Carrot and Beet Salad with Ginger Vinaigrette

This is my new favorite "healthy substitute" for the traditional Southern carrot-raisin salad brought to summer pot luck gatherings. Having never been a big fan of beets, I was surprised by how beautifully their natural earthiness was complemented by the ginger and shallots. Will probably try adding white raisins or clementine sections in the future to see how well they blend.

• betazoid

• Atlanta, GA

• 8/26/2013

Surprise hit at Easter lunch. Made to add color to ham and scalloped potato menu. Made as written, except added 1 tsp honey and juice from half an orange (I liked how that sounded from other reviewer). I used finer grater on food processor for carrots and wished I hadn't. Larger grater was perfect for beets. Salad does get a little juicy after sitting, so strain before serving (but save juice for storing leftovers). Everone was surprised the beets were not cooked, they didn't taste raw! I will chiffonade (slice) spinach next time. Even baby leaves were a but awkward with the grated beets and carrots, but delicious and beautiful. Try this!!

• Anonymous

• Chicago

• 4/15/2012

I made this as a side dish contribution to a family dinner and, because I had 5 lbs of rainbow carrots on hand, left out the beets. I was concerned when I first added the vinaigrette - it seemed very strong too "vinaigrey" but by the time it was served - about 1-1/2 hours later - it had mellowed considerably. It's a great way to add colour to a meal and the leftovers were great the next day for lunch with some quinoa and black beans.

• Anonymous

• Toronto

• 4/2/2012

All I can say is yummm! I've been looking for something easy to do with my home grown beets (that are STILL in the garden in Jan.) and this was beautiful and good! The food processor made things really easy and my family loved it. I did use a little more rice vinegar that was called for because we like a little "wetter" salad, but either way, it's good.

• dlgd

• boise

• 1/15/2012

Love everything in this salad, however I added 1 TBSP honey and 1 Tsp Orange zest to the dressing. Beets love orange and it added just that special touch. Great recipe, thanks.

• Cherben

• Fort Myers, Fl

• 1/11/2012

Really tasty! Half the recipe is a great lunch for two. Put it on top of a little lettuce. Adjustments: 2 Tbl Onion instead of shallot (didn't have), 1-1.5 Tbl ginger, Seasoned Rice Vinegar, omitted sesame oil, 4-6 drops Chili oil instead of Tabasco, 1/3 c oil. Also finely julienned the veggies instead of shredding them, which was very pretty but a little more difficult to eat.

• Anonymous

• Los Angeles

• 9/18/2011

This was excellent. I love ginger and sesame. Guests loved it too. It would be a lot of work without a food processor, though, so I would not recommend making this if you are grating by hand!

• Anonymous

• Colorado

• 6/19/2011

Yum! Great recipe, and easy if you have a food processor. I added about 1/2 c. raisins, as one reviewer suggested. And a great way to be able to mix the beets & carrots together in one bowl w/out all the color bleed is to use Chiogga beets! Got some at the farmer's market this week. All the beet flavor but none of the dark red color takeover! I rated this three forks vs. four because it felt just a touch to simple...I'd have loved a few extra ingredients, along the lines of the raisins, to jazz it up just a bit. Still, we're enjoying it, and I'll make it again!

• cooklaura

• Charlotte, NC

• 5/26/2010

So it took me awhile to make this because I have never used beets before, so it was difficult to figure out how to work with them (for me at least). Other than that everything was delicious! I loved how simple it was and also how healthy it is. I plan to make the dressing by itself and use it on different salads in the future.

• cindysunshine

• 1/18/2010

I was excited to try a recipe that didn't ask me to cook the beets. This was ok. I honestly didn't think that the flavor of the dressing was strong enough to mellow out the harshness of the raw beets (and I love beets). But, I'll try this again when I get more beets and adjust the dressing amounts to my own tastes. Worth a try, just may need some adjusting to match what you like.

• sjm182

• Philadelphia, PA

• 7/26/2009

This salad is so beautiful and vibrant in colour. I grated the carrots and beets in one bowl (didn't bother separating the two), poured the dressing and added baby spinach leaves. I mixed everything together and left it in the fridge for a couple of hours before serving. Rice wine vinegar is quite strong, so I think I may use another type of vinegar next time. It takes a lot of elbow grease to grate the beets and carrots, and I always say I'll make this salad maybe twice a year but I've made it three times this summer already! It's just so beautiful and a true hit with your friends and family!

• Anonymous

• 7/13/2009

This was excellent. Unfortunately, I was late getting dinner on the table and took a couple of short cuts. Next time I make it, I will be more careful to drain the shredded carrots and beats. Because everything was so moist, the dressing didn't stick to the veggies very well. i added a touch of salt. Served it w a pork tenderloin that had a very sweet glaze - this detracted from the salad. In think something savory would have set it off better

• gwendelen

• 7/7/2009

Very good and fresh for summer. I'm going to add golden raisins next time, as a twist on the carrot and raisin salad made with mayo.

• Anonymous

• Sacramento

• 7/9/2008

Oh my God -- this is good. Prepared exactly as written and LOVED it. Served as a side with feta burgers and corn on the cob, and had the leftovers in a pita the next day with hummus. This will be a staple in our house, and very good for you!

• Anonymous

• Boston, MA

• 7/7/2008

I really liked this recipe- probably because it is so different and the colors are so vibrant. Visually, it makes a lovely and dramatic presentation- the spinach is key!. And I enjoyed the beets raw- because of the way they are cut- they are able to soak up enough of the dressing to make them a little more tender. Overall though, it is the rawness of the veggies that makes this appealing to me. This would make a great, easy salad to bring when asked to bring a salad- especially if there will be more than one. i served it with chicken on the grill, rice pilaf and the spring roasted vegetables w. salsa verde from Epicurious- (now there is a 5 fork recipe!)

• Anonymous

• Douglas, MA

• 4/2/2007