This Raw Carrot Salad is refreshing, crunchy, sweet, and a little spicy! It went viral on TikTok recently, but its history goes back decades. I tried it, and it lived up to the hype!
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A viral recipe worth adding to your regular rotation.
Back in the 90s, a biologist popularized raw carrot salad. TikTok recently ran away with it, and here we are!
While I tend to be skeptical about #viral recipes, there is no doubt that this carrot salad is worth making.
Its combination of crunchy, sweet, spicy, and acidic makes it uniquely refreshing and rather addictive.
This is one of those recipes where you hardly need to measure anything. I’ve given guidelines below, but rest assured that you can wing it.
Tips for Shaving Carrots
This really the only part of the raw carrot salad recipe that takes a little finesse, but once you get into the rhythm, it is EASY.
I recommend using a Y-shaped vegetable peeler, which makes nice long strips.
- I start on one side of the carrot, making a few slices just so I can lay it flat.
- Flip it over, grip the large end of the carrot with one hand, then use the peeler to cut ribbons down the length. Keep going until you have a thin strip of carrot remaining, which you can snack on, discard, or save for stock.
Raw Carrot Salad
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Ingredients
- 1 ¼ pounds carrots about 8 medium or 4 extra large
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- Juice of 1 small lime about 1 tablespoon
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup or honey
- 1 to 2 teaspoons chili crisp plus additional to taste
- ¼ cup thinly sliced green onions
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Peel the carrots, then use a vegetable peeler to slice down the carrots cutting them into thin ribbons (a Y-shaped peeler like this works well). I like to use the peeler to cut off a few strips, flip the carrot over (the removed strips create a flat base), then work down the entire side until I've cut nearly all of it and have just a thin strip remaining on the cutting board. Place the carrots in a large bowl.
- Top with the rice vinegar, lime juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, maple syrup, chili crisp, green onions, and sesame seeds. Toss to combine.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning as desired. Enjoy immediately, or chill for 15 to 20 minutes if you prefer it extra cool and refreshing. I like to refrigerate for at least 5 minutes so the carrots soften up a bit.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Sign Me UpWhat to Serve With Raw Carrot Salad
- Seafood. The flavors in my Honey Garlic Salmon would pair perfectly with the dressing in this carrot salad.
- Chicken. Serve the salad with Asian Chicken Meatballs for a light dinner, or keep it super simple with Grilled Chicken Breast.
- Asian-Inspired Dishes. Round out your Ground Beef Stir Fry or Vegetable Lo Mein with raw carrot salad on the side.
Honestly, this surprised me. It’s so simple but the flavors are really layered. I did half honey, half maple syrup, and it gave it a nice balance. It’s one of those things you can make ahead and let sit for a bit and it actually tastes better that way.
Glad you enjoyed it, Journee!
Wasn’t sure how exciting raw carrot salad would be, but this turned out to be way more flavorful than I expected. I like how the flavors soak into the carrots after a few minutes in the fridge.
So glad to hear! Thank you Caitlyn!
I’ve been trying to eat more raw veggies and this was a really good way to mix things up. It’s crunchy, flavorful, and keeps well in the fridge. Loved the combo of lime, soy, and a hint of chili crisp. Super refreshing and has a nice little kick!
Glad you enjoyed it, Belinda! Thank you!