Spicy carrot salad with almonds and apricots (easy vegan recipe)

With apricots, almonds and fresh herbs, this tangy carrot salad is packed with flavor, deliciously crunchy and just a hint of sweetness.

It’s also super easy to personalize. You can reduce it down to the carrots and scallions for a simple carrot salad, or switch up the other ingredients as needed.

Enjoy this healthy salad for a light lunch or dinner, bring to a picnic or BBQ, or serve as an accompaniment to burgers, grills, or even a holiday meal.

Notes on ingredients

For the carrot salad

• carrot: Use fresh, crunchy carrots. For an eye-catching effect, try a variety of colored carrots!
• Green Onion: You will need 4 scallions (scallions), but you can use a little more or less if you like.
• Parsely: The recipe calls for fresh parsley, but cilantro or a combination of other fresh herbs like mint and chives would also work.
• apricots: Use dried apricots or substitutes raisinsdried cranberries, dried cherries or chopped dates.
• almonds: Use slivered/slivered almonds or substitutes pecans or walnuts. For a nut-free recipe, these can be omitted or replaced with sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.
• pepper: Use 2 serrano peppers or substitute jalapeno peppers. Note that serrano peppers are hotter than jalapenos, so you may want to use jalapenos or omit the hot peppers altogether if you’re sensitive to spices.

Carrot Salad Dressing

• olive oil: Use any variety of olive oil They enjoy. Avocado oil would also work.
• lemon: Fresh lemons are best. One lemon should be enough to make 2 tablespoons of juice. You can substitute apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, or white wine vinegar.
• mayo: You only need a little plant-based mayo for the dressing. You can replace tahini or any thick plain yogurt.
• sweetener: Use agave syrup, honey or maple syrup. You can also substitute granulated sugars like brown sugar or cane sugar.
• Mustard: Use any whole grain or Dijon mustard.
• Za’atar: Za’atar is a blend of delicious dried herbs such as oregano, sumac, cumincoriander, thyme and marjoram, along with Sesame seeds. The exact composition of the herbs can vary from brand to brand. If you can’t find za’atar at the store, use 1/4 teaspoon each of thyme, oregano, cumin, and coriander. If you have sumac, you can add a small pinch of it as well.

Give the dressing a quick stir again, then pour it over the salad and toss! Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

You can serve your coleslaw right away or refrigerate it for 15-30 minutes to really blend the flavors together.

Hints & Tips

• To save time, use pre-shredded bagged carrots or even pre-packaged coleslaw mixes.
• Let the salad sit for 15-30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to blend and the carrots to soak up the dressing.

serving suggestions

• Enjoy as a light meal or side salad with any main course or protein.
• Use it in tacos, burritos, and other Mexican-inspired dishes.
• Use as a burger or hot dog topping.

save instructions

• Store carrot salad in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• If making ahead, keep the salad and dressing separate until 30 minutes before serving, then mix and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• This recipe is not suitable for freezing.