A few temporary deficiencies in the home-base kitchen means some more fresh, raw and vibrant salad goods are in store for us here (and lots of smoothies and bowls of granola seem to keep reappearing for myself especially). The stove is kind of a nonentity at the moment, so in the spirit of rolling with it I threw this together super quick.
Whatever the season, whatever the weather, carrots are always lurking in our crisper–waiting for a simple steam, a little slice + hummus dip or a plunge into some stock. This humble and dependable root is cut into elegant and thin matchsticks here. I thawed some shelled edamames and tossed them into the mix for some extra satiation.
The dressing is completely bright with fresh orange and lime juice, a hearty dose of ginger and a couple drops of sesame oil. The salad tangles all up in that and a heavy hand of black sesame seeds. I love how they coat and fleck every little matchstick piece of carrot, veering away from garnish towards key textural component territory. The cilantro comes in all perfumed and light while creamy avocado bits offer a touch more heft and body.
Ginger, Citrus & Sesame Carrots with Edamame
Ingredients
Salad
- 5-6 medium carrots, cut into matchsticks
- 1 cup frozen shelled edamame, thawed
- ¼ cup black sesame seeds
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves, chopped
- sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 small ripe avocado, peeled and chopped
Ginger Citrus Dressing
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice
- 1 ½ tablespoons lime juice
- sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 ½ tablespoons agave nectar
- 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and finely grated/minced
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ⅓ cup avocado oil
Notes
- If you want to make this more of a main event sort of thing, you could serve it with some grilled tempeh/tofu and toss a couple handfuls of greens and cooked grains into the mix.
- Also, you bet this mix would be tasty rolled up into a rice paper wrap or a sheet of nori.
Instructions
- Combine the carrot matchsticks, thawed edamame, sesame seeds and chopped cilantro in a large bowl. Season the whole mixture with salt + pepper and toss lightly with your hands. Set aside.
- In a small-medium bowl, combine the orange juice, lime juice, salt + pepper, agave nectar, ginger and sesame oil. Whisk it all together until incorporated. While whisking with one hand, slowly drizzle in the grapeseed oil until you have a homogenous and unified dressing.
- Pour the dressing over the carrot + edamame mixture. Toss to combine. Top with the chopped avocado pieces. Garnish the dish with more sesame seeds and cilantro if you like.
I made this last night, and it was amazingggg. My family loved it, and it was great to prepare a healthy dish. I will be making this again.
I cannot wait to try this…. looks incredible!
Can’t wait to make this at home with our beautiful local avocado varieties! So simple, and yet so lovely.
Ha, I’ve felt so rushed to take photos before the maintenance guy shows up. Once my landlord knocked on my door when I was experimenting with coconut oil as a hair moisturizer… I looked like a total greaseball. This salad is precisely the kind of food I’ve been craving lately. Lastly, super impressed by your carrot cutting skills.
Absolutely stunning recipe and photos, Laura! I have been searching town high and low to find edamame, but I haven’t had any luck. Its moments like this I really miss home for Trader Joes.
Laura, I am new to your site, but have already pinned loads of recipes! Many, many recipes pinned later, I realized I should just pin your site page (and subscribe), which is exactly what I did!
I just finished making this salad ^ (seriously, just 10 minutes ago), I can’t believe how beautifully simple and bright it is! I added some grapefruit mint that I had on my patio. Simply divine.
Thank you for being so amazing!
I’m feeling your fresh & vibrant food… kitchen deficiency motivated or no… I’ve been testing cake, bread, and cookie recipes as of late. So…um…vicariously healthy? I seriously feel like I need this right now before my body mutinies.
Such a beautiful & vibrant bowl of veggies!
This is goddamn gorgeous. All of my salads lately have had edamame and chia seeds in, but I really want to start adding fresh herbs to the mix. Def using this dressing!
Things with our oven are rather precarious right now, so I can totally relate. Judging from this amazing salad, you seem to be coming through it pretty well though! I love the sound of these flavors and textures – crunchy, warming, and fresh all at once. Exactly what I want to be eating on this cold/warm/cold again spring day.
This looks SO good! I don’t usually like carrots, but I love them in slaws and chopped up thin in salads – this looks great for spring!
This salad looks PERFECT to me! Love the avocado and edamame – and the citrus/ginger dressing. . . SWOOOOON. So delicious!
I love how bright and fresh this raw salad looks. We are in Ireland now at a B&B till we find a home, and sick of eating out. Maybe a salad like this is something I can whip up without any mod cons!
Oh, if I had a dollar for every time a plumber or a flatmate’s friend or just SOMEONE quietly and unnerved watched me very seriously taking photos of my food. Thanks for this gorgeous recipe, I am always buying carrots because they’re so cheap but occasionally let them die in the fridge, unloved…so, glad to spy another excellent way to eat them!
This salad looks and sounds so awesome, and I would be totally OK with my oven not working if I had a tupperware full of it in my fridge. We’ve been dealing with the same worst.spring.ever chilly weather (and even had snow on Monday — harumph), but it’s not stopping me from craving fresh, veggie-laden things. And I’m marveling at how dang perfect and delicious that avocado looks, since they’re so hit-or-miss ’round these parts!
Also, those carrots make me want to work on my julienning technique. Whenever I’m trying to meticulously cut anything, it feels like there’s a mental battle going on between my internal perfectionist and the part of me that has no patience for anything. (:
oh yes yes. I like this carrot situation. I find them dry when you buy them at the store cut like this. Better off to do it your way. Hope your kitchen is back in working order! But high five to year long salads on hand. Need those babies.
Those colors are so bright and pretty. Like tulips and springtime. My kids love carrots, edamame, and avocado – I’m wondering if I can turn them on to sesame with this one. So far tahini has not won any fans, but maybe the milder flavor combined with the pop and crunch would get them on board. Thanks for more gorgeous ideas sweet Laura. happy almost-spring (and here’s hoping you have a stove top again soon?)
Gah! Simply stunning. Gorgeous, healthy and tasty. Need to find me some edamame, avocados and cilantro. :-)
Your pictures are so sharp and colorful! Love it. I have never tried black sesame before, looks good!
This salad looks so good! Super fresh and springy and tasty. I especially love how the edamame and avocado makes it a full meal.
Your photos are just so crisp and vibrant. Stunning! I love the simplicity of this and am always looking for new ways to eat carrots and salads! I bet the textures are perfection. This will be lunch.
So bright and fresh, and I have all of the ingredients needed for the salad! It will be delicious for lunch today, thank you Laura.
This sounds wonderful! Just need to buy some cilantro to make this evening.
This is beautiful and delicious! New your blog….loving it!
Carrot and black sesame is one of my favourite salad combinations – love the sweetness, crunch and nuttiness combined. I love that you rushed to take photos before the plumbing guys arrived – I’ve taken food photos on my front porch before and got some very odd looks from neighbours!
Yum!! I love sesame seeds, both in savory and sweet :)