Carrot Arugula Salad with Fig, Goat Cheese & Avocado
Beautiful carrot arugula salad with sweet dried figs, tangy goat cheese, creamy avocado and crunchy walnuts. Drizzle this fresh arugula and carrot salad with a flavorful maple tahini dressing for a wonderful lunch or easy side dish! Options to grill or roast the carrots for ease.
Servings 4 servings
Calories 421cal
Ingredients
- For the carrots:
- 4 large carrots, cut in half vertically and stems/tops removed
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- Freshly ground salt and pepper
- For the salad:
- 5 ounces baby arugula
- ¾ cup dried fig halves
- ⅓ cup walnuts halves and pieces
- ⅓ cup goat cheese crumbles
- 1 avocado, sliced
- ½ cup roasted chickpeas (optional, for extra protein)
- Maple Tahini Dressing:
- ¼ cup drippy tahini (I always use Soom Tahini)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1-2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2-3 tablespoons warm water, to thin out a bit
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Add vertically cut carrots to a large bowl or a platter and drizzle with avocado oil then season with freshly ground salt and pepper. Use tongs or clean hands to coat the carrots with the oil.
- Preheat the grill to medium high heat (about 400 degrees F) and grill the carrots for 15-25 minutes total or until slightly tender, flipping halfway through. Please note, if you don’t want to grill your carrots, you can roast them at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes or until tender on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Toast walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally until toasted and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
- While the carrots are cooking you can make your dressing: in a medium bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, dijon, garlic powder, water (1 tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency) and salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Add arugula to a large platter (or you can keep it in a large bowl) and then layer with the toppings: grilled carrots, dried fig halves, toasted walnuts, goat cheese crumbles, avocado slices, and roasted chickpeas (if using).
- Drizzle tahini dressing all over the top and season with freshly ground salt and pepper. Divide into bowls and enjoy! Salad keeps well for 2-4 days. Serves 4 as a main and 6 as a side salad.
Notes
To roast the carrots: add the carrots to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast them at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes or until tender.
If you’re not into a tahini dressing, I suggest my simple light maple apple cider vinaigrette for this salad. You can toss it with the arugula first or simply place it on the side and have guests drizzle over their salad before serving: 3 tablespoons olive oil, 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey and freshly ground salt and pepper to taste.
See the full post for delicious & easy ways to customize your salad!
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving (based on 4) | Calories: 421cal | Carbohydrates: 32.8g | Protein: 11.7g | Fat: 28.7g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Fiber: 5.9g | Sugar: 20.5g