Moroccan Carrot Salad
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Moroccan carrot salad with almonds and dates tossed in a lightly sweet, cumin-spiced citrus dressing is fresh, healthy, and deliciously aromatic—a wonderful way to eat lots of carrots!
Published Jun 2023/updated April 2024
Let me start by saying that this amazing recipe might be your new favorite for eating your veggies. It’s absolutely perfect when you crave fresh flavors.
It’s also economical, super healthy, and doesn’t involve cooking!
This recipe has 3 excellent components: the fresh carrots, beautiful garnishes made with dates, almonds, and mint, and a spicy dressing that pulls the dish together.
I first tasted it in 2019 during a trip to Morocco and fell in love. I couldn’t believe that a simple carrot salad could taste this good.
The exotic citrus dressing, crispy almonds, sweet dates, and fresh mint complement the dish beautifully. It’s truly a delightful combination of flavors and textures.
I also love that it’s incredibly versatile. It’s a breeze to customize with grains or plant-based protein to make a more substantial meal.
It’s also easy to whip up. The hardest part of making it is grating the carrots, but once you rely on your food processor or mandolin, the rest is super quick.
Yep, this Moroccan carrot salad recipe has it all.
Make a big batch ahead. It will be a gorgeous side dish for your next barbecue or summer gathering. It’s also great for a quick lunch, picnic, or potluck.
Enjoy!
List of the ingredients
- Carrots
- Orange & lemon
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Garlic
- Spices (cumin, ginger, cinnamon)
- Almonds
- Dates or raisins
- Fresh mint
- Maple syrup or honey
- Salt & pepper
How to make Moroccan Carrot Salad
(Note: this is simply a quick explanation; the full recipe is at the bottom of the page)
- Peel and grate the carrots using a food processor or a mandolin. Shredded or julienne carrots are perfect for the recipe.
- Place all the salad ingredients in a large salad bowl.
- Place all the dressing ingredients in a jam jar.
- Screw the lid on tight and shake until it all emulsifies and comes together.
- Pour over the salad and toss until well combined; garnish with more almond and mint leaves. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Moroccan carrot salad ingredients
Carrots: I recommend using only fresh carrots for this salad; bagged pre-cut carrots from the store are dry and won’t taste as good as fresh ones.
Dressing: The dressing is made with extra virgin olive oil, orange and lemon juice, orange zest to enhance the orange flavor, a touch of garlic, and a mix of ground cumin, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and pepper. The maple syrup adds sweetness and texture and is used as a honey substitute to keep the salad vegan. But honey works just fine if you wish.
Dates: Pitted Medjool dates are soft and deliciously sweet and pair well with the aromatic dressing. You can also use a small handful of sultanas or raisins instead of dates; that’s another popular garnish for Moroccan salads.
Almonds: Don’t skip them; their crispy texture is a delight for every bite. I recommend using toasted almonds; they make a big difference.
Fresh mint: It’s more than a garnish, and I highly recommend sticking to it; it’s SO delicious paired with the sweet and spicy flavors.
Turn your carrots into a complete meal!
If you want to turn this carrot salad into a full meal, I suggest adding a can of chickpeas and/or a cup of cooked grains such as quinoa, brown rice, and some diced avocado. It will make a scrumptious, highly nutritious meal that will keep you fuller for longer!
Make this carrot salad ahead of time!
You’re welcome to prep this carrot dish 2 days ahead of time by:
- Grate your carrots and store them in the refrigerator.
- Mix the dressing in a glass jar and store it in the fridge as well.
- Assemble and garnish a couple of hours before serving, and you’re done!
Fancy more carrot recipes?
I have several delicious recipes for using tons of carrots, from appetizers to desserts! Check out these spiced carrot fritters, carrot hummus, carrots and peas, carrot raisin salad, and finally, an easy carrot cake.
More quick and fresh salads
If you fancy more salads, get all my vegan salads here or more gorgeous holiday salads here. Below are a few of my family favs:
- Salad with grapes
- Cabbage salad with apples
- Arugula pear salad
- Beetroot salad
- Winter salad
- Artichoke salad
- Celery and parmesan salad
If you make this Moroccan carrot salad or have a question, let me know by leaving a comment. I would love to hear from you! x
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Moroccan Carrot Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 grams) carrots, peeled and shredded
- 5 dates, pitted and chopped
- ¼ cup (30 grams) almond, toasted and sliced
- 3 tablespoons mint leaves, chopped
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon orange juice (+ half orange zest)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ tablespoon maple syrup or honey
- 1 small garlic clove, grated
- ¾ teaspoon fine salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Place the julienned or shredded carrots in a large bowl and add almonds, dates and mint (but reserve some almonds and chopped mint for garnishing).
- Make the dressing: in a glass jar with a lid shake all the dressing ingredients until well emulsified.
- Drizzle the dressing over the carrots and toss to coat. Sprinkle the mint leaves and sliced almond to garnish and serve.
