French carrot salad is a widely popular side dish in France. Trust me, once you try this French version, you won't want to go back to the American kind!
Want more salad recipe options? Try our refreshing Bell Pepper Salad and Greek Salad.
About
This tastes bright and slightly sweet, due to the zippy lemon mustard vinaigrette. This recipe uses fresh ingredients, and tastes light and refreshing. As you make this, keep tasting and adjusting the flavors to customize it to your tastebuds; add a bit more lemon, sugar, or salt as you like.
Ingredients
This is easy to throw together because it doesn't have a lot of ingredients. The basic recipe is made of the following components:
- Freshly grated carrots
- Vinaigrette (olive oil, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, sugar and Dijon)
- Fresh chopped parsley
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- Don't want to use lemon juice? Replace it with the juice of one orange, champagne vinegar, or white wine vinegar.
- Want other fresh herbs? Try thyme, dill, or oregano.
- Want to use a different sweetener? Try honey or maple syrup.
- Want to add another vegetable? Try shallots, spring onion, fennel or radish.
- Don't want to use olive oil? Use walnut oil instead.
- Want more substance? Add cooked white beans.
How to Make French Carrot Salad
- Place all the vinaigrette ingredients in a bowl. You'll need freshly squeezed lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, Dijon mustard, and sugar. (image 1)
- Whisk the dressing ingredients together until blended. (image 2)
- Add the lemon vinaigrette to the grated carrot mixture. (image 3)
- Stir in the vinaigrette until it is thoroughly mixed. If you prefer, you can use your hands instead of a spoon. (image 4)
- Add the chopped parsley. (image 5)
- To achieve the best carrot salad, adjust the seasonings as you go. Overall, the flavors are subtle, so be careful not to be heavy handed with the Dijon or the oil. For this recipe, I added extra lemon juice, 2 tablespoons and a bit more sugar. (image 6)
- Toss to make sure everything is well mixed. For best flavor, cover and chill for at least 30 minutes. (image 7)
- Place in a serving bowl and enjoy! (image 8)
Recipe FAQs
The secret is finely grating the carrots yourself. Don't bother using the pre-grated carrots from the grocery store, because they are often dried out and are cut too thickly. Your goal is to use freshly grated carrots, since they will give off some juice and should be sweeter.
Use a moulinex grater, if you have one. This is the traditional method used in France. However, you can also use the grater attachment to a Kitchenaid, a box grater, or a food processor.
Wash and peel the carrots.
Cut off ½ inch from the top and bottom of each carrot to remove the green tops and the roots.
Place the large end of the carrot on the smallest size holes of the box grater.
Using a downward motion, grate the carrot, being careful not to cut your fingers.
Eat or compost the carrot piece that is too small to grate.
The grated carrots can be grated in advance and kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Once the salad is made, it will keep for up to 3 or 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. The appeal of this recipe is it's freshness, so it's best not to freeze it.
Serve
This recipe is a versatile side dish, and like mashed potatoes, it goes with almost anything. Serve with a main meat, sandwich, or soup and you'll have a fantastic lunch or supper.
Expert Tips
- Use room temperature lemons, as they are easier to squeeze and yield more juice.
- Spice tip: Add the salt a little at a time. Taste before serving, and adjust any spices as needed.
- Don't be tempted to buy the pre-grated carrots, since freshly grated carrots make this taste much better.
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Recipe
French Carrot Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 4 cups finely grated carrot, from 6 large carrots
- ¾ cup flatleaf parsley, chopped
For the Lemon Vinaigrette
- ½ cup lemon juice, from 4 room-temperature lemons (reserve 2 tablespoons)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar, reserve ¼ teaspoon for the end
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Wash and peel 6 large carrots, then cut off their tops and ends. Finely grate them with a box grater to get 4 cups (444g), then place the grated carrot in a mixing bowl.
- Cut four room-temperature lemons in half, then squeeze their juice until you have ½ cup (120 ml). Reserve two tablespoons (30 ml) of lemon juice to use later.
- Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and sugar to make the lemon vinaigrette.
- Pour over the carrots and mix together with a spoon or toss with your hands. The carrot salad should be moist, but not overly juicy.
- Sprinkle on the fresh parsley and gently toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings. I added the reserved lemon juice and sugar at this step.
- Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until ready to serve. Check the seasonings before serving.
Video
Notes
- Use room temperature lemons, as they are easier to squeeze and yield more juice.
- Spice tip: Add the salt a little at a time. Taste before serving, and adjust any spices as needed.
- Don't be tempted to buy the pre-grated carrots, since freshly grated carrots make this taste much better.
Nutrition
Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.
Jules
Thanks for this simple but moorish carrot salad, so refreshing , tasty and healthy 🙂 reminds me of France.
Emma
Thank you, Jules! We are thrilled that you like our carrot salad recipe.
Alex
The lemon brings out the flavor of the grated carrot. I like the flat leaf parsley, too; it adds additional flavor. The lemon is sour, but this salad is good!
Emma
I love how lemony this salad is, Alex! The parsley and carrot is such a simple combination, but really tasty and refreshing. Thanks for commenting!
Beth
The carrots and parsley compliment each other. The lemon is really good in this salad, because it gives the salad a tangy taste. I like how you can tweak the recipe to reflect your personal tastes.
Emma
It is nice to have a recipe that you can easily change up, depending on how you like it. I'm glad that you enjoyed this carrot salad, Beth!