Asian Carrot Salad 🥕 A bright, refreshing, and crunchy salad made with multicolored carrots, tossed in a zingy sesame-ginger dressing and finished with a sprinkle of toasted nuts and seeds.

It’s light, vibrant, and bursting with bold Asian-inspired flavor. Perfect for a quick lunch or as a side dish.

WATCH HOW TO MAKE ASIAN CARROT SALAD:

This Asian-inspired carrot salad has become one of my go-to recipes for busy days. It comes together in minutes, stays incredibly crisp, and is full of fresh flavors from toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and a touch of gochugaru. The best part is that you can customize it with any veggies or greens you like, it’s that versatile!

Whether you’re looking for a healthy lunch, a colorful salad for dinner, or a vibrant dish to bring to a gathering, this Asian Carrot Salad is simple, joyful, and always satisfying.

🧡 Why You’ll Love This Asian Carrot Salad:

• Incredibly fast — ready in under 15 minutes
• Super crisp thanks to an ice-bath trick
• Crunchy, vibrant & colorful with seasonal multicolored carrots
• Healthy & refreshing with wholesome ingredients
• Customizable — add greens, veggies, beans, or tofu
• Perfect for meal prep and stays fresh longer

💡 Tips & Variations:

✅  Add protein: tofu, edamame, chickpeas, or peanuts

✅  Switch the greens: arugula, baby spinach, kale, microgreens, or spring mix

✅  Extra veggies: cucumber ribbons, cabbage, bell peppers, or radish

✅  Make it spicy: add extra gochugaru or a dash of chili oil

✅  Great for make-ahead: store the carrot strands and dressing separately; mix before serving.

If you like this, please try my other recipes:

• Thai Watermelon Noodle Salad
• Spicy Citrus Peanut Salad
• Asian Cucumber Salad
• Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

5 from 1 vote

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Asian Carrot Salad - Crisp, Colorful & Ready in Minutes!

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

 

Asian Carrot Salad 🥕 A bright, refreshing, and crunchy salad made with multicolored carrots, tossed in a zingy sesame-ginger dressing and finished with a sprinkle of toasted nuts and seeds. It’s light, vibrant, and bursting with bold Asian-inspired flavor. Perfect for a quick lunch or as a side dish.

Course: Lunch, Salad, Sides

Cuisine: Asian, Fusion, Indian

Keyword: crunchy

Custom Category: Healthy, Lunch, Salad, Sides

Servings: 4

Calories: 154 kcal

Author: Nidhi Bothra

Ingredients

Salad:

• 8-10 carrots , multi-colored
• ice water , for crisping
• 1 1/2 cup mixed greens , I used baby arugula and spinach
• 8-10 mint leaves , torn
• 8-10 basil leaves , torn

Sesame-Ginger Dressing:

• 1 ½ tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp ginger , grated
• 1 tsp garlic , grated
• 2 tsp gochugaru (korean chili flakes) , or use 1 tsp red chili flakes
• 3 tsp rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar , or use lemon juice
• 3 tsp honey , or maple syrup

Garnish:

• 2 tbsp mixed nuts , I used peanuts and cashews
• 2 tbsp mixed seeds , I used pumpkin, sunflower, and sesame seeds

Instructions

Peel and Prep the Carrots:

1. Wash the carrots well. Hold each carrot with a fork and run the peeler down the side — this gives long, smooth strands quickly and without any mess.

Crisp the Carrots:

1. Place the carrot strands directly into a bowl of ice-chilled water for a few minutes. This step keeps them crunchy, fresh, and bright.

Dry the Carrots Completely:

1. Transfer the carrots to a salad spinner and spin until all excess water is removed. This step helps the dressing coat the carrots perfectly. You can also dry them on a paper towel.

Make the Sesame-Ginger Dressing

1. Whisk together sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, gochugaru, vinegar/lemon juice, and honey until smooth.

Assemble the Salad:

1. Add the drained carrots to a large bowl. Add your greens — I love using arugula, but baby spinach, mixed greens, or even cabbage work beautifully.
2. Pour the dressing over the top and toss gently to combine. Add nuts and seeds for the perfect crunch.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

👉 Add protein: tofu, edamame, chickpeas, or peanuts

 

👉 Switch the greens: arugula, baby spinach, kale, microgreens, or spring mix

 

👉 Extra veggies: cucumber ribbons, cabbage, bell peppers, or radish

 

👉 Make it spicy: add extra gochugaru or a dash of chili oil

 

👉 Great for make-ahead: store the carrot strands and dressing separately; mix before serving.

Nutrition Facts

Asian Carrot Salad - Crisp, Colorful & Ready in Minutes!

Amount Per Serving

Calories 154 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Polyunsaturated Fat 3g

Monounsaturated Fat 4g

Sodium 358mg16%

Potassium 497mg14%

Carbohydrates 19g6%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 10g11%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 20976IU420%

Vitamin C 12mg15%

Calcium 58mg6%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.