This Asian carrot salad is an excellent choice for a healthy, flavorful side dish that comes together with minimal effort. It requires no cooking, making it perfect for quick meals or as a last-minute addition to your family dinners or gatherings.

a plate of Asian Carrot Salad on the dining table.

This carrot salad features a mix of sweet, acidic, and aromatic flavors, complemented by a crunchy texture. It offers a colorful and tasty way to enjoy fresh vegetables, just like this bell pepper salad or tofu and cucumber salad. The dish is vegan/vegetarian friendly and gluten-free if you have special dietary preferences.

The recipe is incredibly quick and easy to make. You can even prepare it ahead a couple of days as long as you store the veggies and the dressing separately.

Ingredient Notes

Besides carrots, I recommend adding red bell pepper for a pop of color and juiciness. To make the salad more interesting, add some toasted peanuts or sesame seeds for crunch and nuttiness – they are typical toppings for a lot of Asian salads.

For this carrot salad recipe, I use a simple Vietnamese dressing called “dầu giấm“. Since both carrots and bell pepper are naturally sweet, I use a higher ratio of rice vinegar to oil. The acidity and tanginess of the vinegar helps bring balance to the salad and brighten it up.

If you don’t have rice vinegar, you can try white wine vinegar or citrus juice. You can also add a drop of toasted sesame oil to the dressing to give it a nutty aroma.

⭐️ I’d love to hear what you think about the dish, so please feel free to leave a comment and a rating if you have tried it. New recipes are added every week so let’s connect on Facebook, Youtube, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates. You can find my collection of Vietnamese recipes here.

a plate of Asian Carrot Salad with a simple and tangy dressing.

Easy Asian Carrot Salad

This Asian carrot salad is an excellent choice for a healthy and flavorful side dish that comes together with minimal effort. It requires no cooking, making it perfect for quick meals or as a last-minute addition to your family dinners or gatherings.

Author: Sophie

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Prep: 20

Total: 20

Servings: people

Ingredients

US Customary – Grams

8 oz carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
3.5 oz red bell pepper (about half a bell pepper)
several sprigs of cilantro (or mints or other fresh herbs)
toasted sesame seeds or crushed roasted peanuts (optional)

For the Dressing

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 2/3 tablespoons rice vinegar
4 tablespoons neutral-flavored vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste)
black pepper

Instructions

Peel and julienne the carrots thinly. Dice the bell pepper into 1-inch pieces. You will have about 2 cups of julienned carrots and ⅔ cup of diced bell pepper.
To increase the crispness and freshness, you can soak the carrots and bell pepper in a bowl of iced cold water for 5-10 minutes. In case you are not serving the salad right away, refrigerate the veggies.
In a small bowl, whisk together the minced garlic, vinegar, and oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. You can also add all the ingredients for the dressing to a container or jar that can be sealed tightly, then seal and shake it well to combine the dressing.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the carrots, red bell pepper, and chopped cilantro. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss gently until everything is well coated.
Transfer to serving plates and sprinkle toasted sesame seeds or roasted peanuts on top if desired.

Notes

This recipe can serve 3-4 people.

Substitution: if you don’t have rice vinegar, you can try using white wine vinegar or citrus juice.

To make ahead: store the cut vegetables in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The dressing should be stored separately, then toss it with the vegetables when you want to serve the salad. Add fresh herbs just before serving.