Shredded Carrot Citrus Salad, an easy grated carrot salad tossed in a simple homemade citrus mustard dressing. Simple, tasty, and versatile!
Love carrots but not sure what to do with them? Shred them into a carrot salad! Grated carrots tossed in a simple homemade dressing makes for a perfect side dish or topping for salads or bowls.
👉Here are three reasons why you should be shredding carrots into salads:
- Its tasty. The earthy taste of root vegetables like carrots mixes well with the light sweetness of this homemade citrus mustard dressing.
- It uses up extra carrots. Buy a bag of carrots and not sure what do with them? Make them into a salad!
- It takes 10 minutes. Simply shred carrots in a food processor and toss in a dressing for a simple salad that ready in under 10 minutes.
Ready to learn how to make a simple salad from shredded carrots? Let’s do it!
🥕 Ingredients + tools
This shredded carrot salad is as simple as it gets, but here are a few ingredient recommendations and substitutions.
- Carrots: Any type of carrots will do, from long and skinny, short and squat, to even baby carrots! Simply remove their leaves and stems and give them a good scrub before shredding.
- Olive oil: Olive oil is the base of our homemade dressing, helping to incorporate the ingredients and cling to the small carrot shreddings for maximum flavor.
- Juice from and orange and lemon: Fresh squeezed orange juice adds a touch of sweet and and lemon adds a burst of tart flavor to the dressing. Any type of orange will do, we used blood oranges when photographing the recipe.
- Mustard: Mustard has two roles in the homemade dressing: it gives a kick of flavor and it acts as an emulsifier, which means it thickens the dressing and helps the oil and juices combine and not separate.
- Spices: A pinch of salt and pepper is a must, but get creative with other spices and herbs. We like a pinch of caraway seeds in the dressing and/or on top of the finished salad.
- Recommended tools: food processor, knife, cutting board, mixing bowls, whisk
🥣 How to make (step-by-step photos)
1️⃣ Step One: Shred carrots
First, remove any greens, stems, or ends from your carrots and give them a good wash (make sure to save those carrot tops for soups!).
Next, cut carrots into 2-3 inch (5-7 centimeter) sections, which are easier to drop into a food processor for shredding than full-size carrots.
👉 Should you peel carrots before shredding? If you give carrots a good wash, you do not need to peel them before shredding them for this carrot salad.
Then shred the carrots in a food processor by using the shredding blade attachment and slowly feeding carrots into the safety opening on the top of the food processor. Continue shredding all of the carrots, then set them aside while you make the dressing.
👉 Grated carrots alternative: If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a little elbow grease and shred carrots using a grater. Simply shred carrots along the grater until they are all shredded. This method definitely takes longer and we highly suggest a cut glove to save your poor hands from being grated.
2️⃣ Step Two: Whip up the citrus mustard dressing
To make the citrus mustard dressing, add olive oil, juice from one orange, juice from one lemon, ground mustard, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt and pepper to a medium mixing bowl.
Then use a whisk or fork and mix well to combine the dressing ingredients for about 60-90 seconds. The mustard will act as an emulsifier and the dressing will thicken up into a creamy maple mustard citrus dressing, which pairs perfectly with the earth flavors of the carrots.
3️⃣ Step Three: Toss the carrots in the dressing
Finally, add the shredded carrots to a large mixing bowl and drizzle in the citrus mustard dressing.
Then toss the carrots in the dressing until the carrots are completely coated.
Serve as a side dish with a sprinkle of caraway seeds (optional, but delicious), or use the carrot salad as a topping for salads, bowls, or even as a filling for wraps.
❓ Recipe questions + quick tips
Storing shredded carrots in an airtight container prevents them from browning. Carrots begin to brown, or oxidize, when they are exposed to air for long periods of time and storing them in containers that minimize contact to oxygen in the air.
Carrots can be shredded in either a food processor fitted with a shred blade, or can be shred by hand using a kitchen grater. The kitchen grater method will require much more physical work to shred carrots than using a food processor.
Shredded carrots are small strips of carrots while grated carrots are typically smaller carrots pieces that are almost like a powder.
Carrots can be shredded in a blender, a food processor, or by using handheld grater. Grating carrots inside a blender requires a high powered (at least 1000 watt) blender that is powerful enough to shred large pieces of carrots without jamming the blades.
🍽 How to serve
This grated carrot salad recipes is so versatile! Below are ideas for serving.
- Serve as a simple side: Serve this carrot salad as a side dish on its own with a sprinkle of caraway seeds or parsley on top.
- Use as a salad topping: Spoon the salad as a sweet and earthy addition to your favorite vegetable-packed salads.
- Add to your favorite wraps: Making a tasty wrap? Add this salad as a filling ingredients to add a touch of sweet and crunch.
👉 How to store
This is the perfect make-ahead salad recipe that you can save until ready to serve. Here’s how to store it for the freshest flavor:
Refrigerator storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days, then remove and serve chilled or allow to come to room temperature before eating.
👉 Does it freeze? We don’t recommend freezing this carrot salad. After tossing the carrot shreds in the homemade dressing, the carrots become very tender and will not retain their texture after freezing and thawing.
♻️ Sustainable kitchen tips
Here at Fork in the Road we LOVE using all parts of vegetables, so here are a few tips to make this carrot salad recipe sustainable.
Take advantage of carrot season! The perfect time to make carrot salad is during carrot season! In California that’s almost year around (except July and August in SoCal), but check out Seasonal Food Guide’s produce seasonality calendar to find when carrots are in season where you live.
Use up carrot greens. Don’t throw out carrot greens, fry carrot tops up in a pan for a delicious carrot top side dish! Carrot leaves are super versatile and can find a place in most dishes.
Save carrot cores and ends for soups and broths. Don’t throw out carrot ends and leftover cores. Toss them into a stock pot with water and make a homemade carrot tops vegetable broth.
🥕 More carrot recipes
Looking for more simple carrot recipes? Look no further:
Not sure what to serve with this carrot salad? Try it on top of an Autumn Fig Barley Bowl or tossed with our Roasted Potato Salad.
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Shredded Carrot Citrus Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For Carrot Salad
- 2 pounds carrots
- Option: caraway seeds for garnish
For citrus mustard dressing
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 ounce orange juice
- 1 ounce lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon ground mustard
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup, or other sweetener
- Pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions
- Shred carrots: First, wash carrots and remove the greens, stems, and ends (save for other uses). Then cut carrots into 2-3 inch (5-7 centimeter) sections. Then attach the shredding tool to your food processor and drop each piece of carrot into the opening, using the safety tool to push the carrot down to be shredded. Continue until all carrots have been shredded.
- Make the dressing: To a medium mixing bowl add olive oil, juice from one orange, juice from one lemon, ground mustard, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Use a fork or whisk to mix until well combined and the dressing begins to thicken.
- Toss the carrots in the dressing: Add the shredded carrots to a large mixing bowl and pour in the citrus mustard dressing. Toss to combine until the carrots are well coated in the dressing. Sprinkle with caraway seeds before serving, if desired.
Recipe Notes
- Recommended tools: knife, cutting board, food processor, mixing bowl, whisk
- Recipe notes: This carrot salad is great as a side dish on its own, or using as a topping for salad or filling for wraps or bowls.
- Prep ahead: Make this carrot salad up to four days ahead, and store until the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Leftovers and storage: Leftover salad should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. We do not recommend freezing as the dressing coated carrots lose a lot of their texture after thawing.
- Nutrition notes: This recipe uses only plant-based ingredients, making it suitable for vegan diets. It is gluten-free and free from all major allergens. It is high in vitamin A, vitamin C, and is a good source of fiber.
Nutrition Information
UPDATE: This post was originally written in 2017 and was updated in June 2021 with new photos and instructions.
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