French Grated Carrot Salad

David Lebovitz’s French grated carrot salad, based on his partner Romain’s version, uses carrots, fresh herbs and an olive-oil dressing with lemon and Dijon. A little honey or sugar rounds out the dressing. It is a short ingredient list with a distinctly savory purpose.

Our suggestion is to use it as the crisp element in an autumn lunch. Put a small serving next to a warm cheese toast or a bowl of lentils, rather than building another elaborate salad around it. The orange color also gives a plate of beige comfort food a welcome change.

For a shared meal, offer the salad in its own bowl so guests can decide how much contrast they want. A compact side like this is useful when the main dish already requires the oven: it adds another texture without competing for cooking space. Lebovitz’s original page includes the dressing proportions, grating advice and serving notes. Those details are worth reading before shopping, particularly if you are choosing which fresh herb to use.

Recipe credit: David Lebovitz, drawing on Romain’s version. Read the full original recipe.

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