This recipe is dedicated to one of our favorite underrated kitchen tools. It’s cheap, easy to find, and pretty grate (😉) at making salads more fun to eat—and also super filling.
A box grater is our secret for making next-level lunches by turning even dense vegetables into pretty ribbons and strands that are delicious to eat raw. Sure you could use a food processor to do the same thing, but the box grater is cheaper, easier to clean, and requires no assembly. It’s got two sides for shredding, one for slicing, and one for grating. It’s a star at shredding tofu for quick stir-frys, grating tomatoes for some summery Spanish tomato toast (pan con tomate), or readying veggies for anything from hash browns to carrot cake.
We turn to the box grater the most when we want to throw together a quick salad that doesn’t revolve around leafy (prone to wilting) greens. Certain roots and veggies, like beets and carrots, are hearty enough to be the main ingredient, and they hold up really well in heat. These bowls of not-greens also get better as they sit, so they’re perfect for meal prepping or packing for a picnic. Our favorite version is one of those recipes you could easily make for yourself, but the finished product can be impressive enough to make for a dinner party.
Serving the salad on a bed of butter bean hummus helps transform the dish from a simple side to a proper meal. We also like to toss in leftover quinoa whenever we have it. If you happen to have some, add it. If not, the salad will still taste great.
Carrot-Beet Salad with Dates and Pistachios
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons orange juice*
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon harissa paste, optional*
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 large carrots, scrubbed and coarsely grated
- 2 medium beets, peeled and coarsely grated
- 1 cup cooked quinoa, optional
- ⅓ cups medjool dates, pitted and diced*
- ½ cup loosely packed mint, basil, or cilantro, finely chopped
- Hummus, for serving
- ¼ cup chopped pistachios, for garnish
Procedure:
- In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, orange juice, honey, harissa paste (if using), cinnamon, cumin, and salt. Add the carrots and beets and stir to evenly coat. Stir in the quinoa (if using), dates, and herbs.
- To serve, spread some hummus on the bottom of a plate and mound the salad on top. Top with pistachios.
Notes and Substitutions:
- Any citrus juice will work in this dressing, so use what you’ve got! Similarly, you can sub the dates with any other dried fruit you like; golden raisins or dried apricots would work nicely.
- Store-bought harissa pastes range in spice level, so adjust according to your preferences. We start with ½ teaspoon and build up. NY Shuk makes our favorite harissa, but if you don’t have any you can add ¼ teaspoon each of smoked paprika and chili powder.
- If you make tofu feta and have some extra, it makes a great addition. Plus you’ll get a little more protein in the mix.
