Midday
Beet and Carrot Salad with Sesame
Grated raw beets and carrots dressed with lime, ginger, toasted sesame oil and honey, finished with mint and toasted sesame seeds.
- Prep 15 min
- Cook 3 min
- Total 18 min
- Makes 4 servings
Photo: Салата со цвекло и морков by BeatriceKitchen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.
This salad is mostly about color. Raw beet and carrot, grated on the large holes of a box grater, turn into a pile of ruby and orange ribbons that look almost too bright to eat. A dressing of lime, ginger and a little toasted sesame oil makes it taste as good as it looks.
It is crunchy, fresh and slightly sweet, and it keeps well, so it is a useful side to make on a Sunday for the week ahead. Toss the beets separately if you want the colors to stay distinct, or mix everything together and enjoy the pink.
A small trick for busy weeks: grate a double batch of beets and carrots and keep them undressed in separate containers lined with a paper towel. They stay crisp for four or five days, and you can dress a portion in a minute. The dressing also keeps for a week in a jar, so a bright, crunchy side is always close at hand when lunch needs a bit of color.
The recipe
Ingredients
Salad
Dressing
Method
- Toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan, for 2 to 3 minutes until golden and fragrant. Tip onto a plate to cool.
- Wearing gloves if you like (beet juice stains), grate the beets on the large holes of a box grater or with the shredding disk of a food processor.
- Grate the carrots the same way and keep them in a separate bowl.
- In a small jar, combine the lime juice, ginger, sesame oil, olive oil, honey, salt and pepper. Close and shake until combined.
- Pour about one third of the dressing over the beets and the rest over the carrots. Toss each and let stand for 5 minutes to soften slightly.
- Arrange the beets and carrots side by side on a platter, or toss together. Scatter over the mint, cilantro and toasted sesame seeds just before serving.
Kitchen notes
- Golden or Chioggia beets make a less staining version with the same flavor.
- Add a handful of chopped toasted cashews or a crumble of feta for a more substantial salad.
- If you find raw beets too firm, grate them finely or let the salad rest for 20 minutes before serving.
Storing and reheating
Dressed salad keeps for up to 3 days in the fridge; add herbs and seeds just before serving.
To serve alongside
Good with Savory Vegetable Quinoa Skillet or a bowl of Mung Dal Lentil and rice porridge.
A gentle note: this recipe is shared for cooking enjoyment only. It is not medical or dietary advice. If you have allergies or specific dietary needs, check every ingredient label and adapt the recipe to suit you.
