The first time I let this salad sit for two hours before eating, the flavour difference from eating it immediately was striking. Four cups of grated carrots tossed with chopped Medjool dates, sliced navel oranges, thinly sliced red onion, and a dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, orange juice, cumin, cinnamon, and garlic. Moroccan spices on raw carrots. Every bite is warm, sweet, and bright.
The dates soften in the dressing and become sticky and chewy between the crisp carrot shreds. The orange slices provide bursts of citrus. The cumin and cinnamon are not dessert spices here. They are savoury and earthy. Those are two synonyms for delicious (don’t look it up).
Tips for Making Moroccan Carrot-Date Salad
Grate the carrots on the large holes
Four cups of grated carrots sounds like a lot. It is about four to five medium carrots. Use the large holes on a box grater for thick shreds that hold the dressing. 
Thin shreds get soggy fast. Large shreds stay crisp even after two hours in the dressing.
Let it sit for at least two hours
The cumin, cinnamon, and garlic in the dressing need time to infuse the carrots. Two hours in the fridge is the minimum. Overnight is even better.
Add the dates just before serving if making it a day ahead. They soften too much if they sit in the dressing overnight.
Moroccan-Spiced Carrot-Date Salad
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This salad boasts a citrusy Moroccan-spiced dressing, onion for a savory pungency, and sweet Medjool dates and navel oranges to add sweet balance.
Ingredients
- 4 cups grated carrots
- 1/2 cup chopped Medjool dates
- 1/2 cup sliced navel oranges
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the grated carrots, chopped dates, sliced oranges, and red onion.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, orange juice, ground cumin, ground cinnamon, and minced garlic.
- Pour the dressing over the carrot mixture and toss to combine.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Let the salad sit for a couple of hours to allow the flavors to meld before serving.
Notes
To Make Ahead: You can make this salad up to a day ahead, just keep it refrigerated and hold off on adding the dates until right before you want to serve it. Note that the carrot and onion will soften the longer it sits.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Moroccan
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 20
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 2
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Medjool dates?
Large, soft, sweet dates. They are sticky and caramel-like. Available in the produce section or bulk aisle. Regular dates work but are drier and less sweet.
Can I add nuts?
Toasted almonds or pistachios on top add crunch. Add them just before serving so they stay crispy.
Can I skip the orange slices?
You can, but they provide a juicy, citrusy contrast to the carrots and dates. The orange juice in the dressing is not enough on its own.
Thought I’d share a small tweak: roasting the carrots lightly before grating adds a smoky depth. Not traditional, but yummier for me!
I almost ate this after twenty minutes and I’m glad I didn’t. The two-hour rest really is the recipe — the dressing changes completely once everything has time to sit. Don’t skip it.
Used blood oranges since that’s what was in the bowl. Worked great and looked incredible against the carrots.
cumin and cinnamon on raw carrots sounds wrong on paper. not wrong.
Tried swapping the navel oranges for mandarins since that’s what I had. Gave the salad a slightly sweeter taste which I liked!
Tasty combo!
Solid combo of flavors, love it.
Thank you, Lebon!
Superbe salade ,pleine de peps!