I know there are a couple of variations on spicy roasted carrot salad recipes on the blog already. But I absolutely adore carrots, especially roasted carrots, so I can’t resist trying new combinations. This Middle Eastern Carrot Salad is a new favourite. The baby carrots have been roasted with middle eastern spices and a drizzle of honey. Then served on a bed of your favourite greens, with lentils, pomegranate seeds, flaked almonds and a zesty tahini dressing.
The only cooked element in this dish are the carrots. This is definitely a very quick and convenient meal. Pop them in the oven for 30 minutes, then add a drizzle of honey, the lentils, some garlic and the nuts, and pop it back for 5 minutes. That’s it.
I love dishes like this that require very little hands on time. You can step away and continue with tasks while the carrots are cooking, then prepare the dressing once you’ve added the final few ingredients. And you’re ready to serve.
A super nutritious quick midweek meal.
PS Since everything is made in one oven dish, there’s hardly any clean up for this one.
As mentioned above, I have a couple of variations of roasted carrot salads here on the blog. Check out my Spicy Roasted Chickpea, Carrot and Couscous Salad or my Spicy Honey Roasted Carrots & Grains recipes if you’d like to try a different version than this Middle Eastern Carrot Salad.
Middle Eastern Carrot Salad
Ingredients
- 400 grams Baby Carrots Or equivalent medium or large carrots
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- Salt
- 1½ tsp Spice Mix (Garam Masala or Indian Aromatics)*
- ½ tsp Sumac**
- 2 Tbsp Honey
- 400 grams Can of Lentils***
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1 tsp Dried mixed herbs Optional
- 1 Clove of garlic Crushed
- ½ Cup Raw Flaked Almonds
- 300 grams Salad leaves of your choice I used spinach, rocket and micro herbs
- ½ Cup Pomegranate Seeds
Dressing
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 Tbsp White Balsamic Vinegar***
- 1 Tbsp Tahini
- 1 tsp Wholegrain or Dijon Mustard
- 1 Tbsp Honey
- 1 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/190°C Fan
- Top and tail your baby carrots, then halve or quarter them lengthways
- Add the olive oil to a large baking dish, then add the carrots, season with salt then add the spices and sumac. Give it a good stir to coat the carrots, then place in the oven for 30 minutes (turning half way)
- Test the carrots after 30 minutes (if they are still very hard, if using larger carrots, pop them back for 5 minutes or so). A sharp knife should easily go through, but do not cook them too soft
- Drizzle the carrots with the honey and give it a little mix. Then add the drained lentils on top. Season the lentils with salt and pepper and the dried herbs, then add the crushed garlic. Mix everything through, then sprinkle over the almonds and pop everything back in the oven for 5 minutes, while you make your dressing
Dressing
- Add all the ingredients to a small bowl or jug and whisk together well
Assembly
- Place your salad leaves on the plates, platter or bowl for serving. Top with the carrot, lentil and nut mixture, then sprinkle over the pomegranate seeds
- Drizzle some of the dressing over the top and serve
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