Easy Creamy Carrot Raisin Salad

Name: Easy Creamy Carrot Raisin Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 cups shredded carrots; 1 medium apple – julienned; 1/4 cup chopped pecans; 1/4 cup golden raisins; 1/4 cup black raisins; 1/4 cup avocado mayo; 1 tablespoon maple syrup; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; Pinch of black pepper

April 5, 2022 by Amy Estes 4 Comments

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This Carrot Raisin Salad is so quick to make for a cool, crunchy side dish. It is loaded with creamy, fresh, and slightly sweet flavors, making it a wonderful salad for potlucks or BBQs. It is similar to an old-fashioned carrot raisin salad but jazzed up a bit by adding in sliced apples, golden raisins, and chopped pecans. This version is also dairy-free and gluten-free.

Shredded carrot raisin salad in a round salad bowl tossed in a creamy dressing with silver salad tongs in the bowl.

Carrot Raisin Salad has so much texture and is naturally sweetened, creamy, and nutty. The shredded carrots make this salad incredibly tasty, colorful, and affordable. Plus it is dairy-free!

This carrot salad recipe is similar to a slaw but slightly sweeter and crunchier. Besides the carrots the rest of the ingredients like pecans, raisins, mayo, and maple syrup you can grab from your pantry and assemble the salad in about 10 minutes. Which is great if you need a quick dish to bring for a last-minute party invite.

We also love to serve this salad as a side dish for Easter. Plus it’s a great way to get the kids to eat some veggies.

Why you’ll love this recipe

Healthy – full of fresh veggies and fruit that are loaded with nutrition and fiber.
Quick and easy – you can make this carrot raisin salad in under 10 minutes.
Simple – only requires 6 ingredients
Easy side dish – the perfect cool and crunchy, no-cook side dish that goes with so many things.

Shredded carrot salad ingredients in white bowls with labels over the top of each ingredient.

Ingredients you will need

Carrots – you can use whole carrots and shred them yourself in minutes or use pre-shredded carrots. You will need about 4 cups of shredded carrots.
Apple – to compliment the flavor of the carrots and add some nice sweet, crunchy, colorful elements to this carrot raisin salad.
Raisins – these perfect sweet raisins just pop in this recipe. I used a combination of golden and black raisins for variety and color, which is really tasty and beautiful.
Pecans – used to add an excellent nutty taste and crunchy texture that is everything. You could also use walnuts.
Mayonnaise – Avocado mayo is the base of the creamy dressing but any mayo will work. My favorite brands are Sir Kensingtons and Primal Kitchen.
Maple syrup – to add a hint of sweetness and bring out the flavor of the carrots and apples. You could also use honey if you prefer it.
Salt and pepper – used to enhance all of the wonderful flavors.
Lemon – adds a nice bright, citrusy flavor to finish the salad.

Pro Tip! Shredding your own carrots makes this salad much tastier and easier to eat since the texture is much better than using pre-shredded, store-bought carrots.

Optional add-ins for carrot salad

Here are some variations to this carrot salad recipe that would also work great!

Chopped pineapple – canned pineapple chunks or fresh chopped pineapple add a nice hint of sweetness and color.
Walnuts, pistachios, or sliced almonds
Ginger
Cinnamon
Orange
Shredded zucchini – shredded raw zucchini is actually really delicious in this salad and adds even more nutrition.
Dried cranberries or currants – in place of the raisins
Garnish with some mint

How to make a Carrot Raisin Salad

You can make this carrot salad in under 10 minutes.

Mix up the dressing – In a small bowl whisk together the mayo, maple syrup, lemon, salt, and pepper until combined into a creamy, smooth dressing.
Assemble and dress – add all the salad ingredients to a large bowl, pour the dressing over the salad, and toss to combine everything.
Serve – enjoy this salad cold or at room temperature.

Creamy white dressing with pepper in it in a white bowl with a spoon next to it with more dressing on it. — Mix up the dressing

Bowl filled with shredded orange carrots, sliced apples, gold and black raisins, and chopped pecans with a jar of white dressing behind it and a linen in front of it. — Mix up the dressing

Recipe Tips

You can use store-bought carrots if you are short on time but shredding your own will take 5 minutes and will give the carrot salad a lot more flavor.
Make this recipe vegan – use vegan mayo in place of avocado mayo to make this recipe vegan.
Make it Whole30 – omit the maple syrup or use date syrup or pineapple juice as the sweetener in the dressing to make it Whole30 compliant.

FAQs about carrot raisin salad

Do I need to soak the carrots before adding them to the salad?

There is no need to soak the carrots. Just peel and shred them right before you assemble the salad.

How long does carrot and raisin salad keep?

If stored properly in an airtight container in the refrigerator, this salad will keep for up to 3 days.

Can I make this salad ahead of time?

Yes, you can. If you are making this salad ahead of time I would store the dressing separately then dress and serve it when you are ready to enjoy it.

Close up of tossed shredded carrot, apple salad in a bowl covered in a creamy dressing with raisins and chopped nuts in it.

More Healthy Salad Recipes to Try

Better yet, you can check out all of my quick and easy healthy salads here.

Other Carrot recipes

Close up of shredded carrots, sliced apples, nuts and raisins covered in a creamy dressing tossed in a bowl with serving spoons in the bowl with the salad.

Did you try this carrot raisin salad recipe? If you did, then please leave a rating and comment below. I would love to hear how yours turned out!