Jamie Oliver 5 Ingredients Carrot Pomegranate Salad

So. I made this salad. Jamie Oliver 5 Ingredients Carrot Pomegranate Salad. Name’s a mouthful. But the thing itself? Way more. It’s crunchy-soft, sweet-sharp, a little herby and weirdly grounding. Something about warm carrots meeting chilled mint and feta just hits. Didn’t expect to love it. Did. It felt like biting into late spring. And yeah, it’s from Jamie’s 5 Ingredients book. Classic him. Minimal faff, all flavour.

Ingredients Needed

• 350 grams or so of baby heritage carrots. Go wild on the colours.
• One pomegranate. The juicier, the better.
• A fat bunch of mint. About 60 grams? But who’s weighing herbs at home.
• 250 grams mixed grains. Cooked already. I had a mix—quinoa, barley, something nutty.
• 40 grams feta. Crumbly. Briny. Essential.

How To Make Jamie Oliver 5 Ingredients Carrot Pomegranate Salad

1. Right. Start with the carrots. Rinse them. If any look like they’d need a passport photo, cut them down the middle. Big ones need taming. Into a cold non-stick pan they go, splash of olive oil, pinch of salt, grind of pepper. Medium-high heat. Let them go golden, get sticky-sweet in spots. About 15 minutes. Stir but not obsessively.
2. While that’s doing its thing, wrestle with the pomegranate. Halve it. Squeeze the juice out of one half over a sieve into a biggish bowl. It stains, so maybe don’t wear white. Add in a glug of red wine vinegar. A short pour, not a bath. Then some good olive oil—maybe two teaspoons. Chop the leafy mint bits. Not the stalks, they bite. Throw it in. Stir. Taste. Adjust like a jazz musician.
3. Once the carrots look like they’ve been sunbathing a little too long—in the best way—tip them into the dressing. Keep their oil. That’s flavour. Reuse the pan, chuck in the grains with a splash of water. Heat them till they stop clumping. A minute, tops. Into the bowl they go. Mix everything while it’s warm and fragrant.
4. Now for the magic bit. Take that smug pomegranate half, cut-side down, and give it a good bash with a spoon. Over the bowl. The seeds should tumble out like rubies. Some might resist. Keep whacking.
5. Feta last. Crumble it with your hands. Let it snow over the top. Toss the reserved mint leaves like confetti. And that’s it. Serve it while it’s still warm, or let it sit and mellow a bit. Up to you.

Why I Love This Recipe

Made this after a rough Monday. The kind where you just want to eat something that doesn’t fight back. This salad… comforted. Not in a smothering way. More like a friend handing you a cold drink and saying, “You alright?” The textures are unreal. Sweet, earthy carrots. Juicy pops of pomegranate. Cooling mint. Sharp feta. It shouldn’t work. It does. Somehow.

Recipe Tips

• Can’t find baby carrots? Regular ones. Just slice them thinner. No big deal.
• No grains in the fridge? Couscous works. Even torn-up leftover bread, toasted.
• Don’t skimp on the mint. It pulls everything together. Without it? Kinda sad.
• Bash the pomegranate in a deep bowl unless you like cleaning walls.
• Crumble feta just before eating. Otherwise, it melts into the grains and gets lost.

How To Store This Jamie Oliver 5 Ingredients Carrot Pomegranate Salad

• At Room Temperature: Couple hours, max. This isn’t a “leave out all day” kind of thing. The mint wilts, the cheese sweats.
• In the Fridge: Airtight container. You’ll get two days out of it. Maybe three if you keep the feta and pomegranate seeds in their own corners.
• In the Freezer: Don’t even think about it. Freezing this would be a crime against texture.
• Reheating: You don’t need to. But if cold grains aren’t your thing, warm them gently—then reassemble.

Let’s Answer a Few Questions!

Can I use regular carrots?
Yes. Just chop them smaller and keep an eye on the pan. They take a bit longer.

Which grains work?
Quinoa’s nutty, rice is mellow, barley’s chewy. Use what you’ve got.

How do I stop the grains from turning mushy?
Heat them gently. Add just enough water to loosen them, not drown them.

Can I prep this ahead?
Yup. Keep bits separate. Assemble before eating to keep textures punchy.

Is this salad good for packed lunches?
Absolutely. Just keep the feta and juicey bits in a side container if you’re fussy.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

• Calories: 477
• Carbs: 49.1 g
• Protein: 11.2 g
• Fat: 23.7 g
• Sugar: 1.7 g
• Fibre: 11.3 g
• Sodium: 1.2 g

Try More Recipes:

• Jamie Oliver 5 Ingredients Chicken Noodle Stir-fry
• Jamie Oliver 5 Ingredients Carbonara
• Jamie Oliver 5 Ingredients Chicken Soup
• Jamie Oliver 5 Ingredients Roast Chicken