A great quick and easy salad loaded with crunchy carrots, chickpeas, and lots of flavor, this Moroccan Carrot Salad is a great option when you are after something a little bit different. Great to bring along to a potluck, to enjoy alongside a nice piece of grilled chicken or fish, or to stuff inside a wrap.
Easy Moroccan Carrot Salad
I have been making this Moroccan Carrot Salad recipe a lot lately, so I thought it fitting to float it to the top of the recipes pile this week.
You are going to need:
- Carrots (lots of them)
- Dates
- Red onion
- Chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
- Green onions
- Corriander (cilantro)
- Lime juice and zest
- Cumin
- Nutmeg
- Turmeric
- Pumpkin Seeds
- Feta, salt, and pepper for garnish
It may seem like a lot of ingredients at first glance, but a lot are spices that give the salad that great Moroccan flavor.
Simply combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl, give it a good mix, add the dressing and toss to combine and you are good to go.
How To Shred Carrots For Salad
There are a few options here depending on what you have on hand.
You can use:
- A handheld grater
- The grater attachment in a food processor
- A mandolin set to the finest setting
Each device will yield a slightly different result.
If you use the grater you will have thinner shreds of carrot that will get soggy more quickly, so it is best to eat the salad straight away if this is the option you use. If you are planning on bringing it to a potluck then hold off on dressing the salad until you get there to keep the carrots as crunchy as possible. There is nothing worse than soggy salad.
If you use the grater attachment on a food processor or the mandolin, you will have thicker shreds of carrot which will hold up a lot better in this type of salad and will allow for the crunch of the carrots to hang around for longer, even after the carrot salad is dressed.
How To Serve Moroccan Carrot Salad
As this recipe is so easy to put together and requires no cooking at all, it is the perfect salad to enjoy for a casual backyard BBQ when you want to enjoy nice food but you don't want to be in the kitchen for hours.
I have brought it along to a few potlucks over the years and it is always well received as it really is so very different from your average salad.
You don't need to tell anyone how easy it is to make!
Although it does have quite strong flavors from the cumin and turmeric it does pair well with a lot of other foods, such as:
- Grilled chicken
- Grilled fish
- Meatballs
- In a wrap for lunch
- Loaded with feta and extra pumpkin seeds for a meal all by itself
Use your imagination and enjoy this exotic carrot salad in whatever way you see fit.
Extra Tips For The Best Carrot Salad
To make this Moroccan carrot salad even easier to bring together here are a few tips:
- If you don't have the time to grate the carrots you could always buy a bag of pre-shredded carrots. They usually have these in the fridge in the veggie section as the store.
- The dates are a lot easier to cut if you pop them into the fridge for about 20 minutes before using, otherwise, they can be a bit sticky and clump together.
- If you are bringing this along to a function or you want to prepare in advance, make the dressing separately and just pour over when you are about to serve, otherwise, you will end up with soggy salad, and no-one wants that.
- To transport the salad, make sure that it is wrapped tightly with clingwrap or it is in a bowl with a well-fitting lid, otherwise, the carrots will go a brownish color which does not look appealing.
In Need Of Some More Salad Recipes? Check These Out:
- Sticky Tofu and Vietnamese Noodle Salad from Mrs. Jones Kitchen
- Quinoa Veggie Bowl with Basil Hummus Dressing
- Super Simple Avocado and White Bean Salad
- Warm Winter Vegetable Salad
- Moroccan Cauliflower and Pumpkin Couscous Salad
Happy Eating.
xx
Recipe
Marrakesh Carrot Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cups grated carrots see notes
- 1 can garbanzo beans rinsed and drained chickpeas
- 7 medjool dates pitted and chopped
- ½ a small red onion minced
- 4 green onions white and light green parts only, finely chopped
- ½ cup coarsely chopped cilantro
- 2 ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Zest of 1 lime and juice of 2
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds
- Crumbled feta cheese for garnish optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the carrots, garbanzo beans, dates, red onion, green onions and cilantro
- In another bowl, whisk together the olive oil, zest and juice of the limes, cumin, nutmeg, turmeric, salt and pepper
- Pour the dressing over the carrot salad and toss to coat. Sprinkle on the pumpkin seeds and feta cheese if using. Serve or cover and chill in the fridge until ready to use
International Elf Service says
I finally made this today and it was DELICIOUS!
Whole Food Bellies says
Oh I am so glad you enjoyed!!!
Helena says
It's a rare thing that I like that many carrots in a salad, but I looked over the recipe and I like the contrast of some of the foods included. The marjool dates would be a great addition to the slight sweet of the carrots. Not sure about the onions or the garbanzo beans though. The dressing looks like it would be delicious, as does the feta cheese! Feta cheese is good on anything, though.
Whole Food Bellies says
Feta is pretty delicious Helena 🙂 I was a bit dubious about all the carrots to start off with as well, but it was delicious!
International Elf Service says
This looks absolutely gorgeous - I'm going to make this this week! I love fresh crunchy salads so thank you for this!
Whole Food Bellies says
You are very welcome! I hope you enjoy!
Marta - I Run Errands says
A super fresh and healthy recipe indeed!! Just like I love it! Thanks so much for linking up with #MumsFridayFoody xx
Thanks for the FYI, will take a look.
Whole Food Bellies says
Thanks for having me Marta 🙂
Becky, Cuddle Fairy says
Ooo what an interesting recipe!! So fresh and healthy, I love it! Thanks so much for linking up with #foodpornthursdays xx
Whole Food Bellies says
Thanks Becky 🙂
VAlerie says
This salad looks amazingly delicious! We will definitely be trying this one at our house!
Whole Food Bellies says
I hope you do Valerie 🙂 Enjoy!
Robin Follette says
This sounds very good. I have to run into town today and will pick up a couple of things I don't have. I bet it's a hit at the cabin this weekend!
Whole Food Bellies says
I hope it is Robin! Enjoy your time at the cabin 🙂
Ashleigh says
This looks amazing and something I know I would love! Thank you for sharing! xx
Whole Food Bellies says
Very welcome Ashleigh 🙂
Becky says
This looks delicious, and I actually have all of those ingredients on-hand right now!
Whole Food Bellies says
Yeah it's a great recipe for using up leftovers Becky! I hope you enjoy 🙂
Lisa @ Strum Simmer Sip says
I love all of the colors here, so beautiful! I recently grated up a sweet potato and loved the different texture that the grater creates. I'll have to try this version with carrots! Thanks for sharing.
Lisa
Strum Simmer Sip
Whole Food Bellies says
You are very welcome Lisa! I hope you enjoy if you try it out 🙂
ashley nicholas says
That looks super yummy! Such a great idea for summer BBQs.
Whole Food Bellies says
Thanks Ashley 🙂
ashley nicholas says
That looks super yummy! Such a great idea for summer BBQs
Whole Food Bellies says
Thanks Ashley 🙂
Logan Can says
This looks delicious! And only 10 minutes? That's my kind of recipe! haha
Whole Food Bellies says
Mine too Logan 🙂 The quicker the better! Especially with small kids vying for attention
Lynda@fitnessmomwinecountry says
I am not familiar with the book or the recipes, but this looks great. Healthy and pretty at the same time. Good idea for a quick side to something from the grill this summer 🙂
Whole Food Bellies says
Thanks for stopping by Lynda 🙂
Bethany says
Yummy and healthy, the best of both worlds! Carrots are one of the only veggies I loved as a child and I am still very fond of them, I've never used them as a base to a salad though.
Whole Food Bellies says
I only started using them as a base recently (thanks to my spiralizer) and now we have carrot salads all the time! Great way to use up a bunch languishing in the crisper 🙂
Rianna, Bohemian Wanderlust says
That sounds delicious and very healthy- I will definitely be making this one. Thank you 🙂
Whole Food Bellies says
Hope you enjoy Rianna!
Michelle H says
It looks so light and tangy! I bet with fresh carrots from the garden it would be delicious.
Whole Food Bellies says
Fresh carrots from the garden would be absolutely amazing Michelle! Unfortunately mine didn't take this time around but I am willing to try again 🙂
Lily Lau says
Sounds so healthy, I can't take this salad out of my mind! 🙂
Whole Food Bellies says
Haha thanks Lily 🙂
Sara says
I LOVE the sound of this, it would be a great side dish for a picnic or BBQ!
Whole Food Bellies says
Definitely Sara! I have had it at BBQ's twice now and it has gone down a treat both times 🙂
Miranda @ Miranda Writes Blog says
I don't think I've ever had a carrot salad before but this sounds delicious! I'd love to try it!
Whole Food Bellies says
You are missing out Miranda 🙂 I have been a fan of carrot salad for a long time which is why this recipe piqued my interest - so good for summer!