Easy Creamy Carrot Raisin Salad – 10 Minutes

This Carrot Raisin Salad comes together quickly 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. 

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

This carrot salad with raisins 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. You may also love this viral pepper salad.

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. 

Carrot Salad Ingredients

• Carrots – you can use whole carrots and grate or shred them yourself in minutes or use pre-shredded carrots. You will need about 4 cups of grated /shredded carrots. 
• Apple – compliments the flavor of the carrots and adds some nice sweet, crunchy, colorful elements to this 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 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 or grating your carrots makes this salad much tastier and easier to eat since the texture is much better than using pre-shredded, store-bought carrots. 

What is the difference between shredded verse grated carrots?

Grated carrots are finer and smaller than shredded carrots. They tend to be a bit softer and thinner, making them great for use in a carrot salad. Shredded carrots are larger and have a more defined shape and texture than grated carrots. They make a wonderful addition to salads and will work in this recipe but the texture of the grated carrots is preferred since it compliments the other ingredients well.

How do you shred carrots for salad?

To shred carrots, start by peeling and chopping them into chunks. Next, place the chunks into a food processor and pulse a few times until you achieve a shredded consistency. For grating carrots, first peel them, and then use the larger holes of a box grater to grate them, which is the method I prefer.

How can I prevent my grated carrots from turning brown?

The best way is to use the carrots right away since combining them with other ingredients will keep them from browning. If you must store them, then place them into an airtight container with a damp paper towel on top of them to reduce their exposure to air, which is what makes them turn brown.

Recipe Variations

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 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 Carrot Raisin Salad

You can make this carrot salad in under 10 minutes with a few simple ingredients.

1. 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. 
2. Assemble and dress – add all the salad ingredients to a large bowl, pour the dressing over the salad, and toss to combine everything. 
3. Serve – enjoy this salad cold or at room temperature.

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 and a better texture.
• 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

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 or grate 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?

If you’re preparing this salad in advance, it’s best to assemble it without adding the nuts. Keep it in an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to a day before serving. When you’re ready to serve it, give the salad a good toss, fold in the nuts, and finish with a squeeze of lemon to brighten the flavors.

Can this salad be made without mayo?

The mayo in this salad is what gives it that nice creamy taste and texture. If you must substitute the mayo, you can use tahini, or just leave it out but the taste will be slightly different.

How to store carrot raisin salad

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Toss the salad to incorporate the ingredients before you enjoy it.

Serving suggestions

Carrot raisin salad pairs perfectly with air fryer ham or whole chicken. It is also great as a side with burgers or sandwiches.

More Healthy Salad Recipes to Try!

• Creamy BBQ Chicken Salad
• Easy Kale Salad with Lemon
• Quick and Easy Salmon Salad
• Simple Orange Citrus Salad
• Easy Beet and Goat cheese Salad
• Healthy Egg Salad
• Easy Cucumber Radish Salad

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

Other Carrot recipes

• Easy Ranch Roasted Carrots
• Air Fryer Carrot Fries
• Oven Roasted Potatoes and Carrots
• Easy Air Fryer Carrots
• Frozen Peas and Carrots

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!

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