Raw Carrot Salad with Pistachio Dukkah and Dates
Last Updated on April 2, 2024
This easy, delicious Raw Carrot Salad with Pistachio Dukkah and Dates is the best side salad that’s bursting with flavor and made in just 20 minutes. Toss fresh carrot peels in a tahini harissa dressing, a quick homemade pistachio dukkah, and chopped dates then garnish with fresh mint.
Today I’m giving carrots the opportunity to shine! If there’s one veggie I would say I’m not overly in love with, it’s carrots. I love them incorporated into recipes or dipped in hummus (a lot of hummus), but other than that, eating raw carrots just isn’t my thing. Until now! Sure, these carrots are tossed in a tahini harissa dressing- so I guess that’s “cheating” but dang- raw carrots never tasted so good.
This gluten-free, vegan raw salad recipe is so easy to make, it only takes 20 minutes to prepare and is a great side salad alternative to a lettuce salad. It’s a pretty sweet salad with the addition of dates, and perfectly spiced with harissa spices that compliments the carrots so well.
The Carrots
I chose to make carrot ribbons for this salad, almost pasta like. You can certainly cut the ribbons in half, or even use shredded carrots for that matter if you prefer.
Or swirl and twirl the carrot salad like you’re eating a bowl of pasta, haha. What matters here is the flavor, and this dish is raw, keeping all of its nutritional value 😉
To make the carrot ribbons like I did, all you have to do is peel the carrots (you want large carrots) with a vegetable peeler, making sure to peel the full length until the ends of the carrots get pretty thin. You don’t want stringy carrot ribbons, medium-sized strands are perfect.
The Dressing
The dressing I chose to use in this raw carrot salad recipe comes from my poplar Copycat True Food Kitchen Tahini Harissa Cauliflower recipe. The dressing is made with tahini, lemon juice, avocado oil, maple syrup, and harissa spices: smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin, coriander, and salt. Simply blend all of the ingredients together until smooth, or alternatively you can whisk them together in a bowl, and add water, one tablespoon at a time, until you achieve a thick dressing that is pourable, but not runny.
Pistachio Dikkah
It sounds fancy, but really all it is is toasted pistachios and sesame seeds ground up with coriander, cumin, allspice, salt and pepper. Simply roast the pistachios and sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat until they become fragrant and start to turn golden brown, then add them to a food processor or blender with the spices and pulse until you have coarse crumbs. That’s it!
Putting The Salad Together
To put this Raw Carrot Salad with Pistachio Dukkah and Dates together, simply place the carrot peels in a large bowl, toss with the dressing, add the chopped dates and pistachio dukkah, then add a tablespoon of fresh mint leaves. Toss to combine all of the flavors together and coat all of the carrot peels evenly. I suggest reserving some of the pistachio dukkah to garnish on top of the carrot salad when serving for a nutty crunch.
I hope you love this healthy, raw, gluten-free, vegan quick and easy salad recipe! Let me know what you think down below in the comments section, as well as giving it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating so that others can discover this carrot salad recipe! Tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!
Raw Carrot Salad with Pistachio Dukkah and Dates
This easy, delicious Raw Carrot Salad with Pistachio Dukkah and Dates is the best side salad that’s bursting with flavor and made in just 20 minutes. Toss fresh carrot peels in a tahini harissa dressing, a quick homemade pistachio dukkah, and chopped dates then garnish with fresh mint.
Ingredients
- 6 large carrots
- ½ cup chopped dates
- 1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves, chopped
Pistachio Dukkah
- 1/2 cup pistachios
- 1 ½ tablespoons sesame seeds
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- pinch pepper
Tahini Harissa Dressing
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- ¼ cup tahini
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ salt
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 4-6 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Make the pistachio dukkah first. Heat a small skillet over medium heat and add the pistachios and sesame seeds. Roast them until they become fragrant and golden, tossing frequently to avoid burning them. Remove from heat and place them into a food processor or blender with the rest of the dukkah seasonings. Pulse until you achieve coarse crumbs. Set aside.
- Next, make the dressing. In a blender or food processor, blend all of the ingredients together until smooth, adding 1 tablespoon of water more at a time until the consistency is pourable but not runny. Alternatively you can whisk the dressing ingredients together in a bowl.
- Peel the carrots into ribbons moving in a downward motion starting from the thick part of the carrot. Once the carrot thins, start with a new carrot, you don't want stringy strands, more of a medium-sized ribbon/peel.
- Place the carrot ribbons into a large bowl, add the chopped dates, 3/4 of the dukkah, and the dressing. Add 1 tablespoon of chopped mint leaves and toss everything together until all of the carrots are coated well. Use the remaining dukkah after serving to sprinkle on top. Store any leftover salad in an airtight container and enjoy within a couple of days.
Notes
* You can cut the carrot ribbons in half if you prefer shorter pieces. You may also use other carrots, such as shredded carrots if desired in place of the carrot ribbons. You'll likely need 2 bags of shredded carrots.
** You can make this recipe ahead of time, although it's best served immediately. If you do make it ahead of time, reserve the dukkah and add that in right before serving.
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About the author
Gina Fontana
Gina Fontana is a certified health coach, recipe developer, food photographer, published author, and blogger. Her own personal health challenges led her to a gluten-free, vegan, plant-based lifestyle where she found significant improvement in her symptoms. Her passion and mission is to now share that with others who also need (or want) to pursue a healthier lifestyle.
Delish! Made it tonight with sukkah-crusted tuna steaks. I always have dukkah on hand.
So glad you liked it Tad! 🙂