Glazed Carrot and Citrus Salad

Salads
·
March 31, 2022
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(Note: this post was originally published on January 12, 2020. The date above reflects migration to the new platform.)

A Citrus Celebration

Citrus season is here! Let's celebrate it with this brightly-colored, fresh, and juicy Glazed Carrot and Citrus Salad.

For this recipe, I'm very happy to be partnering with Johanna Setta, a Certified Nutrition Consultant and creator of WELL + FED. Johanna works one-on-one with clients to find the whole food based nutrition plan that is right for their specific needs, with special attention to seasonal and organic foods.

We're excited to be teaming up to bring you this citrus salad because it's both delicious and nutritious, loaded with veggies and fruits, packed with cold- and flu-fighting Vitamin C, and customizable to fit most dietary needs.

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Glazed Carrot and Citrus Salad on a serving platter

Nutritional Powerhouses

Johanna and I wanted to work together on citrus in particular because it's currently in season in Kaua'i, Hawaii, where we've both spent considerable time. (And it's in season in lots of other places right now as well!). The citrus from Kaua'i is amazing: enormous lumpy pomelos, super-tart grapefruits, sweet navel and Cara Cara oranges, the most juicy tangerines, adorable key limes, sour-sweet meyer lemons, and even tiny kumquats. The farmers markets there are loaded with citrus, and we both have eaten (and cooked with, and juiced) huge amounts of citrus while on Kaua'i.

Here's what Johanna has to say about the magic of citrus:

‍"While all citrus is rich in Vitamin C, there are other health benefits that differ within the many citrus varieties. Grapefruits are actually quite rich in A, C, and E, which all support your immune system. They are also rich in antioxidants, even the peels! When making this salad, you might save the peels to bake with, or put them in some water in the fridge to create “spa water”. Perhaps you jumped on the hot lemon water trend and have noticed your skin has a bit of a glow? You might be able to thank your citrus for that! When cooking, acid can act as a tenderizer and help balance flavor. What better way to brighten your plate and mood than with some citrus?"

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Assorted citrus slices

Make It Your Own

One of the great things about this salad is its versatility. It could easily be a side dish, a brunch dish, or a holiday dish. Want to make it a meal? Add a bed of your favorite whole grain (farro would be delicious!) underneath, and top it with your grilled protein of choice. You can use whatever combination of citrus fruits you love, and can easily swap the other ingredients based on preferences or dietary restrictions (for example, almonds instead of pistachios).

The version of the salad shown here makes use of some of our favorites: white grapefruit, pink grapefruit, navel orange, blood orange, and kumquats. The grapefruits are sour, the navel orange is sweet, the blood orange is sweet but a bit more earthy, and the kumquats are tart (and oh so adorable). There are both yellow and orange carrots, for additional color. But you should use whatever combination you love; make this salad your own.

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Make Ahead Tips

Good news: this salad is easy to prepare in advance! You can cut up the citrus and cook the carrots a day in advance. Just keep the carrots and citrus in separate containers. When you're ready to serve, all you have to do is lay everything out on a platter and add the garnishes. I don't suggest assembling this salad in advance since the nuts will get soggy and the sprouts will wilt.

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Glazed Carrot and Citrus Salad garnished with sprouts and pistachios

Let's Talk Ingredients

Here's what you'll need for this recipe, as well as some thoughts, tips, and possible substitutions. If you make any substitutions, I'd love to hear about it in the comments section below.

  • Citrus! Anything you love. Options include various oranges, red or white grapefruits, pomelo, and kumquats. The more the merrier, so don't be afraid to load up your basket at the store with colorful fruits.
  • Carrots. If you can find them, a mixture of orange, yellow, and/or purple carrots is so pretty. Opt for the largest ones you can find, since you'll be cutting them into medallions.
  • Oil. Whatever you prefer to cook with; I suggest olive oil for this recipe.
  • Maple syrup. Optional. Using a bit of maple syrup will help your carrots caramelize more deeply, but feel free to leave it out if you want a version with no added sugar. The carrots will still develop some caramelization thanks to the sugars in the citrus juice.
  • Cumin
  • Salt and pepper
  • Sprouts. Sunflower sprouts? Radish sprouts? Whatever you can find is great, or use a mix like I've shown in these photos.
  • Pistachios. Or your preferred crunchy garnish of choice. Almonds would be great instead, or use sunflower seeds for a nut-free version.

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Glazing carrots in a skillet

Closing Thoughts

Doesn't this salad just make you happy?? I love its bright colors, zippy flavors, and delicate sweetness. Whether you're making it on a chilly winter day or for a sunny spring brunch, citrus is always a great choice.

Wishing you a fresh, juicy, and healthy citrus season!

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Glazed Carrot and Citrus Salad close-up

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Share It!

It makes me so happy to hear from you and see your creations! Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think about this recipe. If you post a photo on Instagram, hashtag #TheRogueBrusselSprout and tag me (@TheRogueBrusselSprout) in the post text so that I'm sure to see it.

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Suggested Pairings

Blackberry Limoncello Gin Smash

Loaded Lemon Hummus

Raw Fall Salad with Lemon-Pistachio Dukkah

Lemon Blueberry Thyme Pasta Salad

Blueberry Lemon Tahini Oat Flour Bundt Cake

Print it

Glazed Carrot and Citrus Salad

Bursting with Vitamin C, vibrant colors, and zippy flavors, this unexpected salad is sure to put a smile on your face. Enjoy it all winter and spring long, and even for a special spring brunch!

Author:
Lee

Ingredients

  • 3-5 citrus fruits of mixed type
  • 3-4 large carrots
  • Oil of choice for cooking
  • Splash of maple syrup
  • Generous sprinkle of cumin
  • Salt and pepper
  • Large handful of mixed sprouts
  • Handful of roasted, salted pistachios

Instructions

  1. For each piece of citrus (other than kumquats), cut the top and bottom off. Then, using a sharp, serrated knife, cut off the peel in strips from top to bottom.
  2. After removing the peels, take each citrus fruit and cut it into quarter-inch thick slices. Save any juice that accumulates, since you'll use it to glaze the carrots. Remove seeds as you encounter them.
  3. If you choose to use kumquats, they're easy because you can eat the peels! Just slice them very thinly and remove any large seeds.
  4. Choose your least pretty citrus slices (usually the end pieces) and squeeze them until you have about a quarter cup of mixed citrus juice. You can also use any juice that accumulated on your cutting board.
  5. Peel the carrots and slice them into medallions that are about a quarter-inch thick. Try to make sure they're all the same thickness so they cook at the same rate.
  6. Heat a large skillet and add a small dash of your cooking oil of choice.
  7. Lay the carrot medallions across the bottom of the skillet, making sure each has full contact with the skillet surface to facilitate browning.
  8. Cook the carrots over medium heat until the bottoms are browned, which will take 5-10 minutes. Then flip them and brown the other sides. Cook until all are lightly browned and tender.
  9. Decrease the heat to low and let the skillet cool for a couple minutes.
  10. Carefully pour the citrus juice into the skillet, and add in a splash of maple syrup along with it.
  11. Allow the liquid to cook down until it begins to caramelize on the carrots. Watch them carefully since you don't want the sugars to burn, which will occur once most of the liquid has evaporated.
  12. Turn off the heat and sprinkle the carrot slices with salt, pepper, and cumin, then allow the carrots to cool.
  13. On a serving platter, arrange the carrot slices and citrus slices how you like, then garnish with mixed sprouts and roasted pistachios.

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Leave a Comment

Please Share Your Thoughts!

Did you make this recipe? Did you make substitutions? How did you serve it? Any helpful tips? Please share your thoughts, since these insights are really useful to both me and to other readers.

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Pamela
April 13, 2023
Simple ingredients combine into a delicious salad that is absolutely stunning. The blending of citrus, cumin and maple syrup were magical. We made it into a meal by serving it with red quinoa and plant-based sausage. Bravo, this is a definite repeat!
Julie Ann
May 23, 2022
I'm totally bookmarking this delicious salad. I love glazed carrots, and especially combined with citrus fruits, sounds so amazing!
Tara
May 7, 2022
Yum!! I made this without the maple syrup since we try to avoid added sugar. The carrots didn't caramelize as deeply you've shown in the photos, but they still had some color and were delicious.
Carol
April 12, 2022
Wow love this idea. Excited to try this for our Easter brunch menu.

Aloha, I'm Lee

I love to create colorful, veggie-filled, seasonal dishes that celebrate the beauty and diversity of plants. Take a look around at all my favorite recipes, there's so much to explore here!

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