Moroccan Carrot Salad with Oranges

Moroccan Carrot Salad with Oranges is bursting with flavor from herbs and spices. Sweet oranges and spicy cinnamon and cumin combine in this vegan carrot salad. And this Mediterranean recipe is light and refreshing.  This shredded carrot salad side dish only takes 15 minutes to make.  Make it with pre-shredded carrots or use a box grater or food processor.

Shredded carrot salad

Many years ago I visited Spain and Portugal with my family.

It was during the hot summer months, and I remember eating a lot of green olives, cold salads, and gazpacho.

One time we were in a restaurant where I ordered a combination of salads for lunch.

But since I wasn't very good with the language, the server brought me inside to look at the salads so I could point at the ones I wanted.

A bright orange carrot salad caught my eye.

And now I'm sharing my version of that Moroccan Carrot Salad with you.

Moroccan cuisine

I admit I'm not an expert when it comes to Moroccan cuisine.

I've enjoyed some delicious meals in Moroccan restaurants, but I've never visited the country.

You may have seen foods cooked in a tangine pot, and many dishes contain fragrant spices such as cinnamon, ginger, cumin, and turmeric.

In addition, dishes often contain dried fruit, like in one of my favorite recipes, Basmati Rice Pilaf with Chickpeas and Dried Fruit.

If you're interested in learning more about Moroccan cuisine, check out the article The Origins of Moroccan Food.

How to shred carrots

Since the base of Moroccan Carrot Salad is shredded carrots, let's talk about the three best ways to prepare them.

1. Use the large grate on a box grater: This method works best if your carrots are large. Peel the carrots and cut off the top and bottom tips. Shred the carrots over a cutting board or plate.
2. Use a food processor with the shredding blade: This is my preferred method. Peel the carrots, remove the ends, and half or quarter the carrots so that the pieces fit inside the cylinder of the food processor lid. Turn on the machine and push the carrots down against the shredding blade. Quick and easy!
3. Purchase pre-shredded carrots at the supermarket: This may be the most time-saving option. If the carrots appear a little dried out, place them in a colander and run cold water over them. If you have more than you need for this recipe, you can use the rest of the carrots in other salads. Or you can add them to pasta sauce, rice pilaf, or stir fry.

How to cut citrus into segments

Use a paring knife to prepare the oranges for the Moroccan Carrot Salad:

1. Slice off the top and bottom of the orange.
2. Cut away the peel and white pith.
3. Hold the orange over a bowl and slice between the membranes. This will release the individual segments. Save the juice to use in the dressing.
4. For this recipe, if the segments are large, cut them in half so you end up with small chunks of orange.

Now we're ready to make our healthy carrot salad.

Moroccan Carrot Salad ingredients

For the carrot salad, you will need the following ingredients in addition to the carrots and oranges:

• fresh cilantro
• fresh mint
• olive oil
• orange juice (reserved from segmenting the oranges)
• ground cinnamon
• ground cumin
• pure maple syrup
• salt and pepper

Moroccan Carrot Salad Recipe

Making this healthy carrot salad is really easy.

Simply mix the dressing ingredients in a small jar or bowl, pour them over the carrots, oranges, cilantro, and mint, and toss well to coat all the ingredients.

This recipe makes 4 servings. The leftovers can be refrigerated for later.

Carrot salad is delicious as a starter or side with a variety of different dishes.

These are some of my favorite recipes to pair with Moroccan Carrot Salad:

• Instant Pot Millet Pilaf 
• Greek Lemon Roasted Potatoes with Chickpeas
• Grilled Tofu Steaks

If you love this recipe, please give it 5 stars!