Updated Carrot Salad Recipe With Roasted Cashews & Spicy Honey Vinaigrette Salads Side Dishes Vegetables

Remember grandma's carrot salad with raisins and mayo recipe? Try this updated version of that classic carrot salad recipe.

With healthy cashews, garlic, honey and crushed red pepper flakes, this is an elevated carrot salad. If you don't like basil, you can use parsley instead. 

Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted, raw cashews
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup local honey
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 pound carrots, peeled and julienned
• basil leaves, finely chopped (for garnish)

Here’s how you make it:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Toast cashews on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool and set aside.
2. Add the garlic, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, 1/2 cup cashews, honey, salt and pepper to a blender or food processor. Process and slowly add the oil by drizzling through the feeder tube. Continue until mixture is emulsified into a creamy vinaigrette. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking with salt, pepper, honey or lemon.
3. Add carrots. Toss and let sit at least 30 minutes.
4. Toss with additional cashews and chopped basil just before serving.

Do ahead: Salad can be made one day ahead without the nuts and basil. Cover and chill. Toss with 1/2 cup remaining nuts and chopped basil just before serving.

Need help converting cooking and baking measurements? Here are some handy kitchen conversion charts.

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