Ina Garten Maple-Roasted Carrot Salad

Ina Garten maple-roasted carrot salad is an easy salad made with caramelized carrots, peppery arugula and creamy goat cheese, ready in 1 hour. Save this make-ahead lunch salad for Thanksgiving, potluck or spring brunch, because the carrots roast on a sheet pan and the rest is just tossing.

Spread the carrots over two sheet pans so they roast instead of steaming, because crowded carrots turn soft and pale. Skip that and you lose the caramelized edges that make this salad so good.

Ina Garten calls this possibly her favorite salad ever, and it comes from her book Cooking for Jeffrey (2016). She simmers the cranberries in orange juice and tosses them in with their liquid, so the dressing picks up a citrus sweetness.

Source: Cooking for Jeffrey (2016)

Ina Garten Maple-Roasted Carrot Salad

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Course: SaladCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

35

minutes

Calories

520

kcal

Carrots roast until tender, then get glazed with maple syrup until the edges caramelize. Tossed with arugula, plump cranberries, goat cheese and salty almonds, they make a salad with sweet, peppery and creamy bites in every forkful.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds carrots, preferably with leafy tops
  

• Good olive oil
  

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  

• 1/4 cup pure Grade A maple syrup
  

• 2/3 cup dried cranberries
  

• 2/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (2 oranges)
  

• 3 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
  

• 2 garlic cloves, grated on a Microplane
  

• 6 ounces baby arugula
  

• 6 ounces goat cheese, such as Montrachet, medium-diced
  

• 2/3 cup roasted, salted Marcona almonds
  

Directions

• Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 425°F. That way it is fully hot by the time the carrots go in.
• Cut the carrots: Trim and scrub 2 pounds of carrots, halving any that are thicker than 1 inch lengthwise. Then cut them into large diagonal slices about 1 inch wide and 2 inches long, since they shrink as they roast.
• Season the carrots: Toss the carrots in a bowl with 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Then spread them over two sheet pans, because one crowded pan makes them steam.
• Roast the carrots: Roast the carrots for 20 minutes, tossing once, until they are tender. Then move them all to one sheet pan.
• Glaze with maple syrup: Add 1/4 cup maple syrup to the carrots, toss, and roast for 10 to 15 minutes until the edges caramelize. Watch them closely, then toss with a metal spatula and let them cool for 10 minutes.
• Plump the cranberries: While the carrots roast, combine 2/3 cup dried cranberries and 2/3 cup fresh orange juice in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Then set them aside for 10 minutes so they soften.
• Make the vinaigrette: Combine 3 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar, 2 grated garlic cloves and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Then whisk in 3 tablespoons olive oil.
• Toss and serve: Put 6 ounces baby arugula in a large bowl, then add the carrots, cranberries with their liquid, 6 ounces diced goat cheese and 2/3 cup Marcona almonds. Pour over the vinaigrette, toss with large spoons, sprinkle with salt, and serve at room temperature.

Tools for this recipe

• Nordic Ware half sheet pan, Microplane zester grater, Cuisinart MultiClad Pro 3-quart saucepan, Butternut Mountain Farm pure Vermont maple syrup, 32 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I make this carrot salad ahead of time?

Yes, but only part of it. The cranberries and the vinaigrette can be prepared a day early and kept in the fridge. Roast the carrots and toss everything together right before you eat so the arugula stays crisp.

What can I use instead of goat cheese?

Crumbled feta works well because it is also tangy and salty. Blue cheese is a bolder swap that pairs nicely with the maple and orange. The creamy, sharp bite is what balances the sweet carrots.

Can I use regular almonds instead of Marcona almonds?

Roasted, salted almonds are the closest swap, though they are a little crunchier and less buttery. If yours are unsalted, add a pinch of salt over the finished salad.

Why do my carrots turn out soft instead of caramelized?

Crowding is the usual cause. When carrots are piled on one pan they steam in their own moisture, so use two pans for the first roast. Then the maple syrup roast browns the edges.

How should I store leftovers?

Dressed arugula wilts quickly, so this salad is best eaten right away. If you have leftovers, keep them in the fridge and eat them within a day. For the best result, store the carrots and the greens separately.