Moroccan Carrot Salad
Thomas J. Story
Total Time 35 mins
AuthorAlon Shaya

Israeli chef Alon Shaya, of Denver’s Safta, buys bunches of young carrots. “The skins are more tender,” he says. “I roast them skin-on for the added nutrients.” Rather than throw out the carrot tops, he blanches them quickly in salted water to pull out the bitterness and turns them into a pesto.

This recipe, and others like it, can be found in the article “The Recipes You Should Be Cooking This March.”

How to Make It

1

Heat the oven to 400°.

2

Toss the carrots with 1 tbsp. oil and 1 tsp. salt and spread them over a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until they’re sweet and tender on the outside but still have a raw crunch in the center, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool.

3

In a large salad bowl, combine the remaining 1⁄4 cup oil with the vinegar, harissa, sugar, spices, orange zest, and remaining 1⁄2 tsp. salt. No need to worry about emulsifying. Thinly slice the onion and toss it in the dressing, then pile in the carrots. Tear the mint leaves over the salad just before serving.

*Harissa, a North African chili-and-spice paste, can be found in well-stocked grocery stores and online.

Ingredients

 2 lbs thin baby carrots, tops trimmed off (if using large carrots, peel and cut into 3-in. chunks)
 1 tbsp plus 1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
 1 ½ tsp Morton kosher salt, divided
 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
 1 ½ tbsp harissa*
 1 ½ tsp sugar
 ½ tsp sweet paprika
 ¼ tsp ground caraway
 ¼ tsp ground cumin
 Zest of half an orange
 Half of a yellow onion, thinly sliced
 2 tbsp lightly packed fresh mint leaves

Directions

1

Heat the oven to 400°.

2

Toss the carrots with 1 tbsp. oil and 1 tsp. salt and spread them over a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until they’re sweet and tender on the outside but still have a raw crunch in the center, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool.

3

In a large salad bowl, combine the remaining 1⁄4 cup oil with the vinegar, harissa, sugar, spices, orange zest, and remaining 1⁄2 tsp. salt. No need to worry about emulsifying. Thinly slice the onion and toss it in the dressing, then pile in the carrots. Tear the mint leaves over the salad just before serving.

*Harissa, a North African chili-and-spice paste, can be found in well-stocked grocery stores and online.

Moroccan Carrot Salad

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