WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Carrots chopped in the food processor create a delicately crunchy, light-textured base for our carrot salad. It’s a lovely change of pace from the more typical shredded, slaw-style cut that is often called for in carrot-based salads. The food processor broke down the carrots in seconds. We added contrasting flavor and texture to the carrots with lots of fresh mint (chopped by hand to avoid overprocessing the leaves in the food processor), pomegranate seeds, and toasted pistachios. A bright dressing bound it all together. We prefer the convenience and the hint of bitterness that leaving the carrots unpeeled lends to this salad; just be sure to scrub the carrots well before using them.

Serves 4 to 6

Total time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• ¾ cup shelled pistachios, toasted
• 1 pound carrots, unpeeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup pomegranate seeds
• ½ cup minced fresh mint
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Salt and pepper
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

PREPARATION

1. Pulse pistachios in a food processor until coarsely chopped, 10 to 12 pulses; transfer to a small bowl.
2. Whisk oil, lemon juice, honey, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, paprika, and cayenne in a large bowl until combined.
3. Process carrots in now-empty processor until finely chopped, 10 to 20 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
4. Transfer carrots to the bowl with dressing.
5. Add ½ cup pomegranate seeds, mint, and half of pistachios and toss to combine.
6. Season with salt to taste.
7. Transfer to serving platter, sprinkle with remaining pomegranate seeds and pistachios, and serve.

VARIATIONS

• CHOPPED CARROT SALAD WITH FENNEL, ORANGE, AND HAZELNUTS:
  Substitute toasted and skinned hazelnuts for pistachios. Omit paprika, cayenne, and pomegranate seeds. Substitute ¼ teaspoon grated orange zest plus ⅓ cup juice and 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar for lemon juice. Substitute chives for mint, saving ¼ cup to use as garnish. Before processing carrots, pulse 1 fennel bulb, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces, in food processor until coarsely chopped, 10 to 12 pulses, then add to
  dressing.

• CHOPPED CARROT SALAD WITH RADISHES AND SESAME SEEDS:
  Omit pistachios. Substitute 3 tablespoons vegetable oil and 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil for olive oil. Substitute rice vinegar for lemon juice and 1½ teaspoons Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru) for paprika, cayenne and pepper. Increase honey to 2 tablespoons and salt to 1¼ teaspoons. Before processing carrots, pulse 8 ounces radishes, trimmed and halved, in food processor until coarsely but evenly chopped, 10 to 12 pulses; add to dressing. Substitute ¼ cup toasted sesame seeds for pomegranate seeds and cilantro for mint.