Moroccan Roasted Carrot and Date Salad With Honey Dressing

This warmly spiced fall salad of roasted carrots, jammy dates, and peppery greens is tied together with a bright honey–vinegar dressing.

By Nargisse Benkabbou
Published November 12, 2025
A roasted carrot and date salad with seeds on a bed of greens served in a wide bowl with a fork

Serious Eats / Lorena Masso

Why It Works

  • Staggered roasting gives the carrots time to caramelize before the dates go in, so everything is evenly cooked and flavorful.
  • Letting the roasted carrots and dates cool briefly before tossing the salad prevents the arugula from wilting, ensuring the salad stays fresh.

This roasted carrot and date salad proves that a few pantry staples—spices, vinegar, and something sweet—can turn humble vegetables into a dish worthy of the spotlight. With its warm spices and jewel-toned color, it feels right at home on any fall table, whether you’re roasting chicken on a Tuesday or setting out a holiday spread.

My recipe below draws inspiration from classic Moroccan carrot salads, where cumin, coriander, paprika, and vinegar season tender boiled carrots. Here, that same flavor base is reimagined through roasting, the cooking method I prefer to draw out the carrots' natural sweetness and to give the dates a bit of char and chew. 

Salad with roasted carrots dates seeds on greens with a fork

Serious Eats / Lorena Masso

The roasting itself happens in two stages: The carrots start in the oven first, as they need more time to soften and caramelize than the dates do. The dates are delicate and quick to burn, so they are added only near the end. This ensures the carrots become golden and sweet, while the dates turn sticky and jammy. A splash of white vinegar in the roasting mix is another nod to Moroccan cooking, in which carrots are often dressed with spices and vinegar. Here, it brightens their sweetness and keeps the flavors lively.

I like to toss the roasted carrots and dates with the arugula while they’re still a bit warm—the heat softens the greens and brings the dressing to life. If you prefer the greens to remain crisp to contrast the tender vegetables, let the carrot and date mixture cool completely before mixing.The peppery greens gives freshness, while toasted seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, and/or sesame all work) bring a nutty crunch that cuts through the soft, sweet carrots and dates. A quick honey-vinegar dressing ties everything together with tang and gloss. The final salad holds beautifully at room temperature for a couple of hours, making it perfect for entertaining or bringing to a holiday table.

Recipe Details

Moroccan Roasted Carrot and Date Salad With Honey Dressing

Prep 10 mins
Cook 30 mins
Total 40 mins
Serves 4
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Ingredients

For the Carrots and Dates:

  • 4 ounces dates (113 g; about 1 cup), pitted and thinly sliced lengthwise

  • 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil, divided

  • 1 1/2 pounds (680 g) carrots, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise on the bias into 1-inch-thick pieces

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) white vinegar

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander

  • 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika

  • 1 teaspoon (3 g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt use half as much by volume or same weight

For the Dressing:

  • 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) white wine vinegar

  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) honey

  • Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

For the Salad:

  • 3 ounces arugula (about 3 cups, loosely packed)

  • 1/3 cup (40 g) mixed seeds (such as pumpkin, sunflower, or sesame), toasted, plus more for serving

Directions

  1. For the Carrots and Dates: Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). In a small bowl, add dates and 1 tablespoon olive oil; set aside.

  2. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss carrots with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, vinegar, cumin, coriander, salt, and paprika until evenly coated and spread into a single layer.

    Chopped carrots on a baking tray being drizzled with oil and seasoned

    Serious Eats / Lorena Masso

  3. Roast carrots, turning once halfway, until tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Carefully remove baking sheet from oven and add dates, tossing to combine. Return to oven and roast until dates caramelize slightly and carrots are lightly charred at edges, about 10 minutes. Let cool at room temperature at least 10 minutes or up to 2 hours before assembling and serving salad. (The carrots can be served warm or at room temperature.)

    Roasted carrot and date salad on a baking sheet shown after roasting

    Serious Eats / Lorena Masso

  4. For the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together white wine vinegar, honey, and black pepper until smooth. Slowly pour in olive oil in a steady stream and whisk until emulsified.

  5. For the Salad: When ready to serve, in a large serving bowl, toss arugula, seeds, and carrot mixture with prepared dressing until well combined. Garnish with additional seeds and serve.

    A salad being prepared with roasted carrots and a dressing spooned over it shown in two stages of assembly

    Serious Eats / Lorena Masso

Special Equipment

Rimmed baking sheet, whisk

Make-Ahead and Storage

The dressing can be prepared up to 7 days ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container or jar. Shake or whisk to recombine when ready to assemble salad. 

The carrots and dates can be roasted up to 4 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
605 Calories
47g Fat
47g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 605
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 47g 60%
Saturated Fat 6g 32%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 402mg 17%
Total Carbohydrate 47g 17%
Dietary Fiber 10g 36%
Total Sugars 31g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 9mg 45%
Calcium 118mg 9%
Iron 3mg 15%
Potassium 822mg 17%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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