French Grated Carrot Salad with Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette
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A French classic—carottes râpées—this iconic carrot salad is simple, vibrant, and beloved in every corner of France, from bustling markets to cozy home kitchens.
I first discovered this grated carrot salad when I was 20 years old and living as a college student in France, and it’s been a staple in my kitchen ever since. I’m always puzzled why it’s not more popular in the States, but one bite of these carrots doused with lemon and olive oil and you’ll know why it’s standard fare in every corner of France.
With just 15 minutes of prep time and a handful of ingredients, the salad is not only a cinch to make, but it also keeps well and is good for you. If you have time, let it sit for a few hours before serving—the flavors really come together that way. It’s perfect for picnics or as a light side dish with egg salad sandwiches or grilled chicken.
While this carrot salad recipe is a classic, there are plenty of ways to mix it up. Try my carrot slaw with dried cranberries and walnuts for a touch of sweetness, or my Moroccan-spiced carrot salad for a little extra flavor.
“My French grandma used to make this salad, so it brings back sweet memories. Sometimes I toss in a few pistachios or almonds for a little protein, but it’s wonderful as written!”
What You’ll Need to Make French Carrot Salad
- Carrots: The sweet, crunchy base of the salad that gives it its fresh flavor and texture.
- Dijon mustard: Brings a tangy kick and helps the dressing come together.
- Lemon Juice: Adds a pop of brightness that balances out the sweetness of the carrots and honey.
- Vegetable Oil and Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: A mix that keeps the dressing light and flavorful—olive oil alone would be a little too strong here.
- Honey: Adds just enough sweetness to round out the tanginess of the lemon and mustard.
- Fresh Parsley & Scallions: This combo adds freshness, color, and a mild onion flavor.
- Scallions: Add a mild onion flavor and a little bit of crunch without overpowering the salad.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Shred the carrots. Peel the carrots, then shred in a food processor. Set aside.
Step 2: Make the dressing. In a large bowl, whisk together the mustard, lemon juice, honey, vegetable oil, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Thoroughly whisking the ingredients helps emulsify the dressing, so it clings nicely to the carrots instead of pooling at the bottom.
Step 3: Toss the salad. Add the shredded carrots, parsley, and scallions to the bowl, and stir gently to coat them in the dressing. Toss everything well, then taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Since carrots can vary in sweetness, you might want an extra pinch of salt or squeeze of lemon to balance the flavors.
Step 4: Serve. Cover or store in an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to serve. (If you have time, let the salad sit for 15 to 30 minutes before serving—it gives the carrots a chance to absorb the dressing and the flavors to meld.)
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French Grated Carrot Salad with Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1 lb carrots, peeled
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, from one lemon
- 1½ tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 to 2 teaspoons honey, to taste
- Heaping ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2 finely sliced scallions, or 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
Instructions
- Shred the carrots in a food processor. Set aside.
- In a salad bowl, combine the dijon mustard, lemon juice, honey, vegetable oil, olive oil, salt and pepper. Add the carrots, fresh parsley and scallions (or shallots) and toss well. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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I found your site when looking for a recipe for carrot rappe which as you say is popular in France. This is as good if not better than most of the versions I have had in France. I use less honey than you specify but that is my taste.
Using a food processor to shred the carrots makes this an easy salad to put together on a weeknight. Will make this again. I used shallots, but I do want to try with green onions next time. My husband wondered where the raisins were. Told him this ain’t your Mother’s carrot salad! 🙂
I’ve always had a thing for carrot salad. My grandmother used to make it all the time. As an adult the old style carrot, mayonnaise, raisins, and walnuts just doesn’t resonate the way it did when I was a kid.
This recipe is more in keeping with my adult taste buds, though kids still like it. I probably make this carrot salad every couple of months. It’s a great take to work lunch too, just keep it cool, if not cold.
Hi Jenn,
Can you suggest some substitute for honey? Would brown sugar or maple syrup work? Also, how much quantity should I put?
Thank you!
SK
Either of those (or white sugar) would work. Hope you enjoy!
Yes, maple syrup works very well. I only used 1tsp, and it was perfect for me (I don’t like it too sweet).
This is a terrific salad and a great way to feature carrots. I used chives instead of scallions or shallots, since that’s what I had on hand, and they worked just fine. It’s lovely freshly-made, and even better after it mellows out. The dressing is lovely as well-I’ll definitely keep some on hand for my green salads.
As a note to fellow cooks, since I hate lugging out the food processor and I’ve given up on shredding carrots (and my knuckles) with a box grater, when I want shredded carrots I use a simple, low-tech tool: the Oxo Julienne Y-Peeler. It’s really cool, you use it just like a vegetable peeler except instead of peels, you get lovely julienned carrots that just need to be cut to size. (PS I have no financial ties to Oxo-I just think they make great, inexpensive tools!)
Thanks for the peeler tip! I don’t like to bother with a food processor either.
I always follow a recipe exactly as written the first time and then tweak it if necessary. For my taste the flavour of the mustard is too prevalent so I will cut down the quantity next time. It’s an easy salad to make using ingredients that I usually have on hand.
I apologize. I gave my review too quickly. After a few hours the flavours had a chance to meld and I ended up with a delicious carrot salad. One more winner from Jenn.
This might be the strangest comment ever. I was looking for a recipe for baked carrots and this recipe came up in my search.
I prepared it and popped it into the oven, baked it for about 40 minutes and my whole family raved about my delicious baked shredded carrots for Easter dinner! Not a lick left and I made a double recipe!
I guess I didn’t see that it’s a ‘salad’.
LOL — good to know that it comes out nicely as “baked carrots!” 🙂
Delicious!! Used all olive oil and white onion as I did not have scallions. Will make again. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Absolutely love this salad! I often don’t keep scallions on hand so many times I just make it without but it still tastes amazing! I can’t help but sample it before it makes it to the table😉 It also is so handy to have in the fridge ready for lunch or to go alongside dinner for leftover night. Thanks for sharing such a wonderful and easy salad – great way to switch it up with carrots!
Super tasty! Added a little red pepper flakes for some extra zing! I will be making this again!
Can I make this the night before, if serving for an early brunch or will it make the carrots too soggy?
It should be fine, Andi — hope you enjoy!
Everyone loved this tonight. A simple carrot side dish that’s not sweet and has a subtle kick from the mustard. I used coarse ground dijon which turned out to be kind of pretty. I will definitely make this again.
Very good dressing, so tangy, an upgrade to a childhood favorite.