Tunisian Carrot Salad (Houria)

Name: Tunisian Carrot Salad (Houria)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: Tunisia
Ingredients: 2 lb (900 g) carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks; 1 tsp (6 g) fine sea salt, plus more for the cooking water; 2 garlic cloves, finely grated or crushed; 1 to 2 tbsp (15–30 g) Tunisian harissa, to taste; 1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin; 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, or 2 tsp (10 ml) white vinegar; 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

حورية HouriaSay it: hoo-REE-yah

By the Passport Plate editors. Published November 8, 2026.

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Houria is a Tunisian cooked-carrot salad, simple and deeply flavored. Carrots are boiled until tender, then lightly crushed and dressed with garlic, cumin, harissa and olive oil, with lemon for brightness. It is a staple of Tunisian home tables and appears alongside other salads, bread and grilled dishes, especially in cooler months. The result is sweet, spicy and earthy, with a coarse, spoonable texture. It is best served warm or at room temperature, when the aromas are strongest and the olive oil pools around the edges.

Tunisian Carrot Salad (Houria)

حورية, Houria

Pronounced hoo-REE-yah

Serves: 4
Prep: 10 min
Cook: 25 min
Total: 35 min
Level: Easy

Also nut-free and egg-free.

Allergens: none of the major allergens in the listed ingredients. Check labels on packaged ingredients.

Ingredients

4 servings

For the salad

2 lb (900 g)900 g (2 lb) carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks
1 tsp (6 g)6 g (1 tsp) fine sea salt, plus more for the cooking water

For the dressing

2 garlic cloves, finely grated or crushed
1 to 2 tbsp (15–30 g)15–30 g (1 to 2 tbsp) Tunisian harissa, to taste
1 tsp (2 g)2 g (1 tsp) ground cumin
3 tbsp (45 ml)45 ml (3 tbsp) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 tbsp (15 ml)15 ml (1 tbsp) fresh lemon juice, or 2 tsp (10 ml) white vinegar
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Method

Put the carrots in a medium saucepan and add enough cold water to cover by 1 inch (2.5 cm). Add a generous pinch of salt, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes, until the carrots are completely tender and a knife slides in without resistance.
Drain the carrots in a colander and leave to steam-dry for 5 minutes; return them to the warm, dry saucepan. Mash with a potato masher or fork until coarsely puréed, leaving some small pieces for texture.
In a small bowl, stir together the garlic, harissa, cumin, 1 tsp (6 g) salt, black pepper and lemon juice. Add the olive oil and mix to a loose, bright red dressing.
Stir the dressing into the warm mashed carrots until evenly combined and glossy. Taste and adjust with more salt, harissa or lemon juice; the salad should be sweet, earthy and gently spicy.
Spread the houria in a shallow serving bowl and let it sit for 10 minutes to cool to warm room temperature. Drizzle with a little more olive oil and serve.

Regional variants

Some Tunisian cooks add a boiled potato with the carrots for a softer, milder salad, or replace the lemon juice with a splash of white vinegar. A little extra harissa and olive oil can be drizzled over the top just before serving.

Cook's notes

Do not over-mash the carrots: a coarse texture lets the dressing cling and keeps the salad from turning pasty.
Dress the carrots while still warm; they absorb the garlic, cumin and harissa much better.
Harissa varies in heat, so start with 1 tablespoon and add the second after tasting.

Serve with

Warm flatbread or crusty bread, olives and other Tunisian salads; mint tea or chilled water.

Make ahead and storage

Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature and stir in a splash of olive oil before serving.

Tunisian Carrot Salad (Houria)