This Fresh Carrot and Chickpea Salad with Orange Maple Dressing is perfect for a delicious and easy last minute Easter side dish! There’s no cooking involved and it really embodies the flavors of spring! Bring to a potluck to share or enjoy as a dinner side dish.
Easter is just a few days away, and if you’re looking for a last minute side dish that’s easy to make and doesn’t require any cooking, this Fresh Carrot and Chickpea Salad with Orange Maple Dressing is for you!
This carrot salad doesn’t take much time to throw together and just gets better the longer it marinates together in the refrigerator, which makes it a great salad to make ahead of time.
Carrot and Chickpea Salad with Orange Maple Dressing Ingredients
- Carrots – I just used a bag of fresh carrots that I peeled and then thinly sliced on the mandolin. You can buy pre-cut carrots in the produce section but I find that they don’t always taste too flavorful. Rainbow carrots would be so pretty too!
- Chickpeas – Chickpeas are great because they are mild in flavor and add some protein to this salad.
- Red Onion – I always put red onion in my salads because I love the taste, you can leave it out if you don’t love it.
- Sunflower Seeds – I added some roasted salted sunflower seeds because I love them in salads. You can use any other nut or seed you like.
- Fresh Herbs – I used a mixture of mint and parley for this salad. I was originally going to use dill, but the store didn’t have any and I think the mint actually ended up working better. The mint and orange go together really well.
- Orange Maple Dressing – The orange maple dressing is so good with carrots and it’s really easy to make. All you need is olive oil, maple syrup, orange juice, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, orange zest, salt and pepper. If you want to use a store-bought dressing, just get something a little sweet with a little tang.
How To Make Fresh Carrot and Chickpea Salad
- Start by washing and peeling your carrots. Trim off the bottom and top and then use a mandolin to thinly slice the carrots. If you don’t have a mandolin, you can just use a sharp chef knife and try to cut the carrots as thinly as possible. Add the carrots to a medium sized bowl.
- Next, add in the chickpeas, red onion, fresh herbs and sunflower seeds.
- Make the dressing by adding all dressing ingredients to a jar, or small bowl, and mixing until combined. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Pour dressing over carrot salad and mix well. Enjoy as a side dish or snack!
Carrot Salad Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
- Is this recipe vegan? Yes!
- Is this recipe gluten free? Yes!
- Can I make this carrot salad ahead of time? Yes, this is actually a great salad to make ahead of time because the carrots are super hearty and will stand up to sitting in the dressing for a couple of days.
- How long will leftovers last in the refrigerator? If stored in an airtight container, carrot salad should last for about 4 days.
- What should I serve this salad with? This carrot salad is great for bringing to potlucks or parties or you can serve is as a side dish to anything you like. It would go great with burgers or any other spring/summer cook out food.
Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below and I will get back to you ASAP!
Looking For More Vegetarian Spring Carrot Recipes?
Roasted Carrot and Dill Hummus
Roasted Carrot Falafel Salad with Citrus Tahini
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Fresh Carrot and Chickpea Salad with Orange Maple Dressing
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Fresh Carrot and Chickpea Salad with Orange Maple Dressing is perfect for a delicious and easy last minute Easter side dish! There’s no cooking involved and it really embodies the flavors of spring! Bring to a potluck to share or enjoy as a dinner side dish.
Ingredients
- 2 lb bag carrots
- 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion, I used the mandolin
- 1/3 cup roasted salted sunflower seeds
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh herbs, I used mint and parsley
Orange Maple Dressing:
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, or neutral flavored oil of choice
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Start by washing and peeling your carrots. Trim off the bottom and top and then use a mandolin to thinly slice the carrots. If you don’t have a mandolin, you can just use a sharp chef knife and try to cut the carrots as thinly as possible. Add the carrots to a medium sized bowl.
- Next, add in the chickpeas, red onion, fresh herbs and sunflower seeds.
- Make the dressing by adding all dressing ingredients to a jar, or small bowl, and mixing until combined. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Pour dressing over carrot salad and mix well. Enjoy as a side dish or snack!
Notes
This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled if you are making it for a big crowd.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 0 mins
- Category: Vegan, Side Dish
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Fresh Carrot Salad with Chickpea Salad
I just made this and it is delicious. I am serving with Salmon for dinner tonight.
★★★★★
That’s so nice to hear, Stefanie!! Salmon sounds like the perfect pairing! <3