This Carrot and Coriander Side Salad is a light and sweet salad that is delicious with a curry or noodle dish. A great way to add some extra vegetables to your meal and bursting with flavour from all the herbs and an incredible soy and sesame dressing. This carrot salad has it all!
This is a very simple side salad and that's the way they should be. If you love our Asian Slaw, then you are going to love this carrot salad! Something you can make in under 5 minutes whilst the main meal is cooking away.
You wouldn't usually think to put a salad with a curry, but this isn't your normal lettuce salad, but instead it is packed full of carrots and herbs.
Jump to:
Ingredients needed
- Carrots - the star of this salad, and a really cheap ingredient to buy making it a budget side dish. We just used standard supermarket orange carrots, however you could use some yellow and purple carrots too.
- Shallots - these add some extra sweetness to the carrot salad, as well as some extra crunch. You could use a yellow onion instead.
- Coriander (cilantro) - this adds SO much flavour to the salad. I know that not everyone is a fan of coriander, so you could swap it for parsley.
- Lime - an easy way to add some freshness to the salad and lime and coriander go so well together. You could use lemon instead.
- Sesame oil - the base of the Asian style dressing. You could use olive oil instead, but sesame oil has such a great flavour.
- Sesame seeds
- Soy sauce - the saltiness from the soy sauce helps to balance out the sweetness of the carrots. Use a reduced salt soy sauce if you want to lower the salt levels.
- Cumin
A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step by step
One: Put the grated carrots in to a large bowl.
Two: Add the shallots.
Three: Add the chopped coriander (cilantro).
Four: Mix together the lime juice, olive oil, soy sauce, cumin and salt and pepper and pour over the carrot mixture. Add the sesame seeds.
Five: Mix together and serve.
Why should you try it?
- Ready in less than 5 minutes
- A great way to enjoy carrots
- Perfect with a curry or noodle dish
- Good for batch making
What is a carrot salad?
Salads aren't just about lettuce! Sweet and crunchy carrots make up the base of this salad, making is a side salad that you can serve with a curry or noodle dish. Whilst a carrot salad is something you would usually find on the menu at a French restaurant, this is our Asian twist on it.
A base of shredded carrot mixed with chunky shallots, loads of fresh lime and coriander and an incredibly simple soy and sesame dressing.
What carrots to use
We used just standard supermarket orange carrots. However, you could add a variety of colour to this carrot salad with some yellow and purple carrots too.
We have grated the carrots, but you could finely dice them instead. If you want even more flavour from the carrots, roast them first and keep this as a diced carrot salad.
You don't even just have to use carrots. Why not change this recipe up a bit and add grated parsnip, beetroot and squash too - they will add lots of colour.
Salad dressing
This is a really simple dressing of sesame oil, soy sauce, lime and cumin mixed with some fresh coriander.
I know this is going to divide people, as not everyone is a fan of of coriander. But we LOVE it and think it pairs beautifully with carrots. If you don't love it and think it tastes like soap (a common opinion it seems), then swap it for some fresh parsley instead.
You could even use chives or some basil. But give the coriander a go, as it really works.
FAQs
When it comes to side dishes, this is a super healthy one. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which is a compound your body changes into vitamin A. Vitamin A helps to keep your eyes healthy and beta-carotene helps protect your eyes from the sun and lowers your chances of cataracts and other eye problems. Carrots are a super food for your eyes. If you use yellow carrots in this recipe, they contain lutein, which is also good for your eyes.
We just used a box grater to grate up the carrots for this carrot salad, however you could throw them in a food processor that has a grater attachment to save your a few minutes.
You might not usually think to have a salad with a curry, but this crunchy carrot salad goes really well with it. Why not try it with our Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Curry, Easy Mushroom Curry, Slow Cooker Beef Curry, 10 Minute Chickpea and Spinach Curry, or Easy Three Bean Curry.
Unlike a green garden salad which can go limp and soggy in the fridge, this salad actually tastes even better the next day as it has time to take on all the flavour of the dressing. Store it in an air tight container in the fridge and it will be fine for 48 hours.
Extra tips
- I know not everyone is a fan of coriander, so you could swap it for fresh chopped parsley instead.
- Try not to over dress the salad, as it will make it soggy. You still want a little bit of crunch from the carrots.
- Let the salad rest for 30 minutes before serving.
- If you want to make this more of a filling salad, then add some cooked brown rice or some quinoa.
- Make this side salad in to a full meal by following the above and then topping it with some grilled chicken breast or some cooked halloumi.
- Add a little bit of spice by sprinkling some red chilli flakes on top before serving.
- This salad is already fairly sweet from the carrots (even more so if they are freshly grown), but you could make it even sweeter by adding a drizzle of honey.
- Carrot salad with raisins - raisins are a great addition to this and it then goes really well with a chicken korma.
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Recipe
Carrot and Coriander Salad
Ingredients
- 8 Carrots peeled and grated
- 3 Shallots diced
- 2 Handfuls of fresh coriander (cilantro) chopped
- 1 Lime (juice only)
- 1 tablespoon Sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon Soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon Sesame seed
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- Sea salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Put the grated carrots in to a large bowl.8 Carrots
- Add the shallots and chopped coriander.3 Shallots, 2 Handfuls of fresh coriander (cilantro)
- Mix together the lime juice, oil, soy sauce, cumin and salt and pepper and pour over the carrot mixture. Add the sesame seeds.1 Lime, 1 tablespoon Sesame oil, 1 tablespoon Soy sauce, 1 teaspoon Cumin, Sea salt and black pepper, 2 tablespoon Sesame seed
- Mix together and serve.
Notes
- If you're not a fan of coriander, you could swap it for fresh chopped parsley instead.
- If you want to make this more of a filling salad, then add some cooked brown rice or some quinoa.
- Make this side salad in to a full meal by following the above and then topping it with some grilled chicken breast or some cooked halloumi.
- Add a little bit of spice by sprinkling some red chilli flakes on top before serving.
- This salad is already fairly sweet from the carrots (even more so if they are freshly grown), but you could make it even sweeter by adding a drizzle of honey.
- Carrot salad with raisins - raisins (or even sultanas) are a great addition to this and it then goes really well with a chicken korma.
Maria @ runningcupcake
I love fresh grated carrot in a salad, but I am not a fan of coriander in salads- I would probably make it taste weird by adding fresh basil as I love that!
Anna
I love how fresh this sounds. Coriander is one of my favourite herbs. Yum!
Vera
Hi, more side dishes would be great! Especially ones that can be made in advance and keep a few days :)
Corina
This is exactly the type of side salad I'd love with a curry. I make a lot of curries but tend to neglect the sides unless I'm cooking for friends too. I like the fact that this doesn't have too many ingredients so wouldn't take much effort to make as well as making the rest of the meal.
Hiba
That's a side dish I love making, so simple and really refreshing. I've never had it with sesame seeds but I'll definitely give it a try!
Tina @ The Spicy Pear
Love this salad. Carrot and coriander work so well together, whether in a soup or in a zesty salad.
Lucy Parissi
Love this salad! Reminds me of the salads I used to have in Greece. Of course if you serve this to my husband he will say 'that's just carrots'. What does he know...
Michelle
I am new to your blog (found you in the UK bloggers Facebook group) but I have had a look through most of your recipes and bookmarked lots of them to try. I need to lose about 4 stone, but being a food lover I am finding it difficult. Thanks for the inspiration - what you have done is amazing and to be so honest and to share that story with everyone is just brilliant. You should be proud!
Rachel
Now this looks lovely, I would chuck some salmon flakes on it x
Karen
Do you have any healthy potato side dishes? We eat a lot of stuffed chicken with vegetables and that is enough for me, but my husband and 2 boys need something extra with it, but I still want to keep it healthy. Thanks in advance.
Tara
I hate cilantro with a passion. Do you think it would work with another herb like basil or parsley?
Hiba
Personally, I love shredded carrots with dry mint or chopped parsley, never tried it with sesame seeds though... The best thing to do is give it a try!
Louise
Mmm, this looks and sounds delicious. I think my 10 year old would absolutely adore it :D
Louise x
Confessions of a Secret Shopper
Nina
What a good idea! I would never think to put a salad like this together, but next time I have a curry, I am going to make it.
Shannon
Great post never seen a salad look so appealing! Will have to give it a go!
Shannon
That Sheffield Sound
Amy
I am looking forward to the Thai curry recipe. I also buy the jars of paste, but I would love to know how to make it myself.
Rebecca
Yes please, more side dishes would be great. As would more simple dishes like this, as I am not the best in the kitchen. Unless it is opening a bottle of wine ;)
Louise
I could just eat this through the screen. Great recipe, Dannii x
Nayna Kanabar (@citrusspiceuk)
I love this salad simple yet refreshing. I Love the vibrant colours too.
Penny
I usually just steam some brocolli or cauliflower to have on the side with a curry, but this sounds like a nice change. Thanks for the recipe.
Justine Thomas
Lots of bright colours here - I love it!