Korean Carrot Salad

You'll never want to make a different salad again once you try this delicious Korean carrot salad recipe! It's marinated overnight to develop a rich depth of flavor, with minimal ingredients and steps required! And after testing this recipe several times, I've found the perfect balance of salty, savory, acidic, and sweet flavors.

The name of this dish may be a bit deceiving, because Korean carrot salad isn't actually from Korea. And if you take a look at the ingredients, you'll notice that they don't look like common staples used in Korean cuisine. This dish actually originated in the former Soviet Union. So why's it called "Korean" carrot salad if it's geographically more of a Russian carrot salad?

When immigrants from Korea who moved to the former Soviet Union couldn’t find the ingredients to make kimchi, they made this tasty Korean carrot salad (called Morkovcha) as a substitute. That’s why the ingredients don’t contain many Korean-inspired foods. 

For example, coriander seeds are a popular spice used in Russia. Their unique flavor and aroma make them a staple ingredient in many Russian recipes. However, you'd be hard-pressed to find them mentioned in a traditional Korean recipe.

The political climate around the time this dish originated greatly influenced the foods people ate. In fact, when I make this dish, I like to use it as a sort of interactive history lesson.

Hungry for more tasty Korean-fusion dishes? Try my spicy gochujang pasta, shredded Korean chicken tacos, or beef bulgogi lettuce wraps!

Ingredients and Notes

• Carrots - I find it much easier to shred large carrots, rather than baby carrots.
• Kosher salt - If you're substituting table salt for kosher salt, use about a half teaspoon table salt.
• Granulated sugar
• Coriander powder
• Cayenne pepper - Adds just a little kick of spicy heat; you can omit it or replace it with paprika if you aren't a spicy-fan.
• Apple cider vinegar - You can also use white vinegar or rice vinegar instead. 
• Olive oil - You can cook the onion and garlic in sunflower oil or avocado oil instead, but I find that olive oil gives it the best flavor and texture once it's been refrigerated.
• Red onion
• Garlic
• Cilantro

How to Make Spicy Korean Carrot Salad

These are the general steps to make this tasty salad. For the full step-by-step instructions and ingredient measurements, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post

1. Peel and shred or julienne the carrots.

2. Toss the shredded carrots in a bowl with the salt, sugar, coriander powder, cayenne pepper, and apple cider vinegar. Mix it well to combine everything. Set aside.

3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the diced red onion and one pinch of kosher salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions have softened and turned golden brown, after about 10 minutes.

4. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring, for one more minute.

5. Remove the skillet from the heat and allow the onion and garlic to cool to room temperature.

6. Mix the onion and garlic with the shredded carrots.

7. Allow to chill in the fridge for at least two hours. For the best flavor, allow the carrots to marinate in the fridge overnight, for at least 6 hours.

Recipe Tips

• For the best flavor, allow your Korean carrot salad to marinate overnight in the fridge for 8 to 12 hours. This will allow the marinade to soak into the carrots and develop a rich flavor. 
• Instead of dicing the red onions, you could cut them into thin strips to match the shape of the carrots. For tips on how to slice, dice, and cut food, check out my essential knife skills post.
• If you enjoy spicy food, try adding a tablespoon (or more) of gochujang to the carrot marinade.
• Optional: top with toasted sesame seeds for another layer of crunchy texture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Korean carrot salad served cold?

This is a savory vegetable salad, and it's best served cold. It tastes great on its own as an appetizer or snack. And it pairs well with both warm and cold food as a side dish.

What is the difference between shredded carrots and grated carrots?

Shredded carrots are thin, long strips. Grated carrots are finer and look more like crumbs or rice.

What is the difference between shredded carrots and julienned carrots?

Julienne carrots are basically what you get when you shred carrots by hand. You can often get longer strips, and they're sometimes thicker than carrots shredded with the help of a food processor or mandolin.

How to Julienne Carrots

The fancy way of shredding carrots into long strips is to “julienne” them. But you don’t need to buy an extra kitchen gadget for this.

Option 1: You can feed the peeled carrots through a food process with a shredding attachment. This is probably the fastest method.

Option 2: If you have a mandolin, you can use that to julienne your carrots. Watch your fingers around the sharp blade!

Option 3: Use a vegetable peeler to peel the carrots down to the core, then use a sharp kitchen knife to slice them into thinner strips that are about 2 to 3 inches long. This method takes the longest, but it’s also the simplest, since it just requires a vegetable peeler and a knife.

Storing

Store leftover carrot salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Serve straight from the fridge, since this salad is served cold rather than warm.

What to Serve with Carrot Salad?

• Spicy Peanut Butter Noodles
• Watermelon Tuna Poke
• Vegan Beet Poke
• Salmon Sushi Bake
• Miso Butter Salmon
• Pesto Butter Salmon
• Bulgogi Chicken