French Carrot Salad with grated carrots, diced shallots, and parsley, tossed in a lemon Dijon dressing. A bright, flavorful side for picnics, potlucks, or any meal.
What Is A French Carrot Salad?
I ordered this side salad at a charming restaurant in France and knew I had to recreate it at home. I asked the server about it, and he explained that it’s called Carottes Râpées, or French Carrot Salad.
The dressing had honey, Dijon, and lemon—so simple yet so good. After some testing, I finally nailed the flavor I loved so much.
This refreshing salad is made with raw, grated carrots and a light, tangy lemon-based dressing.
Ingredients In Carrot Salad
- Carrots: Small, bright orange carrots work best—they’re sweeter and softer. Avoid ones that feel soft or limp.
- Shallots: Pick firm shallots with dry skin and dice them finely. If you don’t have shallots, use garlic instead.
- Parsley: Use fresh, flat-leaf parsley. Skip wilted or yellow leaves. Flat-leaf parsley has more flavor than curly parsley, which is mostly used as a garnish.
Quick Lemon Dressing
This bright, tangy dressing, inspired by the restaurant and my Lemon dressing recipe. It’s not entirely traditional, but it’s delicious!
Here’s what’s in the dressing:
- Lemon: Use real lemons and some zest for extra flavor.
- Olive oil: Pick a good-quality extra virgin olive oil for the best taste.
- Dijon mustard: Use Dijon, not yellow mustard—they taste very different.
- Honey: This dressing is a little sweet. Add less honey or adjust to your taste.
[shortcut] Honey measuring hack! Who else hates how difficult it is to get honey from the measuring cup to the bowl?! Try this: lightly spritz the measuring cup with nonstick cooking spray and then add the honey. Watch as it glides nicely (and cleanly) out! [/shortcut]
How To Enjoy French Carrot Salad
- On its own: Eat it straight from the bowl! Try adding raisins or dried cranberries for a little variety.
- As a side: Serve with grilled chicken, pork, beef, or fish for a fresh crunch.
- In wraps or sandwiches: Adds crunch and flavor—pairs well with hummus, avocado, and deli meat.
- With grains or beans: Mix with quinoa, farro, bulgur, or couscous for a more filling dish.
- In grain or protein bowls: Add it to a grain bowl with roasted veggies, chicken, and dressing for a full meal.
Storage
Leftovers?
This French Carrot Salad can be stored in a covered container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
It gets juicier and more flavorful (like coleslaw) as it sits. Toss again before serving.
Use Leftover Carrots In These Recipes:
- Roasted Carrot Salad with a citrus dressing
- Carrot Cake with cream cheese frosting
- Carrot Soup with roasted pumpkin seeds
- Moroccan Carrot Salad with couscous
- Simple Air Fryer Carrots
French Carrot Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound carrots peeled and grated/shredded, 5 cups
- 1 tablespoon shallot tightly packed, finely diced (or minced garlic)
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped (flat-leaf, not curly parsley)
- 1 large lemon
- 3 teaspoons honey
- 1/2 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Peel and grate the carrots using the large holes of a grater or a food processor fitted with a grating attachment. You should have about 5 gently packed cups of grated carrots. Transfer grated carrots to a large bowl.
- Mix in the finely diced shallots and finely chopped parsley.
- Zest a lemon to get 1/4 tsp zest and juice to get 2 tablespoons juice. In a wide-mouth glass jar, combine the dressing ingredients, seasoning to taste (I add 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper). Secure the lid and shake the jar until the dressing is well combined, ensuring the honey doesn’t settle at the bottom.
- Pour the dressing over the carrot mixture and stir until the ingredients are evenly coated. For the best flavor, let the salad marinate in the fridge for 20–30 minutes before serving. Give it another toss before serving. Check out note 1 for lots of ideas on how to use this salad!
Video
Recipe Notes
- As is! Right out of the bowl—it is truly delicious!
- As a side: Add alongside grilled chicken, pork, beef, or fish. It adds a refreshing and crunchy element to your meal.
- In a wrap or sandwich: Add carrot salad to wraps or sandwiches for extra crunch, flavor, and nutrition. It pairs well with ingredients like hummus, avocado, and various deli meats.
- With grains or legumes: Mix carrot salad with cooked grains like quinoa, farro, bulgur, or couscous, or toss it with legumes such as chickpeas or lentils for a more substantial and filling dish.
- As a topping for greens: Use carrot salad as a flavorful topping for a big garden salad, creating a more diverse salad.
- In a grain bowl or salad bowl: Incorporate carrot salad into a grain bowl or protein bowl along with other ingredients like roasted vegetables, diced baked chicken breast, and a drizzle of dressing for a complete and satisfying meal.
- As a slaw for tacos: Make some chicken tacos and try a few spoonfuls of this salad as a tasty slaw—unique, but so good!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
As Chelsea’s employee I have made this salad multiple times and can’t recommend it enough! The dressing is so so good!