Thin ribbons of rainbow colored carrots are the star in this salad, they add crunch and beautiful vibrant colors of purple, yellow and orange. This salad is perfect for a hot summer day, it’s garden fresh, healthy and light.
This is a different version of a rainbow carrot ribbon salad I made a couple of years ago, here.
This time I added crunchy radishes, Persian cucumber ribbons, red onion, yellow and red pepper strips, arugula, a handful of toasted hazelnuts, and for a little heat, thin slices of jalapeno.
I like to keep the dressing nice and light by either using a simple vinaigrette or one of my favorites, olive oil and fresh lemon juice whisked together with a little parmesan cheese or another favorite of mine I’ll post in the recipe section.
For a fabulous light summer meal add some grilled shrimp or fish on the side, then you won’t feel guilty about a nice sweet dessert!
- 1 bunch of rainbow carrots, made into thin ribbons using a vegetable peeler
- ½ red onion, sliced into strips
- 1 yellow and red pepper cut into strips
- 2 or 3 Persian cucumbers, made into ribbons using a vegetable peeler
- 8 radishes, sliced thin
- a large handful of arugula or fresh spinach
- 1 small jalapeno, thinly sliced ( optional)
- a small handful of toasted hazelnuts, slightly crushed
- CREAMY LEMON PARMESAN DRESSING
- 3 heaping tablespoons of good mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons of lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan
- a pinch of salt and cracked pepper
- Whisk everything together, taste for seasoning.
- Gently toss all salad ingredients into a bowl, place on a nice platter, then drizzle dressing over the top when ready to eat.
- LIGHTER LEMON PARMESAN DRESSING
- All ingredients as in the creamy version, minus the mayonnaise, whisk together and drizzle on top os salad ingredients.
I couldn’t resist these beautiful rainbow carrots the other day while I was shopping, I quickly stuck them into my cart not knowing what I was going to make with them, but I was inspired by their vibrant colors!
Just look at these beauties! The colors are amazing, deep purple, yellow, red, white, peach and of course orange. I decided to make a salad, shaving the carrots into ribbons using my vegetable peeler so I could showcase all the gorgeous colors inside.
As I was shaving them their deep rich colors were even more pronounced, my favorite was the purple with the yellow center.
Surprisingly their flavor isn’t all that much different, some of the carrots might taste slightly sweeter than the others but you sure can’t beat the visual! Imagine this on a large platter as a side dish. I served it with grilled salmon, a beautiful healthy meal that needed nothing else!
Works of art for under five dollars, your guests will be impressed, it’s turns the humble carrot into a very sophisticated dish!
Of course I had to make my salad Italian style with ribbons of Parmigiano Reggiano tossed inside, I also added arugula which balanced the sweetness of the carrots perfectly.
Fresh basil, parsley and slivers of red onion added and tossed with my homemade vinaigrette, I’m telling you there wasn’t one ribbon left on the platter!
Don’t pass these babies up!
I’m Marie, a wife, mother, mother-in-law, and gramma of two beautiful girls. My passion is food, clear and simple but especially Italian food, hence the name of my blog, Proud Italian Cook. I want you to feel right at home here so grab a cup of coffee, I’ll get the pastries, take a look around and enjoy your visit! {
