Carrot Ribbon Salad Asian-Style (Printable View)

Spiralized carrots with soy-sesame dressing, green onions, and toasted sesame seeds. A refreshing Asian-inspired side dish ready in 15 minutes.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 large carrots, peeled and spiralized or cut into ribbons
02 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
03 - 1 small red chili, finely sliced (optional)

→ Dressing

04 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce (use tamari for gluten-free)
05 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
06 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
07 - 1 tablespoon lime juice (about 1 lime)
08 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
09 - 1 garlic clove, minced
10 - 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

→ Garnish

11 - 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
12 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

# How To Make It:

01 - Place the spiralized or ribboned carrots in a large mixing bowl. Add green onions and chili, if using.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, lime juice, honey (or maple syrup), garlic, and ginger until well combined.
03 - Pour the dressing over the carrots and toss gently to coat all the ribbons evenly. Let the salad marinate for 5–10 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
04 - Transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and chopped cilantro. Serve immediately, or chill for up to 1 hour before serving.

# Best Practices:

01 -
  • These carrot ribbons miraculously stay crisp for hours, making this the perfect do-ahead dish for when guests are coming and youre juggling a million things.
  • The dressing has this magical balance of savory and sweet that somehow makes even the pickiest eaters at my table reach for seconds of vegetables.
02 -
  • Letting the salad sit too long (over an hour) can make the carrots release too much moisture and become limp, a mistake I made when prepping too far ahead for a dinner party.
  • Adding the sesame seeds right before serving preserves their delightful crunch that would otherwise be lost if they sit in the dressing too long.
03 -
  • Massaging the dressed carrots between your fingers for 30 seconds helps them absorb the flavors more quickly if youre short on marinating time.
  • Adding a small splash of fish sauce to the dressing (about 1/4 teaspoon) creates an umami depth that most people cant identify but makes them wonder what your secret ingredient might be.
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