Celeriac remoulade is a classic French salad that is full of tangy flavours and plenty of crunch.
So versatile, as a side dish to grilled meats, picnics or part of a grazing board, this salad is easy to put together and delicious to eat.
It's perfect for feeding a crowd too and makes a fab change from coleslaw. Your guests will love it!
Bon appétit!
About this dish
Carrot and Celeriac Remoulade is a classic French salad which you may have never heard of. At least, I had never heard of it before I moved to France to live.
Although I do like to make salads from scratch, I often used store bought coleslaw, if it was just two of use eating. Unfortunately, the coleslaw in France tended to be mostly grated carrot in vinegar with lots of onion, which is not particularly appetising, so I was on the lookout for something else when I saw this salad on the deli, both with carrot and on its own too.
Remoulade is a name for a mayonnaise based sauce, often flavoured with mustard and herbs. In fact, if you go to a typical French supermarket, you would find it difficult to find a mayonnaise without mustard in it. It sounds odd, but there isn't a strong mustard taste and I actually find UK brands tasteless.
🥘 Ingredients
The star of the show is a celeriac root! If you have never tried this vegetable before it resembles a knobbly white swede, but with a lighter texture. It can be quite awkward to peel and it is easier to cut off the knobbly end with the roots and then peel the rest with a vegetable peeler.
As soon as the peeled surface is exposed to the air it will start to turn brown so it needs to be put in water with lemon juice, if it's to be cooked, or just in lemon juice if it's to be eaten raw.
The celeriac is crunchy, with a subtle celery flavour which goes well with the sweetness of carrots.
For this recipe you will need equal parts of carrot and celeriac and lemon juice to coat. For this recipe bottled lemon juice is fine if you don't have any fresh lemons.
Although the classic recipe calls for mayonnaise, I have cut the calories in this dish by swapping half of the mayonnaise for fat-free yoghurt, with whole grain mustard as a flavouring. You can also use dijon mustard but avoid yellow English mustard as it's too savage for this dish.
Of course, you can also make your own mayonnaise, which is really quick to do.
For the herb element I've used coriander, but typically flat leaf parsley or snipped chives are used.
🔪 Instructions
The easiest way to grate the vegetables in in a food processor. Of course, you can also grate them.
Using a medium grater attachment fitted to the large bowl to grate the carrots and then transfer them to a large bowl.
Peel the celeriac and cut into chunks before grating. Now add to the carrots with the lemon juice and stir well.
Add the remaining ingredients and chill until ready to serve.
FAQs
In France, it is often served as a purée enriched with cream, which is delicious as a vegetable side dish. In fact, it is so popular you can buy frozen purée that you just warm through in a saucepan.
Cook the celeriac in boiling water in small chunks, as it does take some time to become tender. Try mixing cooked potato and celeriac together for a new take on mashed potatoes. Don't forget the butter!
Due to the yoghurt in the dressing, I would make sure that this is eaten within a couple of days. Store covered in the fridge. It is not suitable for freezing.
Use this recipe as a replacement for coleslaw as a salad side dish. It is often served as part of a charcuterie board, with a few cornichons or just with cold meat. It's great in sandwiches too.
It travels well so it's good for camping, picnics and buffets.
It's also great for entertaining as it's easy to make a big bowlful in advance to serve with a barbecue or roast meats. Try it with rack of pork or picanha beef.
Let me know what you think in the comments or you can post a picture and tag me on Twitter @chezlereve, Instagram @chezlerevefrancais, or Facebook @chezlerevefrancais.
More Salad recipes
📋 Recipe
Carrot and Celeriac Remoulade
Ingredients
- 300 g carrots peeled weight
- 300 g celeriac peeled weight
- 6 tbsp mayonnaise
- 6 tbsp fat free yoghurt
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
- 20 g coriander finely chopped
- seasoning to taste
- celery leaves to garnish
Instructions
- Grate the carrot in a food processor and place in a large bowl.
- Repeat with the celeriac and immediately add the lemon juice and mix well.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
- Garnish with celery leaves or a few coriander leaves if liked.
Notes
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Dannii
What a delicious crunchy side salad. I can't wait to give it a try.
Scarlet
My daughter loves everything related to France. This carrot and remoulade salad will be a great way to get her eat her veggies!
Amanda
Thanks Karen. I do miss the French food but having fun recreating it!
Karen (Back Road Journal)
One of my favorite salads and one I've been enjoying it during our travels in Europe. Your version looks great.
Amanda
Thanks Nikole. It would be a great salad with shrimp as it's so light and the flavours aren't too strong to overpower it.
Amanda
Thanks Brian. I'm not a huge parsley fan but the family loves coriander so it goes in most salads.
Amanda
Thanks Lesli. It's a knobbly beast but worth the effort.
Amanda
Thanks Michelle. These days I have trouble with the amount of mayonnaise in dressings making salads unhealthy and no one notices the difference.
Amanda
I think it's underused in the UK too but this year we will have a national shortage of broccoli and cauliflower due to the weather so perhaps it will have its day!
Chef Mireille
Celeriac is such an underused veggie here in America. As such, it is quite expensive. However, whenever I can find them at a good price, I always buy it. I love celeriac and wish it was more readily available here. This looks like a great way to utilize it next time I buy one.
Michelle
I love the mix of yogurt and mayonnaise in the dressing! It's a bit sneaky to be a bit more healthy, but still have loads of flavor. Beautiful colors in this salad too. Delicious! Thank you.
Lesli Schwartz
I've always wondered what that was in the exotic produce section and how exactly to use celeriac! This salad sounds very delicious!
Brian Jones
Remoulade is one of my favourite salads, celeriac is a fugly ingredient but has such great flavour. Loved the addition of coriander which added a nice little twist.
Nikole
This sounds delicious! I have heard of celeriac but have never cooked with it. Can't wait to give this a try. I think it will be delicious with some grilled shrimp!
Amanda
Thanks Kelly. It's very popular in France and a very underused vegetable that has a great taste as well.
Amanda
Thanks Paula. It's a subtle taste and much milder than a coleslaw too.
Amanda
Thanks Danielle. Yes, it's great when it's warm and perfect as a sandwich filling too.
Amanda
Thanks Adrianne. We odten have with grills in the summer and it's perfect with chicken too!
Kelly Anthony
I enjoyed reading your post and learning about new foods. I have never seen or heard of celeriac nor did I realize that the mayonnaise in the UK was so different.
Paula Montenegro
I don't remember ever eating celeriac. But I was always intrigued by the idea of making a puree with it. Well, I'm adding this remoulade, so simple and gorgeous!
Danielle
Such an easy and delicious meal - just perfect for the heat this week. I've found carrot to be such a versatile ingredient to use and have been experimenting with it for quite a lot. Excited to try this remoulade.
Adrianne
I can see this being used for so many meals! My 1st choice would be for roast chicken. It looks so simple and easy too! Thanks for a great recipe!!
Amanda
Thanks Alison. We have it hot in the winter raw in the summer.
Amanda
Thanks Sylvie. We actually prefer it to coleslaw now.
Alison
I have never used celeriac in a recipe before. I'm always interested in trying new vegetables, can't wait to give this a try!
Sylvie
Such an original and delicious twist on the classic coleslaw - I love celeriac, we really don't use it enough! Thank you for this great recipe
Amanda
Thanks Megala!
Amanda
Thanks Mimi. It is one of those vegetables that can be divisive. My husband loves it raw but not cooked!
Mimi
This is very pretty. Unfortunately, celeriac is the one food I can’t tolerate. I can’t even handle the smell of it. Well, i guess I could add sea urchin to the list. Not a good experience with those yet...
Megala
Wonderful salad brimming with freshness & flavor! It looks so appetizing.