Moroccan Beet and Carrot Salad

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Embark on a culinary journey to North Africa with this vibrant Moroccan Beet and Carrot Salad! Moroccan cuisine is famous for its masterful blend of sweet and savory flavors, and this salad is a perfect example. Crisp, raw beets and carrots are beautifully balanced with the natural sweetness of dates and dried apricots, while a medley of aromatic spices like cumin, cinnamon, and a hint of spicy adjika adds a warm, exotic kick. This refreshing, healthy, and incredibly flavorful salad is a feast for the senses, perfect for brightening up any meal.

A bowl of freshly made Moroccan beet and carrot salad, garnished and ready to eat.

Moroccan beet and carrot salad

Cooking: 15 minutes
Quantity: 3 Servings
Per serving
Calories: 284 kcal
Proteins: 3 g
Fats: 10 g
Carbohydrates: 50 g

Ingredients for Moroccan Beet and Carrot Salad

  • 200 g beets
  • 200 g carrots
  • 4 dates
  • 4 dried apricots
  • 1/2 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon green chili adjika (a spicy chili paste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • nutmeg
  • 2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
  • sea salt to taste

How to Make Moroccan Beet and Carrot Salad

Close-up of hands grating a peeled raw beet on a box grater.

Grating the peeled beets on a coarse vegetable grater.

Grated beets in a bowl, being rinsed with water to reduce color bleeding.

Pouring cold boiled water over the grated beets and letting it sit for a couple of minutes.

Grated beets being drained in a white colander over a sink.

Draining the washed beets in a colander.


Thoroughly wash the raw beets with a brush and peel them. Grate the peeled beets on a coarse vegetable grater. To protect your hands, wear thin rubber gloves.

Pour cold boiled water over the grated beets and let them sit for a couple of minutes. You can skip soaking the beets in water. I do this to wash away the beet juice, which stains everything around it, including the carrots.

Drain the washed beets in a colander and leave them for a while to let the water drain completely.

Grated beets in a glass bowl being mixed with freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Mixing the beets with lemon juice.

Squeeze the juice from half a lemon. Strain it to prevent seeds from getting into the salad. Mix the beets with the lemon juice.

A hand grating a fresh carrot on a coarse grater into a bowl.

Grating the carrots on a coarse grater.

Dates and dried apricots in a bowl being rinsed with hot water.

Thoroughly washing the dates and dried apricots, then scalding them with boiling water.

Sprinkling ground cinnamon and sea salt into the bowl with grated vegetables.

Adding ground cinnamon and sea salt to taste.


Wash the carrots with a brush and peel them with a vegetable peeler. Grate the carrots on a coarse grater. Add the grated carrots to the salad.

Pit the dates. Thoroughly wash the dates and dried apricots, then scald them with boiling water. Finely chop the dried fruits and add them to the salad. Always wash dried fruits well, as it’s unknown how they were stored or what they were treated with.

Season the salad. Finely grate the nutmeg; you’ll need 1/4 of a small nut or slightly less. Add ground cinnamon and sea salt to your taste. Add a teaspoon of hot adjika (a spicy chili paste) made from green chili peppers.

Adding freshly ground cumin from a mortar into the salad bowl.

Adding the ground cumin to the salad.

Toast the cumin seeds in a dry skillet until the first wisp of smoke appears. Grind the cumin in a mortar and pestle. Add the ground cumin to the salad.

Pouring olive oil from a bottle into the salad bowl to create the dressing.

Pouring 2 tablespoons of olive or vegetable oil.

Adding a spoonful of honey to the Moroccan beet and carrot salad before mixing.

Adding honey and mixing the salad thoroughly.

A covered bowl of Moroccan salad being placed in the refrigerator to marinate.

Refrigerating the salad for 2-3 hours.


Pour in 2 tablespoons of olive or vegetable oil. For one serving of salad, 15g of oil is sufficient. If you are watching your weight and counting calories, reduce the amount of oil to 5-10g per serving.

Add the honey and mix the salad thoroughly. If the honey has crystallized and is very thick, place it in a small bowl and heat it over a water bath. The honey will soften and melt right before your eyes.

Refrigerate the salad for 2-3 hours. This allows the vegetables to marinate and absorb the lemon juice and aromatic spices.

A serving of the finished Moroccan beet and carrot salad in a decorative bowl.

The Moroccan beet and carrot salad is delicious on its own, even without bread.

This Moroccan beet and carrot salad is delicious on its own, even without bread. Alternatively, serve it as a side dish with a main course of meat, chicken, or fish.

We hope you enjoy the bright and exotic flavors of this Moroccan Beet and Carrot Salad! It's a wonderful way to experience the rich tapestry of Moroccan cuisine right in your own kitchen. For the best taste, let the salad marinate for a few hours to allow the flavors to meld together beautifully. Serve it as a refreshing appetizer, a side dish to grilled meats or couscous, or simply enjoy it on its own for a light and healthy lunch. Feel free to experiment with other additions like toasted nuts or fresh mint. Bon appétit!