This carrot salad is everywhere in France. You can find carottes râpées at cafes, supermarkets, and little bistros. It goes with almost anything, but especially roast chicken or rice. I love that I can make a batch at the beginning of the week, and it just seems to get better as the week goes on. It’s a great option for kiddos that are tired of the plain old baby carrots with ranch option. The carrots soften as they sit in the dressing, so it can be helpful for those with textural challenges with raw carrots. Make sure to grate carrots yourself versus using the store bought pre-shredded ones. Those are much dryer and sturdier. We’re going for sweet and soft in this salad.

Feel free to mix it up with different seasonings and herbs! Use whatever your family loves or whatever is growing in the garden at the moment.

Classic French Carrot Salad

Ingredients

1 lemon

1 teaspoon honey

½ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon salt

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1 pound carrots

½ cup parsley

Instructions

1. Cut your lemon in half. Squeeze the juice of both halves into a large bowl. 
2. Add your honey, cumin, and salt. Add your olive oil while whisking. 
3. Wash, peel, and grate your carrots. 
4. Wash and pick your parsley from the large stems. Chop parsley. 
5. Add your parsley to your dressing and stir to combine. 
6. Use a shred of carrot to test your dressing for salt and acid. Add more salt or lemon juice if needed. If you don’t have any more lemon juice, try a splash of vinegar (apple cider or white wine vinegar).
7. Once your dressing is DELICIOUS, add the rest of your carrots. 

Notes: 

• Ask for help using the grater! If your grown up has a food processor with a grating attachment, this is the perfect time to use it (with help!). It keeps your hands away from the sharp edges, and makes quick work of grating so many carrots. 
• This carrot salad is a perfect dish to experiment with. It is a grate (haha) ingredient for learning how to salt food properly. Better to learn on carrots than on expensive ingredients like steak! 
• It is also a great dish to learn what flavor profiles you like. Try any fresh herbs or dried blends that sound yummy. I love herbs de provence, italian seasoning blend, thyme, cilantro, tarragon, or smells delicious to you! Be bold! Be brave! Try new things!
• Try peeling your carrots into ribbons instead of grating it. Or try slicing thin coins.