Welcome to a taste of nostalgia with this classic Carrot Salad with Cheese and Egg! A staple in many Eastern European households, this salad is celebrated for its simplicity, vibrant color, and bold, comforting flavors. It's the kind of dish that brings back memories of family gatherings and quick, satisfying lunches. The combination of sweet raw carrots, savory cheese, hearty eggs, and a punchy garlic-mayonnaise dressing is simply irresistible. It's easy to make, budget-friendly, and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
Carrot salad with cheese and egg
Ingredients for Carrot Salad with Cheese and Egg
- 400 g raw carrots
- 4 hard-boiled chicken eggs
- 80 g cheese
- 4 cloves of garlic
- small bunch of parsley
- 60 g Provansal mayonnaise (a popular, tangy Russian-style mayonnaise)
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
How to Make Carrot Salad with Cheese and Egg
Peel and grate the carrots on a large vegetable grater.
Add the grated cheese.
Finely chop the hard-boiled eggs and add them to the other ingredients.
Soak the carrots and wash them thoroughly with a brush. Scrape or peel them, then grate on a large vegetable grater. Here’s a simple trick to make the carrots softer: sprinkle them with a pinch of salt and knead them well with your hands. Just remember to wear rubber gloves, as the carotene in the carrots will stain your fingers orange. It can be tricky to wash off this natural dye; only citric acid seems to help.
Add the grated cheese. There’s no need to use a fancy cheese for this salad; a simple, semi-soft, creamy cheese will do. For a budget-friendly option, a processed cheese like ‘Druzhba’ (a popular post-Soviet brand, its name means “Friendship”) or similar types will work perfectly.
Place the eggs in a pot with cold water and bring to a boil. After 10 minutes, turn off the heat, drain the hot water, and cool the eggs in cold water. Eggs cooked this way are delicious, with a yellow and soft yolk and a perfectly cooked white. Finely chop the hard-boiled eggs and add them to the other ingredients.
The amount of garlic is to your taste.
Add chopped parsley to the salad; you can also add dill or cilantro.
Season the salad with mayonnaise.
Peel the garlic cloves and pass them through a garlic press, or crush them with a knife and mince finely until almost a paste. The amount of garlic is up to you. I like a well-seasoned salad with a bold flavor, so I add about one clove per serving.
Finely chop a small bunch of parsley. Add the chopped parsley to the salad; you can also add dill or cilantro.
Season the salad with mayonnaise. Mix thoroughly and taste. If needed, add a little more salt, keeping in mind that the cheese and mayonnaise are already salty, and the carrots have been lightly salted too!
Place the carrot salad with cheese and egg in a salad bowl. Garnish with a hard-boiled egg, a parsley leaf, and sprinkle with ground black pepper.
Transfer the carrot salad with cheese and egg to a salad bowl. Garnish with a slice of hard-boiled egg, a parsley leaf, and a sprinkle of ground black pepper. Let it chill in the refrigerator before serving, as carrot salad tastes best when cold.
And there you have it—a simple yet incredibly satisfying Carrot Salad with Cheese and Egg that's ready to be enjoyed! This salad is best served chilled, allowing the flavors to meld together beautifully. For a twist, try adding a handful of chopped walnuts for extra crunch or a few raisins for a touch of sweetness. It's a fantastic side dish for roasted meats or a simple main course with a slice of rustic bread. We hope this recipe brings a little bit of warmth and deliciousness to your kitchen. Enjoy!
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