Description
A refreshing and vibrant salad featuring thinly sliced carrots tossed with a fragrant orange blossom dressing, fresh mint leaves, crunchy pistachios, and creamy feta cheese. This easy-to-make salad combines sweet, spicy, and tangy flavors perfect for a light lunch or side dish.
Ingredients
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 3 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Orange Blossom Water
- 2 teaspoons Honey
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground Cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground Cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
Salad
- 10 Carrots
- 1 cup Fresh Mint Leaves
- Fresh Mint Leaves, to taste (for garnish)
- 2/3 cup Feta Cheese, crumbled
- Pistachios, to taste (coarsely chopped)
Instructions
- Make the dressing: In a jar, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, orange blossom water, honey, ground cumin, ground cardamom, crushed red pepper flakes, and salt. Seal the jar and shake vigorously to blend all ingredients well. Alternatively, whisk the ingredients in a small bowl until emulsified and set aside.
- Prepare the carrots: Using a vegetable peeler, mandoline, or spiralizer, slice the carrots into long, thin strips to create a delicate texture perfect for a salad.
- Chop carrot tops: Finely chop a handful of carrot tops to gather about 1/4 cup. Place these chopped tops together with the carrot strips in a large salad bowl.
- Add herbs and nuts: Add one cup of fresh mint leaves and pistachios to the bowl with the carrots. Pour the prepared dressing over the ingredients and gently toss to combine all flavors evenly.
- Incorporate feta and garnish: Gently fold in the crumbled feta cheese to avoid breaking it up too much. Top the salad with additional chopped fresh mint leaves and, if desired, sprinkle more crushed red pepper flakes for an extra kick.
Notes
- Using fresh carrot tops adds a subtle earthy flavor and reduces waste.
- If you prefer a milder salad, reduce or omit the crushed red pepper flakes.
- For a vegan version, omit feta cheese or use a plant-based alternative.
- The orange blossom water adds a fragrant floral note, but can be omitted if unavailable; use an extra teaspoon of lemon juice for a different citrusy twist.
- This salad is best served fresh but can be refrigerated for up to 4 hours before serving.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Mediterranean