Name: Maria's Best Carrot Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 4 min
Total time: 14 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 pound bag of fresh carrots, (about 10-12 small carrots); 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil; 4 Tbsp. white balsamic vinegar; 1/8 tsp. dried oregano; 2 garlic cloves - minced; pinch of organic ground cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes; salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste

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Maria’s Best Carrot Salad is an Italian salad made with fresh carrots boiled until they are tender to the bite, then tossed with a garlicky sweet-tangy vinaigrette. Served chilled or at room temperature, this carrot salad is simple, flavorful, and positively delicious!

A white ceramic round bowl filled with cooked carrots sticks.

Maria’s Carrot Salad…

We make Maria’s carrot salad all year long, and it is the amazing!

This happens to be our mom’s recipe and we think it’s the BEST Carrot Salad in the WORLD!! We named it after her, Maria’s Best Carrot Salad because we know it is ideally a nutritious salad to serve your entire family. And once you try her recipe, there is no doubt in our minds, you will feel the same way as we do!

What Makes This Carrot Salad So Amazing & Different?

Fresh garlic along with one herb gives a distinctive but subtle favor, creating a reaction from everyone who tastes it, to ask, “What’s in this salad?”
And the longer the carrot salad sits and marinates, the better the vinaigrette will infuse its flavors into the carrots making them taste AMAZING!!
It is an easy side dish to serve any day of the week.
Plus, our carrot salad will get rid of all the notions of this so-called “boring” vegetable.
And, this is similar to our recipe for Green Beans and Carrot Salad, only this is made with one vegetable, fresh carrots.

A round white ceramic bowl filled with cooked carrots sticks.

Notes and Tips for Success!

Fresh Carrots are Best! It’s best to use fresh carrots with this recipe for the optimal flavor.
Short on Time? If you are short on time, you can use frozen pre-cut carrots with this recipe. Remember to “undercook them” and rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking process.
Keep an Eye on Them While Cooking! Do Not Over-Cook the carrots. They will lose their flavor and become soggy – and won’t taste good.
You can make this carrot salad up to 2 days ahead, then allow it to sit out on the counter for at least 1/2 hour before serving.
The carrots will absorb most of the vinaigrette, therefore, it’s best to toss them and taste one last time before serving and adjust the seasonings, and maybe add in a little more vinegar and olive oil, if needed.
BEST served chilled or at room temperature.

Our mom has been making this classic Neapolitan carrot salad forever (aka “Insalata di carrote”) for as long as we can remember. She made it weekly for our Dad; it was his absolute favorite salad. Now, every time we make it, we honor our Dad.

What You Will Need: (ingredients with some affiliate links)

Fresh Carrots
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
White Balsamic Vinegar
Garlic Cloves
Dried Oregano
Cayenne Pepper or red pepper flakes
Salt and Black Pepper

How To Make Maria’s Best Carrot Salad?

Our printable recipe card is located at the bottom. But first, here are the quick steps on how to make our mom’s carrot salad:

PREP THE CARROTS: Peel and cut the carrots into 2 to 3-inch sticks (similar to the size of French fries).
BOILING THE CARROTS: Next, the carrots are quickly boiled on stove top (in a medium-sized sauce pot) for a few minutes until they are al-dente and tender to the bite. Then, they are drained and rinse to stop the cooking.
MAKE THE VINAIGRETTE: Then toss the carrots with the vinaigrette and set them aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes or more. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

How Many Carrots Will I Need?

FRESH CARROTS: Depending on how many servings you are planning to serve. Start with 1 package (16 ounces) of fresh organic carrots. They will give you at least 6 servings. For more servings, use 2 or 3 packages for larger crowd.

Options to Serve It With…

There are so many options to serve this carrot salad as a side dish. Here are just a few ideas and recipes for you to try:

A round white salad bowl filled with cut carrots salad.

Toss and Serve!

Maria’s Best Carrot Salad always brings a bright color, along with the refreshing taste of carrots to the table.

They’re neither bland nor boring. We bet your family will enjoy this salad as much as we do. It’s a great recipe to use up some of your fresh carrots – with this salad! Plus, it’s a great way to get your family to eat more of them!

ENJOY!!

More Carrot Recipes You’ll Love!

Carrot and Spinach Dip
Maple Glazed Carrots
Carrot Soup with a Kick!
Green Beans and Carrot Salad – Italian Style!

Hello friends, are you cooking with us? If you make this delicious Maria’s Best Carrot Salad, leave a comment and a star rating in our recipe card above!

Maria's Best Carrot Salad

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 4 minutes

Total Time: 14 minutes

Mom's Best Carrot Salad is made with fresh carrots and marinated with a delicious vinaigrette. These ingredients make a vibrant and delicious carrot salad with texture, enticing flavors and get rid of all the notions of the so-called "boring" vegetable.

Ingredients

1 pound bag of fresh carrots, (about 10-12 small carrots)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 Tbsp. white balsamic vinegar
1/8 tsp. dried oregano
2 garlic cloves - minced
pinch of organic ground cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes
salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste

Instructions

Peel carrots and cut them into rectangular sticks, about 2 inches in length. Place carrots in a medium pot of water, and bring water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt and boil the carrots for a few minutes, about 3 to 4 minutes, until the carrot is tender to the bite. Do not overcook the carrots, they should be crisp and tender.
Drain, and quickly blanch them in ice-cold water for a few seconds to stop the cooking. Place the carrots into a colander and allow them to drain well.
Place them into your salad bowl or platter, drizzle with olive oil, and white balsamic vinegar, and add fresh minced garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Gently toss the carrots, until well combined. Cover and set the salad aside at room temperature to marinate, at least one hour before serving.
Before serving them, I always recommend tasting the carrots once more, they may need a little extra olive oil and vinegar since the carrots will absorb some of the vinaigrette while it sits and marinates.
Best served cool or at room temperature.
Serves 6

Notes

Keep in mind, the carrots will absorb most of the vinaigrette, therefore, it's best to toss them and taste one last time before serving and adjust the seasonings.

Then add additional vinegar and olive oil, if needed. The carrots should be moist, not dry.

Serve chillled or at room temperature.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 to 8 servings Serving Size: 1 cup
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 80Total Fat: 6.3gCarbohydrates: 5.9gFiber: 1.4gSugar: 2.8gProtein: .5g

Happy and Healthy Cooking! 🙂

xo anna and liz

Welcome! From Anna and Liz

We believe the kitchen is the center and the heart of the home. It is where we cook, eat, and unwind with family and friends, creating memorable traditions! Read more…

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