Mustard Free Carrot Ribbon Salad with Basil-Herb Dressing
Carrot ribbons might sound simple, but the technique of shaving them into long, silky strips completely transforms a humble root vegetable into something genuinely elegant. The basil-herb dressing here is bright and aromatic — built on good olive oil, fresh lemon, and warm spices like turmeric and ginger — and it clings beautifully to every ribbon as the salad rests and softens. Many store-bought dressings and pre-made salads sneak in mustard as an emulsifier or flavor booster, so making this one from scratch means you stay fully in control of what goes into the bowl. The whole thing comes together with a whisk and a vegetable peeler, no special equipment required. A short rest at room temperature is the secret step that lets the carrots relax and drink up all that lemony, herby goodness. Finished with optional toasted coconut flakes and a handful of fresh basil, it's the kind of salad that looks like it came from a restaurant but lives comfortably in a weeknight rotation.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the salad
- 1 lb large carrots (about 4–5 medium), peeled
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
- ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves
For the dressing
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 small clove garlic, finely grated
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
For serving
- 2 tbsp toasted coconut flakes (optional)
- fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Using a vegetable peeler, draw it firmly along the length of each peeled carrot to shave off long, wide ribbons, rotating the carrot a quarter-turn after every few passes. Continue until you reach the thin core, then set the core aside or discard. Place the ribbons in a large mixing bowl.
- 2
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, grated garlic, turmeric, ginger, and salt until the dressing is uniform and slightly emulsified.
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