Carrot and Bell Pepper Salad

Whenever I was lucky enough to go to Luigi’s Restaurant, a one-hundred-year-old institution in Bakersfield, I always loved to order the marinated carrots they served with their antipasto setup. The carrots had just the right bite—both in texture and in spiciness. Luigi’s secret was to quickly parboil carrot sticks and then marinate them in the leftover brine from bottled pepperoncinis. They are a great addition to picnic baskets or appetizer trays.

The carrot and bell pepper salad I made a few days ago reminded me of Luigi’s recipe. However, in addition to the zingy, bright orange carrots, it has the beautiful colors of red and green bell peppers. I think it is a great dish for springtime meals, and you can put it together well ahead of time.

This recipe is adapted from one by Abby Mandel that appeared in “Terrific Vegetable Dishes” in the March 1986 issue of Bon Appétit. Mandel suggests using a food processor to slice the carrots into ¼ inch rounds as well as the red and green bell peppers and red onion into slices of the same size.

I decided to cut the carrots by hand into small sticks so that their shape mimicked that of the bell peppers.

I also downsized the onion profile, choosing to use one medium shallot in very thin slices instead of half of a red onion.

The dressing for this salad is quite simple, blending vinegar, a small amount of sugar, coriander, and salt. It contains no oil at all, which surprised me. We didn’t miss the oil, and we really loved the salad.

Whether you’re planning a spring celebration or a simple weeknight soup supper, this salad can be a great addition to the menu. It is colorful and healthy and delicious–what a great combination.

The photo below shows the salad two days after it was made.  It retained its crunchiness and great flavors.

Carrot and Bell Pepper Salad

Dawn Dobie

A colorful marinated salad of crunchy carrots and peppers

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

For the vegetables

• 5 carrots (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into ¼ x 3 inch sticks
• 1 red bell pepper cored and seeded, cut into ¼ inch slices
• 1 green bell pepper cored and seeded, cut into ¼ inch slices
• 1 shallot peeled and cut into very thin slices

For the dressing

• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground dried coriander
• ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

 

For the vegetables

• Steam the carrot sticks for 3-5 minutes, until just crisp tender.
• Transfer carrot sticks to iced water and allow to cool quickly.
• Drain well, using paper towels if necessary to remove extra moisture.
• Combine the carrots, bell pepper slices, and sliced shallot. Mix well.

For the dressing

• Combine the vinegar, sugar, coriander, and salt in a small bowl, mixing well, until the sugar dissolves.
• Pour vinegar solution over carrot mixture, tossing to distribute dressing evenly. Allow to sit for at least one hour for flavors to meld.

Notes

Can be made up to 3 days ahead of serving.
Refrigerate (covered) in a container that has a wide base so that vegetables have as much contact with dressing as possible. Stir when you remember to.

Adapted from Abby Mandel in Bon Appétit (March 1986)