Roasted Carrot Salad with sweet carrots, tangy goat cheese, crunchy pistachios, and plump cranberries with the most amazing citrus dressing.
Next, try another favorite carrot salad like this French Carrot Salad or Moroccan Carrot Salad.
The Best Roasted Carrot Salad!
I’m obsessed with this roasted carrot recipe, so with Easter around the corner, I knew I needed to incorporate them into a salad. And let me tell you, it did not disappoint.
This salad is bursting with flavor—sweet roasted carrots, creamy goat cheese, crunchy pistachios, and juicy cranberries.
Topped with an incredible citrus dressing, it’s perfect for your Easter dinner!
Quick Tip
Try some of these other favorites at your Easter table: Life-Changing No-Knead Dinner Rolls, Au Gratin Potatoes, Roasted Asparagus, or Raspberry Fluff.
Roasted Carrot Salad Ingredients
- Mixed Greens: Sold in bags or boxes at most stores. Pick the freshest ones!
- Carrots: Roasted with oil, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and a touch of cinnamon for caramelized sweetness.
- Pistachios: Roasted and salted, found in the snack aisle or bulk section.
- Goat Cheese: Found in the specialty cheese section. Swap for feta if you like.
- Dried Cranberries: Add sweetness. Try dried tart cherries instead!
Shortcuts
Honey measuring hack: Spray the measuring cup with nonstick spray first, then add honey. It will pour out easily with no mess!
What To Look For When Purchasing Carrots
Carrots are the star of this Roasted Carrot Salad, after-all!
- Color: Pick bright orange carrots.
- Texture: Choose firm, smooth ones without cracks.
- Tops: Bright green tops mean they’re fresh.
- Size: Smaller, thinner carrots taste sweeter.
Citrus Dressing
This sweet and tangy dressing takes the Roasted Carrot Salad to the next level. Here’s what’s in it:
- Oranges & Lemons: Fresh clementines or navel oranges, plus zest for extra flavor. Use a small grater to zest and a juicer to squeeze.
- Olive Oil: Use good-quality extra virgin olive oil.
- Dijon Mustard: Grey Poupon® for the best flavor.
- Honey: Adds sweetness—add more of less as needed.
Quick Tip
When zesting oranges, use only the outer colored part and avoid the white layer underneath—it tastes bitter and can affect the flavor.
Storage
Roasted Carrot Salad Storage
- Eat right away after adding dressing so it doesn’t wilt. It’s best fresh.
- Make ahead: Keep ingredients separate and add dressing when ready to eat.
- Dressing: Make ahead and refrigerate. Let it sit out for 15 minutes, shake well, and use!
Use Leftover Carrots In These Recipes:
- Carrot Cake with cream cheese frosting
- Carrot Smoothie tastes like carrot cake
- Healthy Carrot Muffins with no dairy
- Carrot Soup creamy and delicious
- Carrot Cake Cupcakes with cream cheese frosting
Roasted Carrot Salad
Equipment
- Large sheet pan
- Small blender or food processor
Ingredients
Carrots
Salad
- 5 ounces mixed greens
- 1/2 cup roasted and lightly salted pistachios shelled and coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries or cherries
- 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese or feta, about 4 ounces
Dressing (see note 3)
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
- 1 clementine orange or orange
- 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Peel carrots and cut them in half lengthwise if they are more than 1 inch in diameter. Then, cut the carrots into large, diagonal slices (1 inch wide × 2 inches long). In a large bowl, combine olive oil, brown sugar, and cinnamon (if using). Season with salt and pepper to taste (I add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper). Whisk well and add cut carrots. Toss until well coated, then dump coated carrots on a large sheet pan, spreading them out well to allow ample space for carrots to roast (otherwise they’ll steam!).
- Roast for 15 minutes, then toss, space out again, and return to oven for another 10–15 minutes or until tender and caramelized on the edges. Set aside to completely cool to room temperature.
- Combine honey and mustard in a small blender or food processor. Zest and juice clementine and lemon to get 1 teaspoon clementine zest, 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest, 2 tablespoons clementine juice, and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Add to blender. Season to taste (I add 1/2 teaspoon salt). Blend until well incorporated and zest has broken down. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while blending, mixing until emulsified. Transfer dressing to a jar and store in the fridge until ready to use (see note 4).
- This salad does not store well once dressed, so only add what will be eaten immediately. In a large bowl, toss salad greens with a few tablespoons of dressing. Add room-temperature carrots, chopped pistachios, dried cranberries, and goat cheese. Drizzle on more dressing to taste and gently toss. Serve immediately.
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
