This Carrot Top Salad recipe takes the entire carrot and turns it into a sweet and savory vegan chickpea salad that’s topped with a zesty dressing made with carrot greens! It's a delicious (and easy!) way to reduce food waste and enjoy eating from root to leaf.
Carrot tops are edible and they're a great way to reduce food waste in a tasty way. Try making Carrot Top Pesto, Carrot Top Dip, and Carrot Top Chimichurri, too!
And be sure to find out all about the Tops of Carrots with my 101 guide, including recipes, tips, and ideas.
This twist on cold shredded carrot salad has no waste involved.
The carrot tops are used both in the dressing and tossed into the salad for a unique salad that has many layers of flavors.
This salad contains naturally sweet shredded carrots and tosses them with raisins, chickpeas, and shallots that pair well with raw carrot flavor.
A simple dressing is made with carrot tops, oil, maple syrup, and some simple seasonings to bring the carrot salad to the next level.
You can serve this during the warmer months to cool down, or you can serve it during the holiday season as the sweetness of carrots and maple syrup pair well with many holiday dishes.
Like many people, I turn to a wide array of vegetable-packed salads in the summer. Be sure to try my Green Salad (with an incredible pumpkin seed dressing) or this zingy Mango Salad. I also have loads of other Healthy Salad Recipes.
Try this carrot top salad is perfect to enjoy paired with this Carrot Pizza which has carrots in the crust, for a carrot feast! You could even finish with these cute Carrot Cupcakes.
Can I eat the tops of carrots?
Yes! Many people don’t know that they can eat the green leaves on top of carrots. Not only are they edible, but they are nutrient-dense and tasty.
Using carrot tops as a replacement for parsley or greens in various sauces and salads will save you money and introduce a brand new flavor to your palate.
Carrot tops taste similar to parsley with an earthy, 'green' taste. They're refreshing and add a pop of flavor.
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Ingredients
For The Carrot Top Dressing
- Carrot Greens - Adds a bold earthy flavor to the dressing. Substitute for parsley if your carrots don't come with their leafy green tops.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Gives the dressing a smooth texture and helps bind all the flavors.
- Maple Syrup - Helps add a natural sweetness to the dressing. Substitute honey if desired.
- Lemon Juice & Zest - Adds acidity and a pop of fresh citrus flavor.
- Minced Garlic - Infuses the dressing with garlic flavor.
- Seasonings - You’ll need salt, black pepper, and dry mustard powder to flavor the dressing.
For The Carrot Salad
- Carrot Tops/Greens - Adds a fresh garden flavor into the salad. Substitute for parsley if you don't have any tops.
- Carrots - You’ll need peeled and grated carrots for color, bulk and crunch.
- Chickpeas - Adds protein and fiber to make the salad satisfying.
- Raisins - Gives the salad a pop of sweetness that pairs well with carrots.
- Pumpkin Seeds - Adds crunch and a dose of healthy fats.
- Shallots - Gives the salad a mild onion flavor.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Wondering how to make this tasty carrot top salad?
Follow this step-by-step photo tutorial, then scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and method.
Prepare the carrot greens: Pick out any brown or discolored leaves from the carrot tops, then cut the feathery leaves from the long stems. Soak them in a bowl of water for a few minutes, then rinse. Repeat. Shake the excess water from the carrot tops, then dry in a salad spinner or gently in a clean tea towel. Mince with a sharp knife.
Make the dressing: Add the dressing ingredients and ½ cup of chopped carrot greens to a mason jar or bowl with a whisk. Mix together or shake in a jar with a tight lid until all of the ingredients are fully combined.
Assemble the carrot salad: Peel and grate the carrots and add them to the bowl with the rest of the prepared salad ingredients. Toss using tongs until all vegetables are fully combined. Pour the dressing in and toss the salad until fully coated. Serve cold.
Hint: If making this salad ahead, keep the tossed salad and dressing separately in the fridge. Don't add the dressing until before serving so it doesn't get too soggy.
Substitutions
Just a few tweaks can make this carrot top salad work perfectly for you! Try these easy substitutions.
- Carrot Tops - instead of carrot tops (greens), you can use parsley instead.
- Chickpeas - if you don't like chickpeas, they can be omitted. Or substitute them for other drained and rinsed canned beans, such as white beans, butter beans, Great Northern Beans etc...
- Add your favorite dried fruit to replace or mix with raisins such as dried cranberries, golden berries, or currants.
- Herbs - Toss in some chopped mint or basil for a garden flavor.
- Color - For variation in colour, use golden and purple carrots along with orange carrots.
- Protein - Make it a meal by adding some protein such as baked or air fried tofu or tempeh.
- Vegan - this recipe is vegan as written.
- Gluten-free - this recipe is gluten-free as written.
Serving Suggestions
Pairs well as a side salad for lunch with any Vegan Sandwich.
Use it as a side for Thanksgiving dinner along with Vegan Stuffing With Sage, Glazed Carrots, and Vegan Mashed Potatoes.
Add a scoop to a plate along with Stuffed Butternut Squash for a rainbow of color and nutrition.
Enjoy with a Carrot Top Tabbouleh if you have lots of greens to use up.
Storage
Storing: This carrot salad will stay fresh in the fridge for 3-4 days. Serve cold.
Freezing: Due to the high water content of the vegetables in this salad, freezing is not recommended.
Top tips
- If your raisins are on the dry side, soak them in cold water until they plump up for the best texture.
- After chopping the leaves away from the carrot stems, you can save the stems to make vegetable stock along with the carrot peels.
- When dressing your salad, it’s best to not add all the dressing at once. Use enough to your personal tastes and adjust as needed.
- When serving the salad, make sure you dress it right before to keep the vegetables from becoming soggy.
FAQs
Yes! They are often forgotten as carrots are usually sold without the tops, but they are 100% edible and nutritious
You can use parsley, basil, or cilantro in place of carrot tops for this recipe.
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📖 Recipe
Carrot Top Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
For the dressing
- ½ cup (15g) carrot tops washed well, dried and finely chopped (or substitute parsley)
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dry mustard powder
For the salad
- ¼ cup carrot greens washed well, dried and chopped (or substitute parsley)
- 1 pound (500g) carrots peeled and coarsely grated
- 15 0z (400g) can chickpeas peeled and coarsely grated
- ⅓ cup 60g raisins If they’re not plump, soak them in warm water for 5 minutes to rehydrate slightly.
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
- 2 shallots finely chopped
To serve:
- Extra chopped carrot greens
Instructions
- Prepare the carrot greens by picking out any browned leaves, then cutting the feathery leaves from the long green stems (and discard the stems). Soak them in a bowl of water for a few minutes, then rinse. Repeat. Shake the excess water from the carrot tops, then dry in a salad spinner or gently in a clean tea towel.
- Add all the dressing ingredients to a bowl and whisk until combined (or put into a lidded jar and shake). Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.
- For the salad, add all ingredients to a large bowl, and toss to combine. Before serving, toss with the dressing - note that you might not need all of the dressing, so just add enough for your liking.
Notes
Yes! They are often forgotten as carrots are usually sold without the tops, but they are 100% edible and nutritious. What if I don’t have carrot tops?
You can use parsley, basil, or cilantro in place of carrot tops for this recipe. Storing: This carrot salad will stay fresh in the fridge for 3-4 days. Serve cold. Variations:
- If you purchased carrots without their greens, feel free to use parsley in its place.
- Don’t like chickpeas? Try using white beans or kidney beans instead.
- Make it a meal by adding some protein such as baked tofu or tempeh.
- Use honey in place of maple syrup if you don’t enjoy maple flavor.
- Add your favorite dried fruit to replace or mix with raisins such as dried cranberries, golden berries, or currants.
- Toss in some chopped mint or basil for a garden flavor.
For variation in color, use golden and purple carrots along with orange carrots.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.
Claudia Lamascolo
The addition of maple syrup really made the difference the kids even loved this!
sue
The carrot top dressing is genius!
Kechi
This carrot top salad is about to be on my top recipes to try! Just wow, so nicely done! Such a refreshing salad recipe, thanks for sharing!
Gina
Great use of carrot tops that isn't pesto! Love everything about this salad, makes a great lunch!