Raw carrots are shaved into ribbons and tossed with sesame seeds, fresh herbs, and a tangy Asian-style dressing. This shaved carrot salad comes together in just 15 minutes and is the perfect crunchy, refreshing side dish for any meal.
I’ve been making raw carrot salads for years. My favorite salads are ones that skip the green completely, like my white bean and artichoke salad, and carrots make the perfect base for that kind of salad.
Carrots’ mild sweetness and crunch means that you can pair them with just about any flavors, whether it’s tahini, chickpeas, and pistachios for a Mediterranean/Middle Eastern vibe or with cumin and spicy harissa in a Moroccan carrot salad.
In this case of this shaved carrot salad, I’ve taken ribbons of raw carrots and tossed them with a tangy and slightly sweet Asian-style dressing. The salad is crisp, vibrant, and so very delicious.
Stephie’s testing notes
- Shaving fresh carrots into thin ribbons gives this salad the best texture and makes for a beautiful presentation. The carrots maintain their crisp texture without being too much to bite through.
- Letting it rest improves the flavor. You only need about 15 minutes of hands-on time to make this shaved carrot salad recipe, but letting it rest for at least 10 minutes before serving allows the flavors to meld. I tried it right after tossing it together and it just wasn’t as good as when I let it rest first.
- Simple ingredients make the biggest impact. When testing this recipe, I found that it was better to keep things simple. Every ingredient serves a purpose, without any of them overpowering the others.
The best way to shave carrots for this salad
This simple carrot salad is made with raw carrot ribbons. They look fancy but are actually very easy to make with a vegetable peeler.
Listen: There are a lot of fancy vegetable peelers out there, but all you need is a very basic, inexpensive Y peeler. My husband spent a decade working in fine-dining kitchens and this is exactly what they use.
Before you shave the carrots, make sure to peel the outside.
From there, move the peeler from the top of the carrot all the way to the bottom, using moderate pressure to create a long, thin ribbon. Do this over and over until most of the carrot has been shaved.
If this is your first time doing this, you may want to slice a flat side onto the carrot before shaving it so it can rest flat on your cutting board.
You won’t be able to shave the entire carrot. You’ll have a tiny bit left that you won’t be able to shave—that’s ok! Save that for a snack or add it to your compost. (Or, if you’re in our house, it becomes a treat for the dogs.)
Ingredient notes and substitutions
In addition to the shaved carrots, I use sliced green onions, sesame seeds, and fresh cilantro for the bulk of the salad.
Fresh cilantro isn’t for everyone. If you prefer a milder herb, fresh parsley is a great substitute. If you have fresh mint on hand, it would give more of a Vietnamese-inspired twist.
The dressing ingredients give this shaved carrot salad a balance of tangy brightness and slight sweetness:
- Soy sauce: You’ll notice there isn’t any other salt needed in the recipe thanks to the soy sauce. Use tamari sauce or coconut aminos if preferred or needed.
- Sesame oil: This gives the dressing a beautiful nutty finish. I typically only use a dash of sesame oil in most recipes, but find that adding a bit more to this dressing really makes a difference in the flavor.
- Lime juice: I find that freshly squeezed lime juice tastes best, but you can use bottled in a pinch.
- Rice vinegar: Sometimes labeled as rice wine vinegar. (They’re the same thing!)
- Honey: Don’t skip this. The dressing needs a bit of sweetness to round out the acidity. You can use maple syrup or agave if needed, though.
- Ginger paste: You can grate fresh ginger with a microplane or purchase jars or tubes of ginger paste at any Asian market or many mainstream grocery stores.
Make-ahead and storage tips
If needed, you can make this shaved carrot salad recipe a few hours before you plan to serve it. I don’t recommend making it much further in advance than a few hours, since the carrot ribbons will lose some of their crispness.
Just cover and refrigerate the salad until it’s time to eat. I also recommend waiting to add the sesame seeds and fresh herbs until just before serving.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The carrot ribbons will soften over time, but the flavor will still be excellent, especially alongside leftover Blackstone chicken fried rice.
Shaved Carrot Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 large carrots
- 3 green onions thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
For the dressing:
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon lime juice freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
Instructions
- Use a vegetable peeler to peel the outside of the carrots. Once peeled, use the peeler to shave the carrots into long, thin ribbons and place them in a large mixing bowl.4 large carrots
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, lime juice, rice vinegar, honey, and ginger paste until fully combined.2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 2 teaspoons honey, 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- Pour the dressing over the carrots and toss well to evenly coat.
- Add the green onions, sesame seeds, and cilantro, then gently toss again to distribute.3 green onions, 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- Let the salad sit for 10–15 minutes before serving to allow the carrots to soften slightly and absorb the dressing.
Notes
Ingredients
- Maple syrup or agave can be used in place of the honey for a vegan version.
- If you don’t care for cilantro, you can use fresh parsley or fresh mint or omit it altogether.
- Tamari or coconut aminos can be used in place of the soy sauce for a gluten-free or soy-free version, respectively.
- For a bit of heat, you can add a bit a sriracha to the dressing.
Storage
- If making the salad a few hours ahead of time, store it in the refrigerator and wait to add the sesame seeds and herbs until just before serving for the best texture.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The carrots will soften a bit, but the flavor will still be great.
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
For a crunchier salad, shorten the resting time to just 5 mintues and serve immediately.
If you frequently your farmer’s market or local CSA, you might see rainbow carrots pop up. They are beautiful and would make stunning ribbons to use in this shaved carrot salad recipe!
Keep in mind that purple carrots in particular can “weep” and discolor other ingredients (I once made a chicken pot pie that turned lavender from using purple carrots), so you may want to wait to add the sesame seeds until just before serving so they don’t get discolored while the salad rests.