Carrot Ribbon Salad with Feta and Pine Nuts

Here’s a Springtime Carrot Salad with the best Levantine vibes.  All those flavours of the cuisines brought together by their location on the Adriatic and Mediterranean, from Greek, Italian, Syrian, Lebanese, Israeli etc.

This is the perfect side to all your Spring meals, whether grilled lamb, roast chicken, even a lovely baked salmon.  I love it on the side of kebabs and pita. In fact, add the salad directly onto the pita when making a wrap, it brings colour and crunch!

What makes it even better, is that it can be made ahead and stored in the fridge to help the flavours meld together.

Ingredients

The warm bright dressing is made with lemon, cumin, paprika, coriander, oregano and garlic powder, red wine vinegar and olive oil. Then crumbled feta cheese and mint leaves all do their part to bring these bright ribbons to life.  Along with the shaved carrots, use some shredded little gems lettuce, or handfuls of arugula, chopped parsley or cilantro, and a finish of sesame seeds.

Method

You will start by toasting the pine nuts in a clean skillet set over medium heat. Toss occasionally for even toasting.  As soon as they are fragrant and golden transfer them to a bowl to cool down.

Whisk together all the dressing ingredients, then taste and re-season as desired.  This can be made in advance and stored in the fridge till needed.  If it is the fridge for a few days, make sure you bring it back to room temperature as the olive oil will have solidified.  You can speed this up by placing the jar with the dressing into a small bowl filled with warm water.

When it comes to carrots, use what you can find.  If you can find Rainbow carrots, the final salad will have the most impressive effect on the table. Use a vegetable peeler to shave the carrots into thin ribbons.  Massage them gently to start softening them, and place them in a container with a lid. Drizzle some of the dressing over the carrots and toss to coat evenly. Set in the fridge till ready to serve.

To Serve

When ready to serve, place the carrots in a large serving bowl. Add in most of the pine nuts, all of the chopped or shredded lettuce, most of the crumbled feta, most of the chopped cilantro and one tbsp of chopped mint. Add more dressing to coat but not drown the salad.  Toss evenly.

Garnish with the remaining pine nuts, feta, parsley, mint and sesame seeds.

Final Thoughts

Feel free to add some more greens if you like as a garnish, like sprouts etc. Increase the feta if you want.  It is a salad, so don’t feel married to the amounts suggested. As I mentioned above, you can use either parsley or cilantro.

If you can’t find pine nuts, slivered almonds work great.

This salad will keep in the fridge for a few days, with some caution. If you plan on making enough to last for a few days, parsley will hold up, but only add the cilantro and any other tender greens as you are serving the salad. If not, they will wilt in the dressing and not be as appealing.

This salad can even become a stand alone meal with the addition of protein.  Add roasted chickpeas, or your favourite shredded protein, like rotisserie chicken, or even good Italian tuna chunks.

For other fabulous salad options check out Mimosa Deviled Egg Pasta Salad, Broccoli Salad with Blueberries and Poppyseed Vinaigrette, Agua Fresca Melon Salad with Hot Honey Lime Dressing, Fattoush Salad with Grilled Halloumi

If you make up this Levantine Inspired Carrot Ribbon Salad, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! It’s always lovely to hear from you guys, and I always do my best to respond to each comment or question. And of course, if you do make this recipe, and you post it on Instagram, don’t forget to also tag me so I can see! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is such a treat.

Love Jen

Print

Levantine Inspired Carrot Ribbon Salad

A lovely bright salad that marries carrots with the flavours of the Mediterranean and Middle East. Feta cheese, parsley and mint, pine nuts, a complex dressing all come togethert to create a salad worthy of all your Spring meals.

Course Salad

Cuisine Levantine

Keyword carrot ribbons, levantine salad dressing

Prep Time 40 minutes

Resting Time 30 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

Salad

• 6 tbsp Pine nuts
• 2-3 medium to large Carrots, peeled and shaved
• 2 shredded Little gems lettuce, or a couple of good handfuls of baby arugula
• Handful of parsley or cilantro, chopped
• 3 oz 3/4 cup crumbled Feta cheese
• 3 tbsp fresh Mint, minced
• Sesame seeds, for garnish

Dressing, can be made in advance and stored in the fridge

• 4 tbsp Olive oil
• 2 tbsp Lemon juice
• 2 tbsp Red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp runny honey
• 1/2 tsp Garlic powder, can also used 1-2 small to medium minced garlic cloves, as desired
• 1/2 tsp smoked sweet Paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground Coriander, see Notes
• 1/4 tsp ground Cumin, see Notes
• 1/4 tsp dried Oregano
• 1/4 tsp kosher Salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black Pepper

Instructions

Salad

1. Toast the pine nuts by adding them to a clean skillet set over medium heat. Toss or stir occasionally for even browning. Once fragrant and golden, remove them from the heat and set in a bowl to cool. This should take approximately 7-8 minutes, keep an eye on them so that they don't scorch.

2. Toss the shaved carrots in a large bowl with a lid with some of the dressing. Massage them all together to help the softening process begin. Cover and set this in the fridge to help the carrots continue to soften and release some of their juices into the dressing. 30 minutes in the fridge is a good amount of time to get this started. It can stay in longer if needed though.

3. When ready to serve, add in most of the pine nuts, all of the chopped lettuce, most of the chopped parsley, most of the feta and 2 tbsp of the minced mint. Add enough of the dressing to coat but not drown the salad. Toss well.
4. Garnish with the remaining pine nuts, feta, parlsey, and remaining mint. Sprinkle as much of the sesame seeds as you like over it all.
5. This salad will keep in the fridge for a few days. If using cilantro instead of parsley, then I would only add it in when serving the salad, as it will wilt in the fridge.

Dressing

1. Whisk all of the ingredients together in a bowl or jar with a lid. Once blended and emulsified, taste and re-season as desired. Store in the fridge, but bring back to room temperature before using in the salad.

2. See blog post for more details and serving suggestions.

Recipe Notes

If you want, you can use 1/2 tsp each of coriander seeds and cumin seeds. If using whole seeds, toast gently in a skillet over medium heat till fragrant, and then crush with a mortar and pestle before adding to the dressing.
This salad will serve four as a side, but of course, feel free to increase any of your favourite ingredients to feed another one or two people.