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A finished Carrot Ribbon Salad is in a bowl topped with pea sprouts and feta cheese.

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.