Sweet & Salty Roasted Carrot Salad with Castelvetrano Olives and Mint
Looking for a fall side that's just as good at room temperature as it is warm? This roasted carrot salad is it. Sweet, salty, crunchy, and bright with a fresh herb vinaigrette, it's made for Thanksgiving tables, dinner parties, and weeknights alike. Gluten-free.
Servings: 6 servings
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 2 lbs (900g) carrots, any variety
- 3 Tbsp (45ml) olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup (80g) Castelvetrano olives, pitted and halved
- ⅓ cup (40g) pumpkin seeds
- ⅓ cup (25g) Parmigiano Reggiano, shaved
- 1-2 Tbsp fresh mint, thinly sliced or left whole
- Flaky sea salt, for finishing
For the Vinaigrette
- ⅓ cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp (30ml) champagne vinegar or other light vinegar, such as white wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp minced shallot, about ½ a small shallot
- 2 tsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 2 tsp chervil, finely chopped
- 2 tsp tarragon, finely chopped
- 2 tsp chives, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare oven. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Season. Peel carrots, then cut in half lengthwise. Transfer to the prepared sheet pan. Drizzle with 3 Tbsp (45ml) olive oil, then season with 1 tsp kosher salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. Toss well.
- Roast carrots. Spread the carrots cut-side down into a flat even layer, then roast for 15 minutes. Use a metal spatula to flip them over, then roast for an additional 10-15 minutes or until tender, depending on how thick they are.
- Make the dressing. While the carrots are roasting, make the vinaigrette. In a small bowl (or mason jar with lid), combine all salad dressing ingredients. Whisk until thoroughly combined or seal tightly with a lid and shake vigorously. Drizzle as much as you want over the warm carrots, toss, then transfer to a serving platter.
- Finish. Garnish with halved Castelvetrano olives, pumpkin seeds, thin shavings of Parmigiano Reggiano (or Pecorino), and fresh mint. Finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, then enjoy!
Tip: You’ll likely have a little leftover salad dressing to enjoy throughout the week, but I prefer to have extra than to not have enough.
Notes
- To make this a heartier salad or a vegetarian main, serve over farro, quinoa, barley, or wheat berries. For 2 lbs of carrots, I’d recommend ½ cup (about 100g) of the dried grain of your choice, which yields about 1¼-1½ cups cooked. You can toss this separately with the extra dressing or combine and toss directly with the roasted carrots, then finish as instructed with garnishes.
- Make-ahead: Roast the carrots and make the vinaigrette up to 2 days ahead; refrigerate separately. Leftover vinaigrette keeps up to 5 days (herbs will darken).
- Storage: Leftovers keep 3-4days in the fridge. Enjoy cold, at room temp, or rewarded. Not recommended for freezing.
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