This Shredded Carrot Salad is simple to make and serves as a delicious side dish or salad for you and the whole family to enjoy. Made with raw carrots, garlic and spices, it has lots of yummy flavor and nutrients.
This creamy and crunchy shredded carrot salad is a recipe my mom has been making for as long as I can remember. We usually had it for family get-togethers and I especially recall lots of BBQs where this was served.
It is deliciously savory and garlicky seasoned with ground coriander and green onions.
Ingredients (& Substitutions)
- carrots - large
- garlic clove
- sour cream - or Greek yogurt
- mayonnaise
- salt
- black pepper
- coriander - ground
- green onion - or parsley
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Peel the carrots and shred them in a food processor with a shredder attachment or shred them with a box grater. Place them in a bowl.
- Peel the garlic, and either mince it, put it through a garlic press, or grate it. Add it to the carrots with the sour cream and mayonnaise.
- Stir the salad until evenly combined and add the seasonings to taste. If you are using larger carrots or prefer a creamier consistency, you may need to add more sour cream or mayonnaise.
- Garnish with the sliced green onion and chopped parsley. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving.
- The leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple days.
Variations
This shredded carrot salad recipe is vibrant and delicious as is, but if you would like to vary the ingredients, here are some ideas.
- Add low fat Greek yogurt: If you prefer a lower fat dressing, consider replacing the sour cream with Greek yogurt. The Greek yogurt will have a similar thickness to sour cream and coat the salad beautifully.
- Add nuts: A handful or two of chopped walnuts, almonds, or pecans would add wonderful texture to this salad. You can also toast them in the oven or in a pan on the stove to given them more flavor if you like.
- Add dried fruit: Golden raisins, dried cranberries, or chopped dried apricots would add some extra colour and texture to this salad. Plus, their sweetness would pleasantly contract the savoury elements in the salad.
- Toss in some seeds: For those looking to get some extra fats and fiber but can't have nuts, consider adding some seeds into the salad such as sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds.
- Change up the herb garnish: Parsley is such a fresh tasting herb but if you have some fresh herbs leftover from other cooking, such as dill or cilantro, feel free to add those instead.
Storage
This shredded carrot salad will stay fresh in the fridge for a couple of days if you keep it in an airtight container or cover the bowl well before storing it. It even tastes better once it has had a chance to marinate in the fridge for a little while.
Top Tip
Use a food processor with shredding disk for quick results when making this salad. However, you can use a box grater successfully as well; it will just take a little longer.
FAQ
Shredded carrots retain their nutritional value, providing vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. They are particularly rich in beta-carotene, promoting eye and skin health.
Grated carrots are finely textured, suitable for recipes like carrot cake, while shredded carrots are thicker and longer, perfect for salads and coleslaws.
Shredded carrots can soften within a few hours if marinated in a dressing, but the texture largely depends on personal preference. Some prefer the crunch, while others prefer a softer texture.
Raw carrot salads can be highly nutritious, providing essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They can support digestive health and contribute to overall well-being.
Feel free to omit the garlic or even to just use half a clove if you don't like your salads too garlicky.
If you enjoy a tangy dressing, you can add some apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, or orange juice into the dressing.
Absolutely! In fact, they would look beautiful in this grated carrot salad. And other than changing the appearance of the salad, they wouldn't impact the texture and flavour at all.
The garnishes make the salad look beautiful when served in a large bowl for a BBQ or family get-together, but for a fancier presentation for a multi-coarse dinner party, you can adorn single-sized serving plates with fresh greens such as arugula and spinach, and top it with some of the carrot salad along with the garnishes.
Related
Looking for other salad recipes like this one? Try these:
Recipe
Creamy Shredded Carrot Salad Salad
Ingredients
- 4 large carrots ~ 1 pound
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- ½-1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon coriander ground
- 1 tablespoon chopped green onion or parsley
Instructions
- Peel the carrots and shred either with the shredding disk of your food processor or by hand with your box grater. Add shredded carrots to a bowl.
- Peel the garlic clove and mince, press or finely grate it. Add to the shredded carrots with sour cream and mayonnaise.
- Stir to combine. Add seasonings to taste. With large carrots a little more sour cream or mayonnaise might be needed for preferred creamy consistency.
- Sprinkle with sliced green onion or chopped parsley. The salad will be even more flavorful and the carrots softer, if you let it sit to marinate covered in the fridge for a couple of hours before serving.
- Store leftovers covered in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Nutrition
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Konrad Braun
Garlic breath... yay!