If you’re looking for a dinner that feels fresh and filling , this Smashed Carrot Salad with Honey Mustard Pork is such a good one to make. The carrots get roasted until caramelised and crispy around the edges, then tossed through pearl barley, feta, herbs and crunchy almonds with a tangy honey mustard dressing. Topped with juicy slices of pork tenderloin, it’s the kind of meal that feels wholesome but still full of flavour and texture.
My other smashed carrot salad recipe has been a hit lately, and for good reason. Smashing the carrots creates lots of craggy edges that roast beautifully in the oven, giving you crispy bits and soft centres all in one bite.
If you're after other yummy salads, I'm also currently obsessed with this Eye Fillet Steak with Sliced Snow Pea Salad. Super super easy and delish!
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Why you need to make this Smashed Carrot Salad with Honey Mustard Pork
- The smashed roasted carrots add loads of texture and natural sweetness.
- Pork tenderloin stays incredibly juicy when cooked properly and works perfectly with the honey mustard marinade.
- It feels fresh and healthy while still being satisfying and protein-packed.
- Great balance of creamy, crunchy, salty and tangy flavours.
- Ideal for meal prep as the salad keeps well for a couple of days.
- A nice alternative to the usual chicken salad recipes.
Ingredients
- Pork Tenderloin – Pork tenderloin is lean, tender and cooks quickly, making it perfect for absorbing the honey mustard marinade while staying juicy and flavourful.
- Dijon Mustard – Adds sharpness and depth to the pork marinade, helping balance the sweetness from the honey.
- Honey – Brings sweetness and helps the pork caramelise beautifully as it cooks.
- Garlic – Adds savoury flavour and gives the marinade a richer, more aromatic finish.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Helps carry flavour through both the pork marinade and salad dressing while adding richness.
- Carrots – The star of the salad. Smashing and roasting them creates crispy edges and brings out their natural sweetness.
- Pearl Barley – Adds a chewy texture and makes the salad more filling and substantial.
- Lebanese Cucumber – Provides freshness and crunch to balance the warm roasted ingredients.
- Feta – Adds creaminess and salty contrast against the sweet carrots and honey dressing.
- Parsley – Brightens the salad and adds freshness throughout.
- Toasted Almonds – Bring crunch and nuttiness which makes the salad much more texturally interesting.
- Shallots – Add mild sharpness and a subtle onion flavour without overpowering the salad.
- Wholegrain Mustard – Gives the dressing texture and a more mellow mustard flavour compared to Dijon alone.
- Dried Thyme – Adds earthy savoury notes that work beautifully with both pork and roasted carrots.
- Lemon Juice – Freshens the dressing and balances the richness of the pork, feta and olive oil.
- Salt – Essential for seasoning the pork, cooking the barley properly and bringing all the flavours together.
See recipe card for quantities.
Hint: Boil the carrots until properly soft before smashing them. If they’re undercooked they’ll split apart unevenly rather than flattening nicely.
Equipment
I love using my Everdure by Hestan BBQ for grilling and cooking the pork in this recipe.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The salad can be eaten cold or brought back to room temperature before serving. If reheating the pork, do so gently so it doesn’t dry out.
Top Tip
Try to leave a little space between the smashed carrots on the tray so they roast rather than steam. Those crispy edges are what make the salad so good.
FAQ
Yes. The salad can be made a day ahead and stored in the fridge. I’d recommend adding the almonds just before serving so they stay crunchy.
You can use farro, couscous, quinoa or brown rice instead if preferred.
Absolutely. Sear it in a hot pan until browned all over, then finish in the oven at 200C until the internal temperature reaches 63C.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Smashed Carrot Salad with Honey Mustard Pork
Ingredients
Pork
- 500 g pork tenderloin
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- 1 teaspoon salt kosher/fine sea salt
Salad
- 3 carrots cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 cup pearl barley
- 1 lebanese cucumber deseeded and finely diced
- 100 g feta crumbled
- ⅓ cup parsley finely chopped
- ⅓ cup toasted almonds roughly chopped
- 2 shallots finely dinced
Salad Dressing
- 1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- 1 teaspoon thyme dried
- squeeze of lemon
Instructions
- Marinate the pork by mixing together the mustard, honey, garlic, olive oil and salt in a small bowl and rubbing into the pork. Allow to marinate for at least a couple hours, or up to overnight. Leave to the side and bring to room temp for 30 minutes before it's time to cook.
- Preheat oven to 220C. Boil the carrots in salted water for about 15 minutes, until soft. Strain, lay out on a baking tray and use the bottom of a glass to smash into flat pieces. (refer to video if needed). Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and roast in the oven for 25 - 30 minutes until nice and crisp around the edges.
- Add the pearl barley to a lot of salted water and boil for 30 - 40 minutes until soft. Strain and leave aside.
- To cook the pork, preheat a BBQ grill to high heat then place the pork on the hot grill, rotate and brown on all sides, brushing any marinade left all over the pork as it cooks. Once browned on all sides (this will take 5 or so minutes), turn the flame down to medium heat and close the BBQ lid. Allow the pork to cook through, about 15 - 20 minutes, or until internal temp reaches 63C. Alternatively you can sear in the pan and then finish cooking in the oven.
- Let the pork rest for 10 minutes before slicing into 1cm slices.
- Add the cooled pearl barely, roasted smashed carrots, cucumber, parsley, shallot, feta and almonds to a large salad bowl or mixing bowl. Mix together the dressing ingredients and pour over the salad and toss to combine.
- Serve salad with sliced pork over the top, top with some extra salt flakes, chilli flakes (optional), a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil.
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