Roasted & Raw Carrot Salad with Avocado
Make Roasted & Raw Carrot Salad with Avocado: roasted sweetness, crisp raw rounds, and creamy avocado for a vibrant, shareable salad.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds carrots, divided
- 1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt
- 1 large or 2 small ripe avocado
- 4 tablespoons sunshine salad dressing
- ⅓ cup chopped green onion
- ⅓ cup torn fresh leafy herbs (basil, mint, dill and/or cilantro)
- ¾ teaspoon flaky sea salt or ½ teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (omit if sensitive to spice)
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat and prepare the baking sheet
Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper so the roasted carrots release easily and cleanup is simple. This small setup step keeps the oven-ready pan waiting while you move through the prep — nothing fancy, just a clean sheet of parchment on the matte white painted pine surface.
Step 2: Peel and reserve whole carrots
Peel all the carrots thoroughly so their skins are removed and the orange flesh looks clean and bright. From the batch, set aside three large, whole peeled carrots to be turned into ultra-thin rounds later; leave them intact on the painted pine surface so they read as raw, crisp elements in the composition.
Step 3: Slice and oil the roasting carrots
Cut the remaining carrots on a diagonal into pieces roughly ½" thick and 1½" long so they develop broad caramelized edges when roasted. Toss these pieces on the prepared parchment-lined sheet with 1 to 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil — just enough to lightly coat — and sprinkle lightly with salt. Arrange the pieces in a single, even layer so each one can brown evenly.
Step 4: Roast until deeply golden
Slide the sheet into the hot oven and roast the carrots for about 25 to 30 minutes, tossing once halfway through, until the pieces are tender and the edges are turning a deep, golden-brown with slightly blistered tips. Remove them and let them rest briefly so the sugars set into a glossy, caramelized surface.
Step 5: Ice-bathe the thin rounds, then combine
While the other carrots roast, slice the three reserved carrots into paper-thin rounds — as thin as you possibly can — and place them in a clear bowl filled with cold water and a handful of ice cubes to snap them crisp. When the roasted carrots are ready, arrange the hot pieces across a large, dark oval serving platter, drain the carrot rounds well, and scatter the chilled, translucent rounds over the warm roasted pieces so you have a mix of soft, caramelized texture and bright, crunchy rounds.
Step 6: Add the avocado in two textures
Halve the avocado(s), remove the pit(s), and work with the fruit in two ways: thinly slice half of the avocado and use a spoon to gently lift the slices into graceful fan shapes arranged in sections over the salad; dice the remaining avocado and tuck the cubes around the platter so you have both silky fans and pillowy dices distributed across the carrots.
Step 7: Dress, finish, and serve promptly
Drizzle the sunshine salad dressing lightly in spoonfuls over the composed salad so small glossy droplets sit on the carrots and avocado. Scatter the chopped green onion and torn leafy herbs (basil, mint, dill and/or cilantro) for bright green flecks, then finish with flaky sea salt, a pinch of red pepper flakes if using, and a few turns of freshly ground black pepper. Serve promptly so the avocado stays fresh and vibrant.
Notes
- Keep roasted carrots and avocado separate until serving to preserve texture.
- Use a rimmed baking sheet and avoid overcrowding for best caramelization.
- Slice three carrots paper-thin and ice-bathe them for crisp contrast.
- Use ripe but firm avocados to hold shape when slicing and dicing.
- Reheat roasted carrots gently in a 350°F oven for 5 to 8 minutes.