Clearly, the carrots are the main event here, so you want to get them right. A traditional French version has very short, thin slivers of carrot that are primed to absorb the light dressing. This effect can be tedious to replicate at home without special equipment, run them against the large holes of an everyday box grater. I’ve even been known to make this with pre-shredded grocery store carrots in a pinch. We all enjoy the salad regardless, so use what you’ve got!
Herb swap. Flat-leaf parsley is my go-to with a grated carrot salad, but you can certainly experiment with swapping or adding extra herbs such as chives.
Work ahead. If you don’t plan to serve the salad right away, one option is to whisk the dressing together at the bottom of a serving bowl, then gently lay the shredded carrots and parsley on top. When you go to toss everything together, voila — nothing soggy! Of course you can also just keep the dressing separate, but this bottom-of-the-bowl method eliminates a separate jar and is sort of fun.
Carrots: obviously! Carrots last a long time in the fridge, which is another reason this salad is a great back-pocket recipe. It’s saved me many nights when the fridge is otherwise a little bare.
For the dressing: Dijon mustard, lemon juice , olive oil, honey, salt, and black pepper.
French carrot salad makes a lovely side dish with dry rub grilled chicken, steak, or nearly any protein. It’s also a welcome fresh offering at picnics, potlucks, and barbecues, and packs nicely alongside sandwiches and other lunches, even those on-the-go.
French Carrot Salad
INGREDIENTS
Instructions
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Grate the carrots using either a food processor or a standard box grater. Combine in a large bowl with the chopped parsley.
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In a small jar or liquid measuring cup, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon, honey, salt, and pepper. Shake or whisk well to blend. Pour over the carrots and parsley and toss well to blend
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Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve
