A refreshingly raw salad perfect as a light, refreshing side dish. This carrot zucchini salad uses spiralized zucchini noodles for its fun, crunchy texture and is tossed in a maple, balsamic dressing.
Are you sick and tired of forcing yourself to eat the same old leafy green salad?
You want to eat healthily but you're just so sick of all the bland food.
I get that.
As a Certified Nutrition Coach, my goal is to get a lot of color onto my plate. But I also like to enjoy my food too. And that means having some variety!
This simple raw salad is a blend of zucchini noodles, crunchy carrots, fresh strawberries, and delicious pecans.
It's the perfect, in-a-pinch side dish to something like a grilled chicken sandwhich or, topped with protein to create a complete entree. Plus, it's easily whipped up the night before.
Watch a full demo video on how to make it.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Easy to make - because the carrot zucchini salad is raw, all you have is the prep time (10 minutes) for this dish.
Versatile - a side dish, a main course, a meal prepped lunch. This zucchini noodle salad can be anything you need it to be.
Nutrient-dense - this zucchini salad is loaded with fresh vegetables to add some color to your plate!
Ingredients For The Salad
Raw zucchini: use up the extra zucchini from the garden.
Carrot: the larger the carrot the easier it is to spiralize.
Cherry tomatoes: any tomatoes will work but cherry tomatoes give a pop of color.
Strawberries: get the ripest ones you can for a juicy burst. Know that any summer fruit works well.
Avocado: gives the salad a boost of plant-based proteins and healthy fats.
Pecans: regular or even toasted pecans work well but candied pecans are especially delicious.
Chickpeas: totally optional but a great addition if you're making this carrot zucchini salad a full meal. If you want something a bit lighter, leave them out.
Dressing: three simple ingredients make up the maple balsamic dressing (also used in this maple balsamic chicken).
How To Make It
- Use a spiralizer to create the carrot and zucchini noodles.
- Whisk together the dressing ingredients.
- Toss the zucchini and carrots with the strawberries, cherry tomatoes, and chickpeas if using.
- Mix in the salad dressing and let it all sit for 5 minutes.
- Portion the carrot zucchini salad into a salad bowl and top each bowl with pecans.
What Is A Spiralizer?
if you don't own a spiralizer- get on that! Definitely a staple appliance in the kitchen and one I use pretty often (for recipes like this zoodle bowls!).
Spiralizers help:
- keep your meals interesting
- replace noodles in a dish with a healthier option
- are great for low-carb recipes
- make simple dishes like coleslaw or stir fry more visually appealing
A spiralizer has been a staple in my kitchen for almost eight years now (I went through a raw stage).
Not only is it fun (the kids love it!) but you can load up your meal with veggies and skip the starch.
Protein Options
This carrot salad is delicious as is and makes a great side dish.
However, if you want to meal prep this salad for lunch, any of the following protein options are delicious.
- Spicy chicken bites
- Grilled chicken
- Hardboiled egg.
For vegan options, maple-glazed tempeh or fried tofu cubes would make wonderful additions on top of zucchini salad too.
Expert Tips
Overall this carrots and zucchini salad is pretty straight-forward. However, there are a few things to note:
- If you're making the carrot salad for the next day, don't add the dressing. The noodles will seem a bit soggy if it sits too long.
- Maple balsamic dressing is a great compliment but the lemon dressing from this soba noodle bowl is great also along with any fresh herbs you have on hand.
- After you spiralize the zucchini, let them sit in a strainer while you do the carrot. This way any water from them can drip off.
- Make it whole30 approved: omit the maple syrup in the dressing and use a whole30 approved salad dressing. Likewise, eliminate the chickpeas.
Healthy Dinners In 30 Minutes Or Less
Struggling to make dinnertime WORK for your hectic lifestyle?
If you’re looking for even more easy, healthy dinner recipes, check out The Busy Moms E-Cookbook- simple dinners for busy moms, where I’ve gathered 30 healthy dinner recipes that can be made in thirty minutes or less.
- Simple and healthy
- Dairy & gluten-free
- Real-food based that focus on nutrients not fillers
- Busy mom approved
Plus get bonus tips on how I food prep as a mom of three, how to make healthy eating simple & pantry staples to stock up on.
Other Easy Side Dishes
Raw Carrot And Zucchini Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 zucchini large
- 1 carrot large
- ⅔ cup chickpeas optional, avoid if low carb
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- ½ cup pecans chopped
- 8 strawberries slices
- ½ avocado
- 1.5 tbs olive oil for the dressing
- 2 tbs balsamic vinegar for the dressing
- ½ tbs maple syrup for the dressing
Instructions
- Start by peeling the carrot and spiralizing the carrot and zucchini.
- Whisk together the dressing ingredients.
- Toss the spiralized veggies in your dressing of choice and let sit for five minutes.
- Then, portion out the veggies into two bowls and top with the remaining ingredients.
Video
Notes
-
-
- If you're making this for the next day, don't add the dressing. The noodles will seem a bit soggy if it sits too long.
- Any neutral oil works for olive oil.
-
- Maple balsamic dressing is a great compliment but the lemon dressing from this soba noodle bowl is great also.
-
- After you spiralize the zucchini, let them sit in a strainer while you do the carrot. This way any water from them can drip off.
-
- Make it whole30 approved: omit the maple syrup in the dressing and use a whole30 approved salad dressing. Likewise, eliminate the chickpeas.
- This salad recipe stores well in the fridge for 2-3 days without the dressing added to it
-
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Kristen
Love the look of this salad. This is my favorite way to eat in the summer and the whole family LOVES zucchini noodles, so I'm all over this!
fitasamamabear
Zoodles are totally where it's at lol they just scream summer to me! But yes, this salad is super colorful!
Amy
I love that this meal can be 100% plant based and super healthy. I tried this yesterday and it was really good!
fitasamamabear
Thanks so much for giving it a try! I love how versatile this sale can be (a meal, a side dish, topped with more if you like). So happy you enjoyed it.
Sharon
I definitely NEED to get a spiralizer. This looks fabulous and I love the sound of those candies pecans. Perfect for those warm months!
Vanessa
This recipe has convinced me to pull my spiralizer out from the back of the cupboard. Looks delish!
Cynthia Priest
I didn’t know you can eat zucchini raw! I will be giving my KitchenAid spiralizer a whirl. It is still sitting in its box.
fitasamamabear
You're the third person to tell me that about their spiralizer! Haha. But yes, aw zucchini is yummy with the right combo and zucchini noodles are just FUN. Hope you enjoy it!
Terri Gilson
I love that this salad is not only fast, but healthy and delicious! I absolutely love zucchini because it's so versatile, takes on the flavor of whatever it's paired with and just tastes so fresh and delicious on its own!
fitasamamabear
Yes! Zucchini literally goes with EVERYTHING. plus, we throw it so we end up with crazy excess amounts haha it's perfect.
Colleen
Time to dust off my spiralizer! Especially since zucchini season is almost here. I love everything about this salad. It's a hearty meal but still so fresh and healthy
fitasamamabear
Haha definitely dust off the spiralizer! it just makes everything seem so fresh!