Roasted Carrot Salad

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Roasted Carrot Salad mixes sweet carrots, tangy goat cheese, crunchy pistachios, and cranberries, all tossed in a delicious citrus dressing.

Prep Time25

Cook Time35

Total Time1

Course: Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Healthy, Vegetarian

Keyword: roasted carrot salad

Servings: servings (as a side)

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $8.90

Equipment

Large sheet pan (15" x 21")
Small blender or food processor

Ingredients

Carrots

2 pounds carrots peeled, see note 1
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons light brown sugar firmly packed
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon optional

Salad

5 ounces mixed greens
1/2 cup roasted and salted pistachios shelled and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries or cherries
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese or feta, about 4 ounces

Dressing (see note 3)

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1 clementine orange or orange
1 lemon
1/4 cup olive oil

US - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F. Peel carrots and cut them in half lengthwise if they are more than 1 inch in diameter. Then, cut the carrots into large, diagonal slices (1 inch wide × 2 inches long). In a large bowl, combine olive oil, brown sugar, and cinnamon (if using). Season with salt and pepper to taste (I add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper). Whisk well and add cut carrots. Toss until well coated, then dump coated carrots on a large sheet pan, spreading them out well to allow ample space for carrots to roast (otherwise they’ll steam!).
Roast for 15 minutes, then toss, space out again, and return to oven for another 10–15 minutes or until tender and caramelized on the edges. Set aside to completely cool to room temperature.
Combine honey and mustard in a small blender or food processor. Zest and juice clementine and lemon to get 1 teaspoon clementine zest, 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest, 2 tablespoons clementine juice, and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Add to blender. Season to taste (I add 1/2 teaspoon salt). Blend until well incorporated and zest has broken down. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while blending, mixing until emulsified. Transfer dressing to a jar and store in the fridge until ready to use (see note 4).
This salad does not store well once dressed, so only add what will be eaten immediately. In a large bowl, toss salad greens with a few tablespoons of dressing. Add room-temperature carrots, chopped pistachios, dried cranberries, and goat cheese. Drizzle on more dressing to taste and gently toss. Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

Note 1: I grab 2 (1-pound) bags of medium fresh (firm and bright) carrots. Once peeled and cut, you should have about 6 cups carrots.

Note 2: Dressing Tips: I love zesting the lemons and oranges with a fine grater and juicing them with this citrus juicer. Zest only the very outside bright parts of the navel orange (or lemon). Avoid the white pith below the peel, which is very bitter and will make the dressing taste sour.

Note 3: When stored at cold temps, the dressing may separate and form layers. If this happens, simply let it stand at room temperature for about 15 minutes before using, then give it a good shake.

Storage: This salad doesn’t store well, so enjoy promptly. You can store ingredients separately and assemble when ready.

Nutrition