visit, we wanted to make sure that we were sharing incredible food and wine while we made some wonderful memories. I served this side dish at our first lunch and have made it three more times in a week. It is just that good. The first time the carrots were finely grated. The sauce became a little watery. The second time the carrots were coarsely grated and it was really good. For this recipe, the carrots were julienned. The larger cut seemed to increase the sweetness from the carrots, which played nicely with the spiced chili oil. So good. Make it today.
Try my carrot salad with my Perfectly Grilled Pork Chops or Beer Can Chicken (without the beer can). The salad works perfectly with kabobs or even grilled chicken. It is just delightful and I hope that you enjoy it as much as we have. Happy eating!
Harper Slusher says
I've never tried a carrot salad before, so I'm so excited to give this a shot! Thanks for sharing, it looks amazing!
Scott Groth says
Hi Harper:
Did you get a chance to try it? Let me know how it went.
Have a wonderful day!
Scott
Courtney says
This looks wonderful-- I love carrots, and that dressing sounds great!
Scott Groth says
Hi Courtney:
You will never look at carrots the same after you have this crunchy sassy salad.
Happy eating!
Scott
Robin Nones says
I buy this in the supermarche every week without the spice. Nothing in France is spicy. This is so good and easy to make without any of the additivies. Really tasty.
Scott Groth says
Hey Robin:
You're right - there aren't a lot of spicy foods in France. I need to fix that as soon as we move there!
Thanks for writing. Take care,
Scott