Moroccan Carrot Salad

This is a really quick and simple side dish fitting for any meal, any time of the week. It has minimal ingredients and is full of flavor, turning boring plain ol’ carrots into a wonderful side dish.

It has a hint of garlic flavor, a fresh hit of herbs, and a pop of brightness from the lemon juice that brings out the sweetness of the carrots. The flavors in this dish work well with the carrots and turn any weeknight meal into a wonderful dinner. Simple ingredients you can feel good about.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb carrots, peeled and sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon
1 tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. paprika
½ tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley ( or 2 tsp dried parsley)
1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a medium pot, add the carrots and add enough water to cover by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil and cook until just tender but not mushy. You don’t want them mushy, or they will fall apart when mixing with the sauce.
2. Once the carrots are tender, drain them well by pouring them through a strainer.
3. In a skillet, warm olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
4. Stir in cumin, paprika, salt, and lemon juice.
5. Add carrots and toss gently making sure all of the carrots are covered in the sauce.
6. Remove from heat and stir in parsley and cilantro. (If you are using dried parsley, add it with the other spices in step 4)
7. Gently add the carrots to a serving tray or bowl.
8. Serve room temperature or chilled.

• I prefer to leave the peel on the carrots, but you can peel them if you like.
• If you do not have fresh parsley or cilantro, you can use 2 tsp of dried parsley and 1 to 2 tsp of dried cilantro. I prefer fresh, but sometimes we just don’t have it on hand, so dried works just as well.
• You can scale this up or down depending on the size of your family. I make the full recipe because I love having these for leftovers the next few days. They get better as they sit.
• I also like adding them to a salad for a pop of flavor with a light dressing or vinaigrette.
• You want to cook the carrots until they are just tender. You can check them with a fork or knife. If it comes out smoothly when poked, then they are tender enough. There should be no tugging when poked with a fork or knife, and it should release easily. Do not cook them until they are mushy, as you will end up with a more smashed carrot situation. I am sure it will taste just as good if you happen to overcook the carrots, but try not to cook them that long. BUT if you do, no worries. It will be the same taste, just a totally different texture.
• You can prepare these a day ahead and let them chill in the fridge. As I said, they get better as they sit. They also make for a great side dish for meal prep.