French Carrot Salad
This French carrot salad recipe is simple and fresh! You'll need carrots, olive oil, lemon, honey, cumin, parsley and chives. Chickpeas are optional but recommended.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 12, 2024
I never knew I’d be so excited about a raw carrot salad. Then again, I’m not sure I’ve ever had French carrot salad before! Have you? Carrot salads are ubiquitous in France and we’ve been missing out.
I’m generally a fan of big, bold flavor, but French carrot salad (salade de carottes râpées) is a delicate balance of sweet raw carrot, tangy lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard and herbs. This carrot salad is a lesson in restraint and tastes more complex than it is.
I discovered this carrot salad at French Market in Kansas City. The girls behind the counter always have French accents, so you know the restaurant is legit.
They offer a variety of pre-made salads and sandwiches, and I couldn’t resist the glowing orange carrot salad. Their version includes chickpeas, which offer some protein and bulk.
I was really surprised by how much I loved that fresh, crisp-tender, sweet-and-savory carrot salad, so here we are. French carrot salad is a lovely side dish to offer at picnics, in packed lunches, with sandwiches, and so on.
French Carrot Salad Preparation Tips
The carrots account for this recipe’s predominant flavor and texture. French Market’s carrot salad features tiny, short slivers of carrot that readily absorb dressing but are difficult to achieve at home. David Lebovitz suggests they’re using a discontinued rotary grater by the brand Moulinex, so I gave up on exactly matching their texture.
Here are your options:
- You can achieve a similar texture by using a julienne peeler (affiliate link) in short strokes like I did for these photos, but it’s tedious work.
- You can also run the carrots through your food processor with the grating attachment.
- Or, grate the carrots on the medium-to-large holes of your box grater.
- The smallest option on your spiralizer might work, too—please report back if you try!
Don’t stress about how you grate your carrots. I think you’ll enjoy this salad no matter what.
Watch How to Make French Carrot Salad
Carrot Salad Serving Suggestions
This carrot salad packs up beautifully for lunch, picnics and potlucks. Serve it with sandwiches, creamy dips or soups, or more fresh salads. Here are a few suggestions:
- Caprese Sandwich
- Favorite Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- The Best Hummus
- Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup
- Cream of Broccoli Soup
- Pesto Pasta Salad
Please let me know how you like this carrot salad in the comments. I love hearing from you! If you’re interested in another carrot salad option, you must try my Roasted & Raw Carrot Salad with Avocado.
French Carrot Salad
This French carrot salad recipe is simple and fresh! You’ll need carrots, olive oil, lemon, honey, cumin, parsley and chives. Chickpeas are optional but recommended. Recipe yields 4 servings.
Ingredients
Carrot salad
- 1 pound carrots, peeled
- 2 tablespoons finely snipped chives or chopped green onion
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- Optional: 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- To prepare the carrots: You can grate them on the large holes of a box grater, or use short strokes with a julienne peeler, or process them in a food processor fitted with a grating attachment. You’ll end up with about 3 cups grated carrots.
- Place the carrots in a medium serving bowl. Add the chives, parsley and optional chickpeas to the bowl.
- To make the dressing, whisk all of the ingredients together in a small bowl until completely blended.
- Pour the dressing over the carrot mixture and stir until the mixture is evenly coated in dressing. For best flavor, allow the salad to marinate for 20 minutes before serving. Toss again before serving. This salad keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for about 4 days.
Notes
Recipe inspired by French Market in Kansas City.
Make it vegan: Substitute maple syrup for the honey.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Any recommendations for a non-onion twist? Not a huge fan of chives or scallions…
thanks!
Hmmm… You could possibly try shallot or even leeks here, but I’m not sure since it doesn’t seem you like the onion family? Sorry I can’t be more help. It’s a key ingredient for this salad.
I think you can do with corriander instead of parsley
Erica, I would just put slightly less chives — I don’t find this recipe tasting very chivy.
Kate, I love your recipes! I tend not to go out and buy anything for recipes – I just use what I have on hand and I happen to have all of the ingredients for this recipe. I put slightly less honey because I like the sweet fresh taste of the carrots and don’t feel the need to sweeten much. I love your cookie and kate recipes!
I forget to put in the scallions and chives all the time and it’s still delicious. You can just leave them out.
Your recipe mentions that the size of the carrot slices is important. I processed my carrots for this recipe using a mandoline slicer with the julienne blade. Mine is an ancient German model by Borner called ‘original Borner rot gelb’. The spiked safety holder grips the carrot, if you spear it on at an angle you get lovely short (1.5″-2“) cross-cut julienne strips – perfect!
I share your dislike of chives. I often substitute marinated chopped shallots in my recipes. I marinate them because I find the raw version too harsh a taste.
Wonderful of.our salads to complement fish cakes thank you
You’re welcome, Laura!
“…French salads are ubiquitous in France …” I’d say so.
Thanks!
I eat carrot sticks almost every day, and this looks like a delicious way to get my stick fix! Thanks!
You’re welcome, Gabrielle!
Kate you missed out a most important detail of French Carrot salads…IT IS IN THE FINE SHREDDING ! which gives this totally different taste. The big file shredders won’t do the same AT ALL !!
corinne ( French )
Thanks for the added tip, Corinna!
What to use for FINE shredding?
I have a mandoline with a julienne insert. I’ve used it for ages to get julienned carrots to put in green salads. Think I’ll try it on this recipe.
Your recipe mentions that the size of the carrot slices is important. I processed my carrots for this recipe using a mandoline slicer with the julienne blade. Mine is an ancient German model by Borner called ‘original Borner rot gelb’. The spiked safety holder grips the carrot, if you spear it on at an angle you get lovely short (1.5″-2“) cross-cut julienne strips – perfect!
Did you post this today?! I have an abundance of shredded carrots left over right now and checked your site this morning for a recipe, only for this one to show up in my inbox this afternoon! Hilarious, and obviously meant to be. I’ll be making this tonight since I have everything on hand :)
I love when that happens! What did you link, Lis?
Hi Kate – it turned out OK! Turns out I used all my honey making your honey whole wheat banana bread this weekend (oops) so I subbed a touch of maple syrup which was a little weird. I’ll do it again and add in the chick peas and see how it goes. In the past versions of this that I’ve made they’ve always had a vinegar (apple cider or white wine I think) and I think I missed that. I’ll give it another go though, I LOVE a carrot salad :) Another favorite version of mine is with granny smith apples and carrots – I can eat that by the bucket in the summer, yum.
When I click on “nutritional information” there’s nothing there.
Make sure you have cookies enabled on your browser to allow the plug-in to work. Hope this helps!
Hello Kate! Arf Cookie! Your carrot salad recipe popped up immediately after I received a message advising me that two friends were in town and would be dropping by around supper time (how subtle, eh?). I had already decided on an easy main course and thought this salad would add some pizzazz to the meal…and besides I had all the ingredients on hand, including fresh chives that I had filched from a friend’s herb garden. I used some delish Moringa honey that I ordered from good old Amazon. I just finished making it and it tastes great, even before all the flavours have fully blended. And YES…julienne peelers make for a little extra elbow grease, but the results were so worth it! Thanks for the inspiration! I know the salad will be will be a big hit! So nutritious too!
You’re welcome! Thanks for the comment and review. I hope it was a big hit!
Kate, I don’t know if you can hear my French accent ;) – it feels legit to comment on this one!
First, the dressing: olive oil (although ubiquitous in Southern France, near the Mediterranean sea) is not traditional for our Carottes râpées. For it, we usually use some neutral taste oil, typically sunflower oil. No honey in the dressing! Some people use orange juice instead of lemon juice (or wine vinegar) for a sweeter taste.
As regards the grating process: you (and David Lebovitz) are right, many French people own a Moulinex food processor! Anyhow, the crucial point is to FINELY grate the carrots (e.g. with a Kitchen Aid stand mixer, we would select the attachment with the small holes).
Anyway, as you are by far the QUEEN of salads, I have no doubt that your version of our Carottes râpées is delicious, if not authentically French!
Thank you, Nathalie for sharing your authentic expertise! I really do appreciate it. I try to keep my recipes as authentic as possible, yet attainable to most. These tips are great!
Delicious and fresh tasting carrot salad! Made it tonight with dinner and also served with leftover Southwestern Roasted Veggie Salad with Chipotle-Balsamic Dressing. Love them both. Didn’t have the adobo sauce for the Southwester salad but used ancho chile powder I had in my cupboard. Was still delicious. Thanks again Kate.
I’m so happy you have already tried it! You’re welcome, Cynthia. I appreciate the review.
Such a picture perfect side dish!
Thank you, Gaby!
So happy to see this recipe on your blog!! (Yes, it’s because I’m French AND vegetarian ^^) I agree, carrot salad is so simple and yet so good. My mom used to add raisin to bring out the sweetness.
Oh, I will have to try the addition with the raisins!
Awesome. Easy. Delish. :)
Thank you, Anna!
Raw carrots are seriously one of my top favorite vegetables (I’m 5 years old, I know). But seriously, so excited about the dijon dressing too!!
Let me know what you think!
I would love to find a French market near me! But then again, I’d end up stocking up on ALL the baguettes and the vegan croissants instead of the pre-packaged salads. Love how simple and tasty this recipe is–oh yeah, and it’s full of healthy ingredients!
Thank you!
Hi Kate! As a French woman and avid reader of your blog, I can indeed confirm that grated carrot salads are a staple in every French household. Kids love them, grows-up do too. They’re great as an appetizer or a side, with a cheese platter and so on!
Thank you, Isabelle! Happy to hear it has your stamp of approval.
This looks so simple and so delicious! Printing the recipe to try this at home this week.
Let me know what you think, Lacey!
I just wanted to let you know how much I loved the French Carrot Salad. It was so easy to make and the salad dressing is just amazing. Thank you so much for sharing these wonderful, healthy recipes!
You’re welcome! Thank you, Yvette for trying it.
I wonder if you think a fine spiralizer might work? Or maybe the dressing is better when the grated carrot lies closer together?
Hey Bec, I think it would work! The carrots shrink down significantly as they marinate so just give it a few extra tosses.
This salad is best with smaller, finer carrots but don’t worry too much about how the carrots are prepared. It’s a tasty salad either way!
I love raw carrot salads, especially with the proper dressing! You should try to fry it for a second in a pan.
Thank you, Rylee!
Looks great – can’t wait to try this right away! Do you think I could use a spiralizer on the carrots though? Thanks!
Sure! A box grater or food processor would also work. Getting them small or thin is the key. But it will be great no matter how you prepare your carrots!
I haven’t made this yet but I will. I lived in France for awhile and they would often serve a tricolor salad… grated carrots, grated celery root and grated beets, all with the mustard vinaigrette. Very yummy. Maybe you’ll share a version of that!
Oh, that sounds delicious!
Ah, yes – I remember reading about this specialty in David L.’s book :)
I was lucky enough to actually try it IN France at the Paris Buvette. It’s such a lovely side dish.
How fun, Alex!
I added dry roasted peanuts and dried currants to this wonderful salad. It was a hit at a family brunch. Thank you, Kate, for these beautiful flavors.
You’re welcome, Brooke! Thanks for your comment.
Simple ingredients, complex flavor–isn’t that always the way with French recipes? This looks great. I can’t wait to give it a whirl!
Let me know what you think, Kelsey!
This is my carrot salad which is a pallet cleanser.
3-4 carrots (1 lb.) grated
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup walnut pieces
1 Tblspn.red wine vinegar
4 Tblspn.corn or canola oil
1 tsp. salt
Combine ingredients chill in refrigerator for 1 hr. Remove and bring to cool but not cold temperature and serve on lettuce leaves.
Thanks for sharing, John!
Oh my gosh, my husband just had dinner last night at a French bistro (here in the U.S., not France) near our house and they put a saucer with shredded carrots on our table with the bread. I didn’t know what it was, but it was delicious. It must’ve been something similar to your recipe. I am so going to make this soon.
Let me know what you think, Maureen! Thanks so much.
This was so yummy that my 18 month old ate it and LOVED it!
Wonderful, Melissa!
Dare I say that I never put in cumin, as it’s judt not my cup of tea. I’ve been making this wonderful recipe often; it is just right for sweltering dinner days when I don’t want to cook or to eat anything rich. This is just right. Thank you for sharing. <3
Gotta edit my typos-*just not my cup of tea, *Sweltering summer days
Thanks for sharing! If you would like to leave a star review, since you like it that would be wonderful.
Oh my gosh!!!! Thank you so much for posting this recipe. I spent a summer in Paris in 2006 and fell in love with this salad, which was cheap and vegetarian so it checked all my boxes. I’ve been meaning to recreate it for awhile, and I finally did with your recipe. It was delicious and took me back. Amazing <3
You are so welcome! Thank you for commenting and your review.
Wow, if is not a secret, what kind of camera are you using for taking such beautiful pictures?
It’s not a secret at all! Check out my blog article about my camera and food photography. :)
I have yet to try a carrot salad. You make it sound so good and the pictures make it look like something I’d want to try then and there! It looks really simple yet packed with a lot of good nutrients. Anyone who are fans of carrot sticks would definitely love this one. Thank you so much for sharing!
You’re welcome, Andrew!
Made this on Sunday and have included it in my lunch for work every day this week, it stays fresh for so long and is incredibly tasty!!
Great! What a nice lunch to look forward to
Love this! I am a huge carrot lover and am always looking for ways to have them at meal times and not just snack times. I omitted the green onions but the salad still had enough punch for me. This will become a regular for me! Thanks!
This turned out great! I don’t know if i can fairly rate it though since i left out the chives since I was making it for someone who avoids them for dietary reasons, and left out the honey since my carrots were really sweet to start with. It was super tasty though, and perfect as an extra salad on the table for some more color!
My husband’s Mimi makes this for family dinners and I’ve loved it at first bite! Thank you for the recipe.
You’re welcome, Amanda!
Oh so delicious! I made a smaller batch because I’m the only person in my family who will eat it. I made the full amount of dressing. It is so tasty, I want to eat it with a spoon! It’s filling too, and just beautiful on the plate.
Thank you for taking such time and care to make all your recipes just right.
I’m really glad you loved it! Thanks for your feedback, Karen.
Just made this for one and it was lovely! I put a big sprinkle of cumin seeds on the top which was delicious . Thanks
Thanks for sharing, Bec!
Made this on Sunday for my meal prep. I like to snack on it alone but now in a wrap. I can’t tell you how many times I have the bagged shredded carrots and it goes to mush in frige.
I’m glad you found this recipe then!
Thank you for this! I had bought carrots at farmstand, and wasn’t sure what to do with them, since I’m not a big carrot fan (I had wanted farmstand produce, and there wasn’t much choice, so early in the season). Loved this recipe enough that I went back for more carrots, and am eating my second batch. This will be a staple for me.
You’re welcome! I love that you bought local, even if they aren’t your favorite. I’m happy you found a way to enjoy them!
Yum! I love it!! My new go to for pot lucks. Thanks
You’re welcome, Mary!
Thank you for such a fabulous recipe.
You’re welcome! Thanks for your review.
Definitely one of my favorite salads! This was perfection.
Looking forward to trying this recipe! Spent 10 years in France & LOVED carrot salad. In recent searches for a Moulinex (to get the perfect grate), I learned (1) they no longer make the original all-metal Moulinex but I’m contemplating spending a bit to hopefully find a used one on EBay, & (2) the Moulinexes of today include plastic parts & are not as highly recommended by some.
In the meantime, I bought a Korean Carrot Grater, selling on Amazon for $7.99. It produces a better grate of carrot than the julienne strips from a mandolin (too firm/ thick to absorb dressing well), or a box grater (too thin & limp; produces more of a shred)… but it’s a bit unwieldy to use & watch your knuckles on sharp blades!
I hope you love the salad and it reminds you of France!
It’s a keeper. Just made it for lunch.
Nice light dressing and chickpeas are a great addition.
Thank you for sharing, Linda! I’m happy you loved it.
I love your recipes but I can’t stand your website. The endless advertising is soooooo annoying. It gets in the way far too much.
Hi Margaret, I’m sorry to hear you are frustrated. Is there a particular ad that is frustrating you? In full transparency, I have ads to make a living and be able to create great content and recipes for you. I appreciate you feedback!
I do realise that you make your income from advertising. However, there’s a point where it just becomes intrusive . Even if I click “jump to recipe “ the adverts are still there ….. just too much of it and not even related to food / healthy eating/ cooking.
Sorry , but that’s just my point of view
Simple, delicious, healthy and adds beauty to any table! Thank you for your work. I so appreciate relying on you!
You’re welcome, Mia! I’m glad you love this one.
My advice, leave the salt out. I thought it ruined my salad, so I doubled the carrots to mask it.
Hi Steve, I’m sorry you didn’t love this one. Thank you for your feedback!
Your French Carrot Salad recipe is fabulous. It’s going to be a staple here from now on.
Wonderful to hear, Sharryn!
Love the dressing for this recipe! I didn’t have chives or green onions so used red onions instead and also threw in some yellow pepper, cucumber and tomato. A simple and delicious way to use up lots of veggies in your fridge!