This carrot salad is a little sweet and a little spicy. It’s a colorful and crunchy addition to your lunch box, picnic or as a topping for tacos.
This easy salad combines carrots with sesame seeds for a crunchy, savory and flavorful Toasted Sesame Carrot Salad. It’s the perfect addition to your lunch box or served with my Honey Garlic Black Cod or Easy Vegan Weeknight Stir-Fry.
BONUS: It doesn’t require any cooking!
This is one of the easiest salads you’ll ever make. It’s also perfect for meal prep. This salad tastes better after a day of marinating. It will keep for 5 days in the refrigerator.
If you have leftover carrots or just came home with a fresh bunch, shred some this easy carrot salad.
Serving ideas
This carrot salad is perfect for picnics, lunch boxes and meal prep. It lasts for almost a week in the refrigerator. And the flavor gets better as the carrots soak up the dressing during the day.
- Pair this salad with a sandwich for a vegetable side dish at lunch.
- Add crunch to a tuna or chicken salad sandwich or wrap.
- Use the salad as a topping for fish tacos.
Tips for success
- Shred your own carrots. The ones in the bag will be drier and result in a less desirable salad. But they will work in a pinch – just plan to let the carrots marinate a bit in the dressing before you eat it.
- Toasted sesame oil (not regular) is a key flavor component in this recipe. Keep your toasted sesame oil in the refrigerator so that it stays fresh longer.
- Punch up the heat with more red pepper flakes if you’d like. You can also use fresh Chile peppers like Serrano or Thai Chile peppers for more vibrant flavor.
Sweet & Spicy Sesame Carrot Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh carrots, coarsely shredded
- ¼ cup rice vinegar (not seasoned)
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup toasted sesame seeds
- Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Toast sesame seeds in a skillet over medium-high heat until they are lightly browned, about 3-5 minute. Remove from the heat and let cool.
- Shred the carrots. This is an ideal time to whip out the food processor or you can use a box grater on the coarse side. Set aside.
- Make the dressing: whisk the sesame oil, rice vinegar, brown sugar, ginger and red pepper flakes.
- Toss the carrots with the dressing, add the salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle the finished salad with toasted sesame seeds.
Notes
- Shred your own carrots. The ones in the bag will be drier.
- Toasted sesame oil (not regular) is a key flavor component in this recipe.
- Punch up the heat with more red pepper flakes if you’d like.
- This salad tastes better after a day of marinating. It will keep for 5 days in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Did you plant a garden this year? What are you doing with your early carrots? Carrots never go to waste in my house. My dog, Biscuit, loves them and she has an endless appetite!
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