The Moroccan Carrot Salad

Moroccan carrot salad is definitely one of those recipes I always go back to whenever I want a fragrant, quick and healthy dish. It’s so simple and yet, tastes delicious thanks to the smart combination of spices and other aromatic ingredients. For the basic recipe, you probably already have all you need in your fridge. It’s so easy to make and I really encourage you to give it a try!

Growing up in Morocco, I probably had this carrot salad at least once a week. If you visit Morocco, you’ll probably have it on the menu of every restaurant and Riad, served as a side dish of tagines and most Moroccan main dishes.

The best part about this carrot salad is that it takes less than 30 minutes to make. It can also be frozen, so if you have busy days like me, just prepare a big batch and freeze small portions. Each time you want to enjoy your Moroccan carrot salad, take as many portions as you need and let them unfreeze at room temperature or in the microwave. And voila!

Moroccan carrot salad is traditionally made with preserved lemons, but they are optional. However, using them will add a delicious punch of flavor and bring the recipe to a whole new level.

If you use preserved lemons, make sure to taste them before adding them to the rest of the ingredients, to be aware of how salty they are. That way you can adjust salt quantity for the whole dish.

Preserved lemons are a staple in Moroccan cuisine. They smell amazingly good and whenever you open the jar, a delicious citrusy and sweet smell fills the air. I generally make my own preserved lemons (they are super easy to make), but if you don’t have time, I will link below the brand I use whenever I run out. As I mentioned above, they are optional and this carrot salad recipe will still be delicious without them.

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Moroccan Carrot Salad Recipe

Fragrant and easy to make Moroccan carrot salad.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Course: Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: Moroccan

Keyword: Moroccan, moroccan carrot salad, moroccan food, moroccan recipe, moroccan salad

Servings: 4

Calories: 140kcal

Equipment

• Pressure Cooker (optional)

Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh carrots cut in slices
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley (fresh)
• 1 tbsp chopped coriander (fresh)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 lemon juice (if not juicy enough, use the juice from an entire lemon)
• 1 medium size garlic clove, grated
• 1 tsp sweet paprika powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• ½ tsp pepper powder
• ¼ tsp salt (adjust quantity if needed)
• ½ preserved lemon cut in cubes (make sure you take off the seeds)

Instructions

• Steam the carrots in a pressure cooker. Alternatively, boil the carrots in a hot pan filled with water. Carrots should be cooked al dente.
• In a pan on medium heat, put the carrots, the olive oil and garlic.
• Add the spices, parsley, coriander and lemon juice, preserved lemons and cook for 2 minutes while mixing. You can add a splash of water if it the carrots start to stick to the pan.
• Reduce the heat and let everything cook for 5 minutes, until there is no liquid in the pan and the carrots are well infused with the spices.
• You can serve it hot, tepid or cold, depending on your preference, either alone or with toasted bread.