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Shaved Carrots with Charred Dates

This vibrant vegan salad celebrates the natural crunch of shaved carrots, paired with the deep caramel notes of charred Medjool dates. By lightly salting the carrots, they soften beautifully while maintaining a delicate bite, creating a sophisticated texture that works perfectly alongside juicy blood oranges or grapefruit. The addition of fresh tarragon provides a subtle aniseed finish that elevates the earthy sweetness of the root vegetables.

Perfect as a light lunch or a refreshing side dish for a weekend spread, this carrot salad is both visually striking and nutritionally rich. The combination of zesty lime and rice vinegar offers a bright acidity that cuts through the richness of the dates. For the best results, use a mix of purple and orange carrots to bring a beautiful array of colours to your table.

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Ingredients for Shaved Carrots with Charred Dates

  • 675g purple or orange carrots, trimmed, scrubbed, shaved on a mandoline or very thinly sliced into rounds

  • Kosher salt

  • 3 large blood oranges or 2 small grapefruits

  • 60ml extra-virgin olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

  • 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

  • 10 Medjool dates

  • Tarragon leaves (for serving)

Place carrots in a large bowl, season generously with salt, and toss to coat. Let sit at least 10 minutes and up to 1 hour to soften slightly. Pour off any liquid that collects in bowl.

Meanwhile, cut peel and white pith from oranges. Working your way around, cut citrus flesh off cores in lobes. Cut each lobe into large pieces and place in a medium bowl. Squeeze cores over a small bowl to extract any juice (you want 2 tablespoons ; discard or drink any extra). Discard cores. Whisk oil, lime juice, and vinegar into orange juice; season with salt.

Pour half of dressing over carrots and let sit, tossing occasionally, until ready to serve. Set remaining dressing aside.

Heat a small skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high. Cook dates, turning occasionally, until blackened in spots, about 3 minutes. Let cool; remove pits.

Just before serving, pour off excess liquid from carrots and discard (carrots will have softened by now). Drizzle reserved dressing over carrots and toss to coat. Tear dates into bite-size pieces and toss into carrots. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Top with tarragon.

Carrots can be tossed with dressing 1 day ahead. Cover and chill carrots and remaining dressing separately.

Disclaimer

While every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate and up to date, individual needs may vary and dietary requirements can differ based on personal health conditions. Always check food labels and allergen information before preparing or consuming any recipe. If you have specific health concerns, allergies, intolerances, or are following a medically prescribed diet, seek advice from your GP, pharmacist, or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.

Article history

The information on this page is peer reviewed by qualified clinicians.

  • 28 Jan 2026 | Originally published

    Authored by:

    UK recipe editors

    Peer reviewed by

    UK recipe editors
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