How to Julienne Carrots

Julienned carrots make a tidy presentation, and they have a delicate bite. Learn how to julienne carrots with our simple step-by-step instructions.

By
Lori Rice
Lori Rice
Lori Rice
Lori Rice is a food and beverage writer and photographer. Her work can be found in CiderCraft Magazine, King Arthur Flour’s SIFT Magazine, The Coastal Table, and Plate Magazine, as well as at CraftBeer.com.
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Published July 15, 2022
Lori Rice
How to Julienne Carrots

Simply Recipes / Lori Rice

When you are making a recipe that requires matchstick carrots, this method of cutting is called julienne. It provides you with a generous pile of similarly-sized carrots that can be used in stir-fries and salads or to fill spring rolls and veggie burritos. 

While this small uniform cut may seem intimidating, it’s quite easy to julienne carrots as long as you follow a few key steps. 

Why To Julienne (Make Matchstick) Carrots

This style of cutting carrots ensures you have pieces that are all the same size. This helps the carrots to cook quickly and to cook evenly when you add them to a skillet or when baking and roasting them.

It also affects the presentation and texture of a dish. You will end up with consistent pieces of carrots in each bite as well as a striking pop of color both when the carrots are raw and after being cooked. 

How to Julienne Carrots

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The Proper Size of Julienned Carrots

When you julienne carrots, plan to make each matchstick about 2 inches long. You can extend this to 3 inches if you’d like them a little longer, but don’t go much beyond that or they may overpower the final recipe and be difficult to eat. Each piece is small, about 1/8-inch thick. 

How to Use Julienned Carrots

You can use julienned carrots both raw or cooked in recipes. The size of this cut is too small for serving as a dipper on a snack board. For that, use the batonnet knife cut.

Raw, julienned carrots can be used in spring rolls, or added to green salads. They can also be used as a substitute for shredded carrots in a Classic Carrot Salad when you want a bit more crunch. 

How to Julienne Carrots

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Show Off Your Knife Skills With These Recipes

How to Julienne Carrots

Prep Time 5 mins
Total Time 5 mins
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 medium carrots

Method

  1. Peel the carrots:

    Using a vegetable peeler, peel the carrots.

    Carrot Peeled for How to Julienne Carrots

    Simply Recipes / Lori Rice
  2. Trim the carrots and cut into segments:

    Using a sharp chef's knife and cutting board, trim each end of the carrots and cut them into segments that are 2 inches long.

    Trim Ends of Carrots Cut to Julienne Carrots

    Simply Recipes / Lori Rice
    Carrots Cut into 2 Inch Pieces Prior to Julienne

    Simply Recipes / Lori Rice
  3. Stabilize the carrot segment: 

    Cut a very thin piece of carrot off one side so that the carrot will rest on the cutting board without rolling.

    Carrot Segments Stabilized Prior to Julienne

    Simply Recipes / Lori Rice
  4. Cut the carrot segment into planks: 

    Cut the piece of carrot into planks about an 1/8 inch thick.

    Carrot Segments Cut into Planks Prior to Julienne

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  5. Stack the planks: 

    Stack 3 to 4 planks of carrots that are similar in width. 

    Planks Stacked to Prepare for Matchstick Carrots

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  6. Cut into matchsticks:

    Cut the stack into 1/8 inch thick slices to create matchsticks. 

    Julienne Carrots (Matchstick Carrots)

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    Julienne Carrots on a Cutting Board

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  7. Repeat with remaining carrot pieces:

    Repeat the process with any remaining pieces of carrot. Gather your julienned carrots to use in recipes. 

    How to Julienne Carrots

    Simply Recipes / Lori Rice
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
12 Calories
0g Fat
3g Carbs
0g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 12
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 20mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 3g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 1mg 6%
Calcium 10mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 81mg 2%
*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. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.