This fresh and flavourful raw Carrot Salad with Honey-Dijon dressing is the perfect addition to any meal. With the sweet tanginess of dried cranberries, the crunch of toasted sunflower seeds, and the subtle kick of green onions and fresh herbs, this salad is both nutritious and delicious. Try it as a side dish or a light lunch option!
Enjoy a crunchy carrot salad with a healthy honey-mustard dressing. This colourful salad is packed with flavourful ingredients, including dried cranberries, toasted sunflower seeds, green onions, and fresh herbs.
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❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- A last-minute side dish! If you're like me, one thing that is always in your fridge is a bag of carrots. Grate a few carrots, add a few "extras," toss with the most delicious honey-mustard dressing and you have a healthy side for dinner.
- Budget-friendly. Carrots are available year-round and are still relatively inexpensive compared to other vegetables.
- Vegetarian. Here's a dairy-free, gluten-free salad you can feel good about serving your family and friends.
- The Dressing! This oh-so-popular Honey-Mustard Dressing puts this simple carrot salad over the top!
🛒 Ingredients
You'll find a complete list of ingredients with amounts in the recipe card below. But before we get to the full recipe, here are a few notes about the ingredients.
- carrots you'll shred or grate these. Use the freshest carrots you can find. You might think that tossing older carrots with dressing will revive them, but . . . they're still going to be old carrots!
- dried cranberries add sweetness and a pop of colour. Choose organic, unsweetened dried cranberries.
- sunflower seeds for protein and a little crunch. Roast them yourself or buy them pre-roasted if you're short on time. (Although, you can roast raw sunflower seeds in about 5 minutes!)
- green onions for flavour and colour.
- hemp hearts for garnish (optional). Hemp seeds are high in protein.
- Honey-Dijon Dressing made with apple cider vinegar gives the perfect finishing touch!
🔪 Instructions
Here are step-by-step instructions to make this raw carrot salad recipe perfectly.
- Begin by toasting the sunflower seeds in a skillet over medium heat. Heat 1 teaspoon oil, then add the sunflower seeds. Stir frequently and watch carefully, as they burn easily. Remove from the heat when they are lightly browned, then sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt.
- Next, combine the dressing ingredients in a small jar. Shake to emulsify.
- Use a food processor, a box grater, or a julienne tool to shred the carrots.
- Slice the green onions thinly on the diagonal. Finely chop the cilantro or parsley.
- In a large bowl, combine carrots with cranberries, toasted sunflower seeds, finely sliced green onion, and cilantro or parsley. Toss with honey-Dijon dressing.
- Finally, sprinkle with hemp hearts just before serving.
🔁 Possible Variations
How to make this raw carrot salad extra special!
Are you thinking this shredded carrot salad may be refreshing and healthy, but just a little plain? Here are some ways to elevate your carrot salad:
- Add some sweetness: Carrots are naturally sweet, but adding dried fruit like raisins or dried apricots can give the salad an extra burst of sweetness.
- Include some crunch: Carrots have a great crunch, but you can add more texture by including other crunchy ingredients like finely chopped walnuts, pecans, or pumpkin seeds.
- Use a flavourful dressing: While this recipe calls for honey-mustard dressing, it's also delicious with ginger-orange dressing. I also tested this carrot salad with my favourite Hollyhock Nutritional Yeast Dressing, but in a taste test, the Honey-Dijon dressing won, hands down.
- Add a little kick: If you like a little heat, try adding a few chili flakes or finely chopped fresh jalapeño to your carrot salad.
- Experiment with herbs: Fresh herbs like cilantro, parsley, or dill can add a burst of flavor to a carrot salad. Try chopping up your favourite fresh herbs and tossing them into the salad.
- Mix in other veggies: While carrots are the star of the show in a shredded carrot salad, adding other veggies like cucumber, bell pepper, or radish can add more color and flavour and texture. Grated apple is delicious too. Just toss it with a little lemon juice to prevent it from turning brown before adding it to the salad.
👍🏼 Helpful Tips
Shredding carrots in a food processor makes this a quick recipe, but it doesn't take much longer if you're using a box grater. If you want to get fancy, you can use a julienne tool.
❓Reader's Questions
When TikTok's Raw Carrot Salad went viral, all kinds of health claims abounded, including the most popular one, that it helps to balance hormones. Others claim that it may help to relieve migraines.
Many recommended that we should be eating carrot salad every day. "Life-changing" was how it has been described.
Despite the hype on TikTok, raw carrot salad is nothing new! I've made it for years, and my mom used to make it with raisins and apples when I was a little girl.
Carrots can be part of a healthy diet. They are a good source of fiber and an excellent source of Vitamin A. Do you remember when your parents told you to eat your carrots so you could see in the dark?
So, like any foods, eat in moderation and enjoy a healthy crunchy carrot salad from time to time!
🍽 What to serve with carrot salad
This easy carrot salad makes a great side for chicken or fish dishes. Try it with any of the following.
- Air Fryer Almond-Crusted Chicken
- Easy Baked Lemon Chicken
- Asian Glazed Garlic Chicken
- Honey-Dijon Turmeric Chicken
- Crispy Fennel-Crusted Salmon
- Bourbon Maple Glazed Salmon
- 6 Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings
⏰ Storage Instructions
To store: Refrigerate this raw carrot salad in a covered container. It will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
🗒 More healthy salad recipes
When you make this recipe, please leave a comment and a star rating below. I love hearing from you! Thanks in advance. Subscribe to my newsletter and receive new recipes delivered straight to your inbox once a week.
📖 Recipe
Shredded Carrot Salad with Honey-Dijon Dressing
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups shredded carrots
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup sunflower seeds, toasted in 1 teaspoon oil and ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 medium green onions, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons cilantro or parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon hemp hearts, for garnish
Honey-Dijon Dressing
- ⅓ cup olive oil, extra virgin
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, or white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1.5 tablespoons honey
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Begin by toasting the sunflower seeds in a skillet over medium heat. Heat 1 teaspoon oil, then add the sunflower seeds. Stir frequently and watch carefully as they burn easily. Remove from heat when they are lightly browned, then sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt.
- Next, combine honey-Dijon dressing ingredients in a small jar. Shake to emulsify.
- Use a food processor, a box grater, or a julienne tool to shred the carrots.
- Slice the green onions thinly on the diagonal. Finely chop the cilantro or parsley.
- In a large bowl, combine carrots with cranberries, toasted sunflower seeds, finely sliced green onion, and cilantro or parsley. Toss with honey-mustard dressing and refrigerate until serving time.
- Finally, sprinkle with hemp hearts just before serving.
Jackie Barker
I decided to make this salad as soon as I looked at the recipe. Unfortunately, I did not go for the whole 6 servings, and just made enough for the two of us. Big mistake. We could have been eating this for a few days, and instead it is ALL GONE! Delicious. It is on the regular dinner rotation now. Thanks, Elaine!!!
Elaine
You're welcome. Happy to hear you liked it! It will last in the fridge for 3 days.