A beloved French salad, for any season

“Les Carottes rapées” is a salad I have known and loved my entire life. Like all French kids, it was served to me as a starter at the school cantine, and I’ve always enjoyed its satisfying taste and texture: a perfect mix of sweet and salty, crunchy and juicy.

This salad can be found virtually everywhere in France – on market stalls, in bistros and cafés served as huge orange mounds topped with lemon wedges, at deli counters sold by the pound, or in grocery stores sold in plastic-sealed containers.

It is literally so omnipresent in France, during every season, that I don’t often go the extra-mile to make my own from scratch. But while I was living in Canada, it was one of my go-to recipes. It’s quick and simple, utterly satisfying, and certainly one of those recipes that instantly brought me back home.

Ingredients you’ll need for this grated carrot salad

In essence, you’ll simply need crisp carrots, fresh parsley, two optional fixings and a quick dressing.

Here is a detailed look of the ingredients needed for this recipe:

1. Carrots. Fresh, crisp carrots are best for this recipe. If they are organic, you can avoid peeling them
2. Parsley. Opt for fresh parsley, either flat-leaf or curly.
3. Raisins and pine nuts. These two ingredients are often added to spruce up “carrottes rapées”, but not that’s not always the case. I personally love them. Pine nuts add a nice earthy crunch and the raisins a sweet chew. The perfect pair! But if you’re not a fan, or if pine nuts are too expensive, you can skip them.
4. Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I prefer to use olive oil for its lovely taste and health benefits. But if you prefer a milder-tasting oil, you can opt for Canola oil.
5. Lemon juice. It provides a nice brightness to the dressing. It also helps stop the grated carrots from browning. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is best. 
6. Dijon mustard. A staple of French dressings, Dijon mustard adds tangy flavors and a nice kick.
7. Salt and black pepper, to taste.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you recommend grating the carrots?

There is no definite rule about how to grate the carrots for this salad. You can use a food processor or a box grater. There isn’t a strict rule for the thickness for the grate either: I prefer a fine grate (like shown in the photos) but you can grate the carrots thicker if you prefer.

How long can you keep this salad?

This salad actually gets better as it sits for a few hours, or even days! I love to prepare it one day ahead and let it sit overnight in the fridge. It allows time for the carrots to soften and become “juicy” – just like a coleslaw.

You can keep this salad in an airtight container for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend freezing it.

How to serve this salad?

This Grated Carrot salad is a great starter at any season, alongside a Celery Root Remoulade or a Cucumber Salad.

It also makes a great side to pair with just about any protein. Serve it with a French-style Cottage Pie, a Quiche Lorraine or a Roast Chicken.

During the warm season it makes a great dish to bring to a barbecue or a potluck, along with a plate of Eggs Mimosa or a Piemontaise Potato Salad.

Audrey’s tips

• Once you’re confident with this recipe, you can choose to add your own twist on it with for example: one tablespoon of honey, some extra seasonings (ie. cumin or curry powder) or extra chopped nuts (ie. Walnuts).

I hope you’ll love this recipe as much as I do. If you have any questions, please leave a comment. 

More French Salads to try: 

• Classic Parisian Salad (Salade Parisienne)
• French-style Potato Salad
• Piemontaise Potato Salad
• Frisée Salad with bacon, eggs and croutons (Salade Lyonnaise)
• Classic French Lentil Salad 
• Cucumber Salad with crème fraiche
• Classic French Celery Root Remoulade
• Green Bean Potato Salad

French Grated Carrot Salad (Carottes rapées)

Print Recipe

Serves: 4 people Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 0 Minutes 0 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 3.7/5

( 35 voted )

Ingredients

1lb (450g) carrots, peeled and grated (about 3 ½ cups)
3 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, stemmed and chopped
2 tbsp raisins (optional)
2 tbsp pine nuts (optional)
3 tbsp (45ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp (30ml) lemon juice
1 tbsp (20ml) Dijon mustard
½ tsp fresh ground black pepper, to taste
½ tsp salt, to taste

Instructions

Step 1 - Place the grated carrots in a large bowl and top with the chopped parsley, pine nuts and raisins.

Step 2 - In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, a pinch of black pepper and a pinch of salt. 

Step 3 - Pour the vinaigrette over the carrots and stir until combined and the carrots are evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Cover the bowl with plastic film and chill for 30 minutes, to allow flavors to develop and carrots to soften slightly. Toss again right before serving.

This recipe was first published in 2019 and updated in April 2024 with improved instructions and updated photos. The recipe itself remains the same, apart from the new optional ingredients (raisins and pine nuts). 

The post French Grated Carrot Salad (Carottes Rapées) appeared first on Pardon Your French.

About the French apéro

Short for apéritif, the French apéro is a ritual of before-dinner snacks and drinks – which is very dear to the French. Think American happy hour, but more food focused. It is enjoyed throughout the entire year (regardless of season), but a little more religiously during the warmer months of the year, when you’re settled in on a sun-drenched patio or backyard. 

Often very laid back, a French apéro commonly features a mix of chips, peanuts, olives and slices of saucisson (dried pork sausage) – nothing extravagant. For special occasions, you can come up with more creative bites, dips and toasts – such as this poivronade dip.

More appetizer recipes you may like: 

• French Cheese Puffs (Gougères)
• Brie en Croûte with Cranberries, Nuts and Thyme
• Classic French Salmon Rillettes
• Swiss Chard Pancakes (Farçous)
• Ham Cheese Olive Bread 
• Sardine and Cream Cheese Rillettes
• Eggplant Caviar Dip
• Black Olive Tapenade
• Gruyere Cheese Twists (Torsades au fromage)

Less famous than the olive Tapenade, this Roasted Red Pepper Dip is another specialty dip from Southern France, with big Mediterranean flavors. A lot of different takes exist for this recipe, but the base always remains the same – pureed roasted red peppers, which are mixed with different cheeses, spices and/or fresh herbs. Today’s take features salty parmesan and feta cheese, pine nuts, smoked paprika and fresh basil leaves. This makes for a creamy dip with deliciously smoky, salty yet slightly sweet flavors. 

How to Store this Roasted Red Pepper Dip? 

Keep the Poivronade in an airtight container or jar, in the fridge for up to 1 week. The dip tends to thicken in the fridge, so take it out to settle to room temperature about 30 minutes before enjoying. 

Notes: 

• For this recipe, you will need a blender or mixer. 
• For roasting the bell peppers, you can do it easily in the oven; I am giving you instructions in the recipe below. But feel free to do it on the grill if weather allows. The goal is to roast the peppers until they get charred, blistering skins – do not fret, the blackened skins are peeled off later.  
• Pine nuts are delicious to use in this recipe. However, for a more affordable option you can use chopped almonds (2 tablespoons + extra for garnish). 

I hope you enjoy this Roasted Red Pepper Dip from Provence (Poivronade) recipe as much as I do! If you have any questions, please leave a comment. And if you enjoy recipes from Provence, make sure to sure check my round up of Classic Provencal Recipes To Try. 

More appetizer recipes you may like: 

• French Cheese Puffs (Gougères)
• Brie en Croûte with Cranberries, Nuts and Thyme
• Classic French Salmon Rillettes
• Swiss Chard Pancakes (Farçous)
• Ham Cheese Olive Bread 
• Sardine and Cream Cheese Rillettes
• Eggplant Caviar Dip
• Black Olive Tapenade
• Gruyere Cheese Twists (Torsades au fromage)

Roasted Red Pepper Dip (Poivronade)

Print Recipe

Serves: 6-8 people Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 40 Minutes 40 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 5 voted )

Ingredients

2 large red bell peppers, washed
2 tbsp pine nuts (+ 1 tbsp for garnish)
1/2 cup (55g) parmesan, grated or roughly chopped
1/2 cup (75g) Feta cheese, crumbled (+ a little extra for ganish)
¼ tsp smoked paprika (+ a pinch more for garnish)
2 garlic cloves, peeled
6-8 Fresh basil leaves (+ a few more for garnish)
2 tbsp (30ml) lemon juice
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (30ml) (+ more for garnish)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Pre-heat your oven to 350°F (180°C) with a rack in the middle. Line a roasting pan or dish with foil, place the whole bell peppers on top and bake for 40 minutes until blackened, flipping them hallway (carefully, with tongs).

Let the bell peppers cool. When cool enough to handle, peel off the skins. Cut the peppers open, remove the core and seeds and chop them roughly.

Cut the garlic cloves in half and use a paring knife to pry the germ out.

In a mixer, add the parmesan and pine nuts, and pulse until ground. Add the feta, paprika, garlic cloves, lemon juice, basil leaves, salt and black pepper to taste. Pulse until reduced to a crumbly paste. Add the chopped red pepper, olive oil and mix until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning to your taste with salt and pepper. If the consistency is too thick for your liking, add one or two splashes of olive oil.

Transfer the dip to a serving bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and top with a sprinkle of pine nuts, a sprinkle of crumbled feta, a pinch of paprika and a few basil leaves. Enjoy with toasted bread slices or raw vegetables for dipping.

The post Roasted Red Pepper Dip from Provence (Poivronade) appeared first on Pardon Your French.