A festive roasted carrot salad that will pair beautifully with any meaty (or fishy) main! Carrots get roasted simply in salt and pepper until sweet, creamy, and beautifully charred. You’ll make the dressing in a skillet by toasting spices and shallots in oil before whisking in tangy vinegar, sweet maple syrup, and spicy dijon. The sweet carrots and warm spiced dressing pair perfectly with the crunchy and bitter radicchio. Top with pistachios and herbs for a show stopping salad!
Ingredient highlight
Radicchio! This beautiful chicory hails from Italy and has a distinct bitterness that is a great addition to salads and is also delicious roasted/grilled. Radicchio is rich in vitamin K, which is important for bone health and helps you absorb calcium better. It’s also a great source of both lutein and zeaxanthin, two antioxidants important for eye health. One more thing! Bitter greens like arugula and radicchio help to stimulate digestion, making it a great way to start a meal.
Servings 6 (as a side)
Prep Time 10 minutes 
Cook Time 35 minutes Ingredients
For the salad:
- 2 lbs carrots, cut in half lengthwise, then into quarters*
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 4-6 cups torn or chopped radicchio (from about 1 small head)
- Chopped pistachios, for topping
- Chopped parsley, for topping
For the dressing:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp whole cumin seeds**
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 shallot, finely chopped (about ¼ cup)
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- *Whether you cut the carrots in half or into quarters just depends on the size of the carrot. Some carrots are so thin that you might not even have to cut it in half.
- **Highly recommend using whole spices – they have way more flavor than ground and you can grind them up to use in cooking (the difference between freshly ground cumin and storebought ground cumin is insane). If needed, you can use a scant tablespoon of ground cumin and only sizzle it in the oil for 15 seconds (it can burn faster).
- Make ahead: ~ carrots can be roasted and dressing can be made a day or two ahead. Then just assemble the salad before dinner. See leftovers section for reheating instructions.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the carrots, olive oil, salt and pepper and toss to coat. Spread out into an even layer and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the carrots are nicely charred and caramelized (you want that charred flavor!).
- To make the dressing, in a medium skillet add the olive oil, cumin seeds, and red pepper flakes (if using). Turn the heat to medium-low. Once you start to hear/see the seeds sizzling, continue to cook, stirring often, for about 1 more minute (don’t burn them!). Turn off the heat and stir in the shallot and cinnamon for 30 seconds. Then, immediately add the vinegar, maple, mustard, and salt and stir/whisk vigorously to combine.
- In a large bowl, add the carrots, radicchio, and dressing and use your hands to toss to coat thoroughly (make sure you scrape out every last bit of that dressing).
- Transfer to a large serving platter or shallow salad bowl. Top with nuts, herbs, and black pepper.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Prep and roast 2 lbs carrots
- Make the dressing
- Tear or chop 4-6 cups radicchio
- Chop pistachios, for topping
- Chop parsley, for topping
Substitutions:
- Sub the carrots for any root veggie (sweet potatoes, squash, parsnips, etc…).
- Use kale in place of radicchio or use a mix.
- Use finely chopped red onion or the white/light green parts of scallions in place of shallot.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Rewarm the carrots by either throwing them back in the oven for 10 minutes or you can saute them in a skillet or pop them in a microwave. You just want them to be a little bit warm.
- If you made the dressing ahead, you’ll want to at least let it come to room temp or ideally warm it up a bit so it can liquify before tossing the salad together. You could also pop it in the microwave on low power for 10-30 seconds to warm it up gently OR warm it in a skillet.
- Leftover salad should be eaten at room temp or just warm. From the fridge, pop it in the microwave in 10 second intervals until things look saucy and are slightly warm.
- Top leftover salad with a squeeze of lemon to wake it up along with more fresh herbs and nuts.
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