About this recipe
This Viral Carrot Ribbon Salad is crunchy, fresh, a little spicy, and surprisingly easy to make. Thin carrot ribbons get tossed with cucumber, green onions, herbs, sesame seeds, peanuts, and a quick soy chili sesame dressing for a bright salad that works as a side dish, snack, or meal prep add-on.
Ingredients
Salad
- 5 large carrots (peeled into long ribbons)
- 1 cup cucumber (thinly sliced or cut into ribbons)
- 3 green onions green onions (thinly sliced)
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro (chopped, optional)
- 1/4 cup roasted peanuts (roughly chopped)
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1/2 cup shelled edamame (optional, for extra protein)
Soy chili sesame dressing
- 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp chili crisp (use less for mild)
- 1 tsp honey (or maple syrup)
- 1 clove garlic (finely grated)
- 1 tsp fresh ginger (finely grated)
- 1 tbsp lime juice (optional but brightens the salad)
Equipment
Vegetable Peeler
Mixing Bowl
Whisk
Cutting Board
Instructions
- 1
Make carrot ribbons
Use a vegetable peeler to shave the carrots into long thin ribbons. Add them to a large mixing bowl.
- 2
Prep the mix-ins
Slice the cucumber and green onions, chop the cilantro if using, and roughly chop the peanuts.
- 3
Mix the dressing
In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, chili crisp, honey, garlic, ginger, and lime juice if using.
- 4
Toss the salad
Add the cucumber, green onions, cilantro, peanuts, sesame seeds, and edamame if using to the carrot ribbons. Pour the dressing over the top and toss until everything is coated.
- 5
Rest and serve
Let the salad sit for 10 minutes so the ribbons soften slightly and absorb the dressing. Toss again, then serve chilled or at room temperature.
Tips
- Use firm carrots: Firm, fresh carrots make cleaner ribbons and give the salad the best crunch.
- Do not overdress too early: The carrots soften as they sit, so add the dressing shortly before serving if you want the crunchiest texture.
- Balance the heat: Chili crisp varies a lot by brand, so start with less and add more after tasting.
Substitutions
- Make it nut-free: Skip the peanuts and use extra sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, or crispy shallots.
- Add protein: Add edamame, shredded chicken, crispy tofu, shrimp, or a jammy egg to make it more filling.
- Use another dressing: Try a peanut-lime dressing, tahini soy dressing, or ginger miso dressing instead of chili crisp dressing.
Storage
Refrigerator
Store the salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Best texture: For the crunchiest texture, store the dressing and peanuts separately and toss before serving. Meal prep note: The carrot ribbons soften as they sit, but the salad still tastes good chilled the next day.
Nutrition
- Serving Size
- Calories
- 185
- Protein
- 5g
- Carbohydrates
- 20g
- Fat
- 11g
- Fiber
- 6g
- Sugar
- 10g
- Sodium
- 520mg
FAQ
Can I make carrot ribbon salad ahead of time?
Yes. You can prep the carrots and dressing ahead, then toss them together before serving for the best crunch.
How do I make carrot ribbons?
Use a vegetable peeler and pull it down the length of each carrot to create long thin strips.
Can I make this carrot salad less spicy?
Yes. Use less chili crisp or replace it with a mild sesame ginger dressing.
Recipe Card
Viral Carrot Ribbon Salad
A crunchy carrot ribbon salad with cucumber, green onions, sesame seeds, peanuts, cilantro, and a soy chili sesame dressing.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 0 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Servings
- 4
- Category
- Salad Recipes
- Cuisine
- Asian Inspired
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cost
- Budget-friendly
Ingredients
Salad
- 5 large carrots (peeled into long ribbons)
- 1 cup cucumber (thinly sliced or cut into ribbons)
- 3 green onions green onions (thinly sliced)
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro (chopped, optional)
- 1/4 cup roasted peanuts (roughly chopped)
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1/2 cup shelled edamame (optional, for extra protein)
Soy chili sesame dressing
- 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp chili crisp (use less for mild)
- 1 tsp honey (or maple syrup)
- 1 clove garlic (finely grated)
- 1 tsp fresh ginger (finely grated)
- 1 tbsp lime juice (optional but brightens the salad)
Instructions
- Make carrot ribbons: Use a vegetable peeler to shave the carrots into long thin ribbons. Add them to a large mixing bowl.
- Prep the mix-ins: Slice the cucumber and green onions, chop the cilantro if using, and roughly chop the peanuts.
- Mix the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, chili crisp, honey, garlic, ginger, and lime juice if using.
- Toss the salad: Add the cucumber, green onions, cilantro, peanuts, sesame seeds, and edamame if using to the carrot ribbons. Pour the dressing over the top and toss until everything is coated.
- Rest and serve: Let the salad sit for 10 minutes so the ribbons soften slightly and absorb the dressing. Toss again, then serve chilled or at room temperature.
