This roast carrot salad is colourful, spicy and completely addictive, the perfect winter salad to serve alongside your roast dinner or at your next barbecue.
In this Roast Carrot Salad, the Harissa paste adds heat and warmth to the carrots, and the maple syrup makes them deliciously caramelised while the feta adds a nice saltiness.
What is Harissa, and what can I use as a substitute?
Harissa is a fiery Tunisian blend made with chillies, spices, garlic and oil. You should be able to find it in the International food aisle at your supermarket or at a Middle Eastern specialty store. However, if you are unable to find it, try our Harissa recipe.
Alternatively, you may substitute with either sambal oelek or sriracha, as they both have the garlicky heat that is needed here. Then simply add ¼ teaspoon each of ground coriander and cumin powder to add the necessary spicy aroma.
Serving ideas
Serve this salad alongside a roasted lamb shoulder or leg, a pork belly roast or grilled meats and poultry. Sensational to serve alongside Greek-style beef stew.
Alternatively, you can add some grilled chicken or chickpeas and transform it into a meal.
You Will Need
How to Make It
STEP 1 - Roast the carrots.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a roasting tray with baking paper.
- Trim your carrots, then scrub well in a colander under cold running water to remove any dirt. Place in your roasting tray.
- In your tray with the carrots, add the Harissa, olive oil, and maple syrup and season with salt and pepper. Mix well until the carrots are well coated. Place in the middle section of your oven and roast the carrots until soft and golden (approximately 30 minutes), turning them halfway through.
STEP 2 - Prepare the remaining ingredients.
- Wash your baby spinach and discard any wilted or damaged leaves; either pat the leaves dry or spin dry with a salad spinner to remove excess water.
- Place all your dressing ingredients in a glass jar and shake until emulsified.
STEP 3 - Assemble our roast carrot salad.
- Arrange the dry spinach on a salad platter, top it with the roasted and crumbled feta, and then serve.
Can I make it ahead?
This salad can easily be prepared the day before, just keep all the components separate and assemble them just before serving.
What about the leftovers?
While the spinach leaves may have wilted slightly, this salad can still be enjoyed the following day.
You can add some cooked chickpeas or some quinoa to bulk it up and make another meal out of it.
A few more carrot salad recipes to try:
Recipe Card
Equipment
- Salad Spinner
Ingredients
- 500 grams baby/Dutch carrots (2 bunches approx. 18 oz)
- 1 tablespoon Harissa paste
- 4 tbsps olive oil
- 3 tbsps maple syrup (or honey)
- Sea salt and cracked black pepper
- 80 grams baby spinach leaves
- 40 grams feta (crumbled)
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/360°C. Line a roasting tray with baking paper.
- Trim your carrots then scrub well in a colander under cold running water to remove any dirt. Place in your roasting tray.
- In your tray with the carrots add the Harissa, olive oil, maple syrup and season with salt and pepper. Mix well until the carrots are well coated. Place in the middle section of your oven and roast the carrots until soft and golden (approximately 30 minutes), turning them halfway through.
- Wash your baby spinach and discard any wilted or damaged leaves, either pat the leaves dry or spin dry with a salad spinner to remove excess water.
- Place all your dressing ingredients in a glass jar and shake until emulsified.
- Arrange the dry spinach on a salad platter, top with the roasted and crumbled feta then serve.
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