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Salads & Sides

Grate Expectations: Carrot-Raisin Crunch Salad

20 minutes · Easy · Serves 4

Vegan grated carrot and raisin salad with pumpkin seeds and parsley in a cream bowl, lightly dressed with orange, lemon and olive oil.

Crisp grated carrots, sweet raisins and pumpkin-seed crunch tumble through a bright orange-lemon dressing with a gentle cumin-cinnamon warmth. No stove, no fuss, just a colourful side salad ready in 20 minutes.

Grab this

  • 500 g carrots, about 5 large, scrubbed or peeled and trimmed
  • 1/3 cup (60 g) raisins
  • 1/3 cup (40 g) unsalted shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas), ready-to-eat
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest, plus 1/4 cup (60 mL) fresh orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons (27 g) olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon (15 mL) fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup (15 g) finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Do this

  1. 1. Finely grate the orange zest before squeezing the orange. Measure out 1 teaspoon zest and 1/4 cup juice. Whisk them with the olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, cinnamon, salt and pepper in a large serving bowl.
  2. 2. Stir the raisins into the dressing and let them stand while you prepare the carrots, about 5 minutes.
  3. 3. Coarsely grate the carrots using the large holes of a box grater, keeping your fingertips away from the blades. A food processor with a grating attachment also works. You should have about 5 loosely packed cups.
  4. 4. Add the grated carrots and parsley to the dressing. Toss thoroughly, lifting from the bottom so every strand is lightly coated. Let stand for 10 minutes to soften the raisins and bring the flavours together.
  5. 5. Fold in most of the pumpkin seeds just before serving. Divide into four side portions and scatter the remaining seeds over the top. Serve at once for the best crunch; the 20-minute total includes the resting time.

Easy swaps

  • Short on time? Use 500 g of plain pre-grated carrots. Thick, dry packaged shreds may need another 5 to 10 minutes in the dressing.
  • Replace the raisins with the same weight of chopped dried apricots. Some dried fruit contains sulphites, so read the label if you are sensitive to them.
  • Sunflower seeds can replace the pumpkin seeds by weight. For a seed allergy, omit the seeds and add a small diced apple just before serving; the texture and nutrition will change.
  • Fresh cilantro can replace the parsley. If you prefer a milder dressing, reduce the cumin to 1/2 teaspoon and omit the cinnamon.
  • Allergen notes: the listed ingredients contain no wheat, soy, dairy, eggs, peanuts or tree nuts, but pumpkin seeds can cause allergies and packaged ingredients can have cross-contact. Use products labelled to suit your household and check dried fruit for sulphites.
  • For make-ahead serving, refrigerate the dressed carrot mixture promptly in a covered container at 4 C or below, and add the seeds just before serving. Best enjoyed the same day; keep any leftovers refrigerated and use within 2 days.

Estimated per serving

Nutrition at a glance

Calories
225
Fat
12.2g
Saturated fat
1.9g
Carbohydrates
27.5g
Fibre
5g
Sugars
16.4g
Protein
5g
Sodium
240mg

Carrots and pumpkin seeds contribute fibre, while the seeds also add plant protein; these per-serving estimates vary with brands, substitutions and portion size.

Estimates vary with ingredient brands, substitutions and serving size.

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