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A French Carrot Salad that’s as fresh and juicy as it gets, made even better with the addition of cranberries. This dish is the perfect healthy, colorful side dish or a crisp, refreshing salad all on its own!

Table of Contents

Ingredients
Visual Step-by-Step Instructions
Variations
Product Recommendations
Storage Instructions
More Salad Recipes
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

French carrot salad is not just any salad. It’s a delightful blend of textures and flavors, combining the sweet crunchiness of carrots with a zesty Dijon mustard dressing. Dried cranberries and sunflower seeds are added for extra flavor and texture.

Preparing this French Carrot Salad recipe is incredibly simple. Serve it alongside virtually anything. For a nourishing light dinner option, I adore pairing it with boiled eggs. The combination is not just visually striking—it’s a testament to the simple joy of eating well.

Ingredients

See recipe card for quantities.

Carrots – Use the freshest organic carrots you can find – no need to peel them. You can buy shredded carrots in the supermarket, but for a truly fresh grated carrot salad, I highly recommend shredding them at home using a box grater.
Cranberries – Dried cranberries add a delightful sweetness to the salad! You could substitute them with raisins.
Parsley – Fresh, flat-leaf parsley brings flavor and color.
Shallot – Sautéed in a bit of olive oil to make it milder in taste and more digestible. Works with an onion or red onion too. Can be omitted if preferred.
Carrot Salad Dressing: Olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, salt, and black pepper. Instead of apple cider vinegar, you can use lemon juice, red wine vinegar, or white balsamic vinegar. Honey can substitute for maple syrup.

Visual Step-by-Step Instructions

Heat a skillet with ½ tablespoon of olive oil. Add shallots and sauté them for 5 minutes. → You can also use them raw in the salad, but sautéing makes them milder and more digestible!
Mix all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.

Place carrots, shallot, cranberries, parsley, and sunflower seeds in a large salad bowl. Add the dressing and toss well. Season with salt and pepper. → Let the salad sit in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving for the best flavor!

Variations

Use this white French salad dressing for a different twist.
Add a bit of grated ginger for an extra kick.
Substitute sunflower seeds with pumpkin seeds or chopped nuts. For an added crunch, toast them without oil in a skillet until golden brown.
Replace the shallot with finely chopped green onions.
For a sweet and fruity touch, add diced or grated apple.

Product Recommendations

For a wonderful crunch, I love using a coarse grater from Microplane (best used with a protective glove)! For a quicker option, the electric version works wonders.

Storage Instructions

This salad can be prepared up to a day in advance and stored in the fridge, allowing the flavors to meld together even more.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Stays fresh for 3 days.

More Salad Recipes

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📖 Recipe

Aline Cueni

I’m a girl who loves to cook and bake delicious homemade food. Let me help you to incorporate more plant-based foods into everyday life! Vegetarian & vegan recipes can be anything but boring.