Spicy Carrot Salad (Printer-Friendly)

Crunchy shredded carrots tossed in a tangy, spicy Asian-style dressing with soy, sesame oil, and chili.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 large carrots, peeled and shredded (about 3 cups)
02 - 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
03 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

→ Dressing

04 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce (use tamari for gluten-free)
05 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
06 - 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
07 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
08 - 1–2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce or sriracha (to taste)
09 - 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
10 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
11 - 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

→ Garnish

12 - 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts or cashews, chopped (optional)
13 - Extra sesame seeds, for sprinkling

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large bowl, mix shredded carrots, spring onions, and cilantro if using.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey or maple syrup, chili garlic sauce or sriracha, grated ginger, minced garlic, and sesame seeds.
03 - Pour the dressing over the vegetable mixture and toss thoroughly to coat evenly.
04 - Taste the salad and add additional chili sauce or soy sauce as preferred.
05 - Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with chopped roasted peanuts or cashews and extra sesame seeds. Serve immediately or chill for 10 to 15 minutes to meld flavors.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The dressing hits you with this perfect punch of heat and salt that makes plain carrots taste like the best thing youve ever eaten
  • You can throw it together in fifteen minutes flat while something else cooks on the stove
  • It actually tastes better after a few hours in the fridge, which means zero stress about timing
02 -
  • The carrots will weep liquid as they sit in the salt from the soy sauce. This creates more dressing in the bowl, which is actually great, but it can look watery if you let it sit for hours
  • Raw ginger can sometimes form little stringy bits when you grate it. Squeeze the grated ginger through your fingers to separate the juice from the fibers before adding it to the dressing
  • Leftovers keep for a day, but the texture softens considerably. The day three version is still tasty but more like a pickle than a salad
03 -
  • Grate your ginger and garlic directly into the measuring spoon so you do not lose any of the juices
  • If you know you hate raw garlic, try rubbing the bowl with a cut garlic clove instead of mincing it directly into the dressing
  • The salad loses its punch after two days in the fridge, so make only what you will eat
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