Roasted Carrot Salad
Arugula, blue cheese, dried cranberries, almond, and roasted carrots come together to create this delicious and fresh Roasted Carrot Salad.
Arugula, blue cheese, dried cranberries, almond, and roasted carrots come together to create this delicious and fresh Roasted Carrot Salad.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 3 cups arugula
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 pounds carrots (peeled and sliced diagonally)
- 1 package (4 ounces) danish blue cheese crumbled
- Carbohydrate 7.48177097067698 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 13.1450411369788 g
- Fiber 1.3980763640452 g
- Protein 1.87178124999435 g
- Saturated Fat 1.55760111468293 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (183g)
- Sodium 1.9165138893665 mg
- Sugar 6.08369460663178 g
- Trans Fat 0.499606111811608 g
- Calories 149 calories
Step-by-step
- Begin by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F.
- Mix together the carrots, almonds, and garlic on a baking sheet.
- Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Toss to coat and spread out in an even layer.
- Roast the carrots for about 30 minutes until they are soft and the edges start to turn brown.
- Stir them twice while roasting.
- Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature.
- Transfer the carrots to a large bowl.
- Drizzle with vinegar and honey.
- Toss to coat.
- Add the blue cheese, cranberries, and arugula.
- Mix gently to combine.
Ingredient lists rarely account for thermal mass. Tossing two pounds of dense root vegetables alongside sliced nuts on a single pan crowds the metal, which traps steam and prevents proper browning. Roasting at 400 degrees Fahrenheit requires a large baking sheet to ensure the carrots achieve caramelized edges rather than stewing in their own moisture. Strategic scaling demands attention to surface area, not just volume.
- Split the carrots and almonds across two baking sheets if scaling up past the two-pound mark to prevent overcrowding.
- Stir the pan every ten minutes during the 30-minute roasting window to promote even heat distribution.
- Allow the roasted components to cool completely before introducing the arugula, preventing the greens from wilting prematurely.
- Substitute cider vinegar with red wine vinegar at a strict one-to-one ratio if supplies run low.
Pair this robust salad with simple roasted pork tenderloin or pan-seared chicken thighs, where the protein benefits from the sharp contrast of aged blue cheese and tart dried fruit. Leftovers hold well in a sealed container for up to 48 hours once dressed.
