Courgette and Carrot Salad with Peanut Dressing

This courgette and carrot salad is crunchy, fresh, and vibrant, with a deliciously simple peanut dressing that brings it all together as a summery vegan side dish.

Whether you do the chopping manually or with a spiraliser, this is a great way to cram a load of vegetables into a meal. You can also make the salad and dressing components in advance, freeing up valuable time for whatever else you need to prepare.

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Is courgette and carrot salad healthy?

This salad is packed full of fresh courgette and carrot, meaning there's an array of healthy vitamins and other nutrients to be found. The peanut butter and roasted peanuts are also a great source of plant-based protein.

In one serving of this recipe you’ll find:

• Calories: 114 kcal
• Vitamin A: 4505 IU (90% of RDA)
• Vitamin C: 34 mg (41% of RDA)
• Protein: 5 g (10% of RDA)

Is this salad gluten-free?

Provided you use tamari or a GF soy sauce in the peanut dressing, this courgette and carrot salad is 100% gluten-free.

Can you eat raw courgette?

Yes, you can eat courgette either raw or cooked. Use raw courgette in a fresh salad such as this one, slice it finely and top with a simple dressing, or turn it into spaghetti using a spiraliser.

How to make courgette and carrot salad with peanut dressing

In a jug or bowl, combine the peanut butter, tamari/soy sauce, lime juice, sesame oil, water, and most of the fresh chilli. Mix thoroughly and set aside.

Next, cut the courgettes and carrots in half at the midpoint, then cut these halves lengthways into fine slices. Stack the slices and cut lengthways into fine matchsticks (also known as 'julienne').

In a large bowl, combine the julienned courgettes, julienned carrots, and sliced spring onions. Add the peanut dressing, most of the coriander, and most of the chopped peanuts. Mix well to combine all the ingredients, adjusting the seasoning if necessary.

Serve with the remaining coriander, chopped peanuts, and fresh chilli sprinkled over the top.

Serving suggestions for courgette and carrot salad

This fresh salad was created with summer weather and barbecues in mind, but you could use it with any meal at any time of year. Throw it on top of burgers, into wraps or pitta breads, or enjoy as a delicious light lunch or snack on its own.

Variations/tips for courgette and carrot salad

• Make in advance: To make this salad ahead of time, prepare the veg and dressing elements separately then mix them together just before serving. 
• Spiralise: If you have a spiraliser, by all means use this instead of manually cutting the veg into matchsticks.
• Other veg: Feel free to add any other veg you like to this salad – cabbage, cucumber, peppers, broccoli, onion, Brussels sprouts, mange tout, beetroot, radishes etc.
• Consistency: If the dressing seems too thick, stir in a little more water until you're happy with it.
• Lime juice: You can easily swap this out for another acidic ingredient such as lemon juice or rice wine vinegar.
• Coriander/cilantro: I’m personally a huge fan of coriander, so the 15 grams suggested in the recipe could quite easily become double that. If you don’t like coriander, simply leave it out.
• Heat: I like to include the chilli seeds, but you can remove these if you’re not a fan of the heat. You could also add more than one chilli if you want a bigger kick.
• Leftover salad: If you have some of this salad sitting around in the fridge, add it to a stir-fry towards the end of cooking. The flavours of the peanut dressing will be right at home in that sort of dish. 

How to store courgette and carrot salad

You can store this salad in a sealed container in the fridge for several days. The veg will quickly soften and lose its crunch, so it’s best to consume sooner rather than later.

You'll probably notice some liquid pooling at the bottom of the container. This is just excess water from the veg mixed with the dressing. You can scoop this to the top and mix it through each time before serving.

HEY YOU – LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK

If you made this recipe and enjoyed it – or did anything differently – I'd love to hear from you down below in the comments 👇

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More vegan recipe ideas

If you liked this recipe, you may also enjoy:

• Rainbow Slaw with Sesame Ginger Dressing
• Grilled Teriyaki Tofu Steaks
• King Oyster Mushroom Steaks
• Grilled Carrots with Lemon & Thyme
• Vietnamese-Style Rice Paper Rolls
• Crispy Baked Falafel
• Cajun-Spiced Baked Potato Wedges
• 5-Minute Peanut Noodles

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