I rarely post side dishes because I’m usually bee-lining it to the big TA-DA of the meal (i.e. the meatloaf, the steak, the taco, etc). But when I made this zippy carrot salad to accompany the chicken shawarma pitas we grilled up recently – I was INTO IT.

The lemon and parsley balance the sweetness of the carrots and the golden raisins, while the cumin brings a hint of spice and heat. This was definitely a new-to-me taste for carrots and I really dug it.

This recipe is so easy to make, is great for summer since you can serve it room-temp or chilled and the flavors are fabulous – what more could ya want? 😀

I got this recipe from the wonderful recipe hub at The New York Times, but changed things up a smidge. I hope you give this a go and LOVE it as much as I do – it honestly makes me actually crave carrots!

Servings: 4-6 side servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients
1 lb carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
3 to 4 tbs extra virgin olive oil (to taste)
2 large minced garlic cloves
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
3 tbs fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 feta crumbles for topping (forgot this in the photos! d’oh!)

Add 1-2 inches of water to a large pot (low enough that a steamer sitting in the pot will not touch the water). Get this water boiling, then place the steamer holding the carrots into the pot. Cover and steam for about 8 minutes, until tender. Remove from the heat, rinse with cold water, drain well and set aside.

Next, heat 2 tbs of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and add the cumin and garlic. Cook this for about one minute, until the garlic smells fragrant. Then add the carrots to the skillet and stir everything together so that the carrots are well-coated in the olive oil sauce – stir for a minute over medium heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat.

Finally, add the lemon juice, remaining olive oil, parsley and raisins to the carrots. Allow the carrots to cool to room temperature or stick in the fridge until ready to serve. Prior to serving top the dish with feta crumbles and then serve up!