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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Loved this salad – did not change a thing!. I made the night before and served at Sunday dinner for nephew and his family, including a 3 year old and a 6 year old. The 6 year old ate it without complaints – parents loved it and asked for the recipe. Served with boiled corn, chicken kabobs and broccoli – so nice color combo with red peppers on the kabobs. Easy to keep carrots on hand.
I love this salad and make it frequently. Easy and so tasty. Thank you.
Just delicious and light and fresh. HH loved it too! Will definitely make again. Thanks for the recipe!
Love this salad! I got so tired of the too sweet carrot salad with pineapple and raisins. I find this more to my taste with half the amount of Dijon mustard. Also, it’s good with fresh dill if you don’t have parsley.
Thank you so much for this! I had carrot salad at a french restaurant years ago and ever since have been trying to find a vinaigrette to use, with no luck. This one is perfect!
I usually use the pre-grated carrots and in this case it definitely helps to dress the salad a few hours before. I usually dump the dressing on in the morning and have the salad at work with lunch or for a snack. I often use all olive oil (3 Tbsp) instead of a mix of olive and vegetable oils.
If you grate the carrots small enough it is also really delicious spread on top of a piece of lightly toasted sourdough bread.
It is so funny how French cousin influenced a lot of cousins around the world. This is exactly the salad that I used to eat as a child with an addition of raisins. Since I don’t like raisins I added some craisins to it. Wonderful flavor!
Thank you for this recipe. I grated some carrots to make a carrot cake and had enough left for a carrot salad. I did a quick google search and found this recipe. Delicious, easy, ingredients always on hand.
My husband is Austrian so we often have carrot salad as part of a salad plate when we visit family there and he grew up with a mother who didn’t like vinegar so her salad dressings always included lemon juice. He loved it! I loved it!
My favorite! This is the recipe that made me love your blog. Everyone I’ve made it for loves it. I’m a lazy cook, so I use the grated bagged carrots from the store, which makes it even easier.
I made this tonight and will make again for sure! It was super simple to put together so is perfect for a weeknight vegetable side dish.
Made this and loved it!
Tasted it and decided to add some more lemon juice – and then just before serving, I added a tin of sweetcorn! It looked so pretty – sunny yellow and orange. And it tasted fabulous!
Will definitely be making this again!