Low Calorie French Shredded Carrot Salad

This simple and delicious French carrot salad is made from shredded carrots tossed in a simple lemon dressing. It is a light and healthy, low calorie alternative without mayonnaise that is a cinch to make, keeps well, and is good for you.

Just one taste and you’ll begin to understand how French women manage to stay slim while enjoying delicious food!

My sister inspired me to try this raw shredded carrot salad. So if like her you hate cooked carrots be sure to give it a try.

How Many Calories and WW Points in Shredded Carrot Salad?

According to my calculations each serving has just 75 calories.

To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)

2 PointsPlus (Old plan)

Ingredients

• Fresh lemon juice – Bright and zesty, lemon juice is the star of the dressing. No lemon? Try fresh lime juice or even a splash of apple cider vinegar.
• Shredded raw carrots – Provide sweetness, crunch, and a beautiful orange hue. Any variety works. Yellow or purple carrots are fun, too.
• Olive oil – Adds a touch of richness to balance the acidity and sweetness. No olive oil? Avocado oil works well, or skip it for an oil-free version.
• Sugar – Just enough to mellow the tang and enhance the natural sweetness of the veggies. No sugar? Substitute honey, maple syrup, agave or your favorite non calorie sweetener.
• Mustard – Adds a subtle tang and depth that balances the sweetness of the sugar and the acidity of the lemon juice. It keeps the dressing from tasting flat while helping to emulsify it.
• Parsley and/or chives – Brightens up the salad and balances the sweetness. No parsley or chives? Fresh mint, cilantro, or dill can also work. Or skip it if you are out.
• Salt and pepper – Heightens the flavors. Add to taste.

Recipe Notes

I slightly adapted this simple French shredded carrot salad, Carrottes Rapees, from one of my latest cookbook acquisitions, The Bonne Femme Cookbook: Simple, Splendid Food That French Women Cook Every Day (affiliate link), from Wine Moranville.

I used only 1 tablespoon of olive oil—instead of 2. This decreased the calories by more than 100.

We all loved it so it’s going into my regular rotation salad and vegetable rotation. Enjoy!

How to Make Shredded Carrot Salad Step by Step

Step 1 – Assemble and Prep Your Ingredients

1/2 pound carrots, peeled and grated into long thin strips (about 3 cups) and placed in a large bowl.

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, chives or a combination
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Step 2 – Make the Lemon Dressing

In a small bowl (affiliate link), whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, sugar and mustard until well blended.

Step 3 – Assemble the Shredded Carrot Salad

Pour the dressing over the carrots. Add the parsley and/or chives. Season to taste with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Taste and adjust the seasonings to suit your tastes. (You may want a little more lemon juice, mustard, salt or pepper.)

Chill the salad for at least 30 minutes to give the flavors a chance to blend and toss again before serving.

Recipe Variations

This shredded carrot salad can be changed in a multitude of ways to suit your tastes:

• Substitute honey, maple syrup or your favorite sweetener for the sugar.
• Substitute mayonnaise for the olive oil.
• Add thinly sliced fennel and/or radish.
• Substitute fresh cilantro or dill for the parsley.
• Add some thinly sliced green onion/scallion.
• Add a sprinkling of sunflower seeds.
• Add a handful of golden raisins, dried cranberries or chopped dates.
• Add shredded or chopped apple.
• Add chopped nuts such as pistachios or walnuts.

If you like this simple recipe for French carrot salad, be sure to check out my other low calorie Weight Watchers friendly carrot recipes including Weight Watchers Carrot Salad with Raisins & Walnuts, Simple Shredded Beet & Carrot Salad with Lemon Honey Dressing, Slow Cooker Curried Carrot Soup, Easy Carrot Apple Slaw, Slow Cooker Carrots with Apple Glaze and Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal

If you’ve made this shredded carrot salad, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

Source: The Bonne Femme Cookbook: Simple, Splendid Food That French Women Cook Every Day (affiliate link)

Health Benefits of Carrots

It turns out Bugs Bunny was right, chomping on carrots is a good thing to do for your health. Watch this video to find out about 10 amazing health benefits of carrots…

They are full of fiber, vitamin C, and beta-carotene, which your body converts into vitamin A, a nutrient essential for supporting healthy skin and night vision.

Carrots are richer in carotenoids than any other vegetable too.

Because beta-carotene is fat soluble, it’s best to eat them with a little healthy oil so your body can more fully absorb the nutrients, making this French carrot salad recipe a naturally delicious and healthy choice.

For more great delicious carrot recipes, check out the blogs of these fabulous food-blogging ladies who are participating in the 38 Power Foods group:

More Low Calorie Weight Watchers Recipes with Carrots You Might Like

• Spiralized Carrot Salad with Lemon & Dijon (SkinnyTaste)
• Spicy Carrot Salad (SnackGirl)
• Roasted Beet & Carrot Salad with Feta Cheese (LaaLoosh)
• Jicama & Carrot Slaw with Honey-Lime Dressing (Cookin’Canuck)