I serve a salad almost every night with dinner, and sometimes plain old lettuce can get boring. I liven things up with fun salad offerings such as cool and refreshing Israeli salad, Mediterranean inspired farro salad, and this sweet and savory carrot raisin salad. Carrot salad is a classic dish for good reason. It’s so easy to make, has just a handful of ingredients, and has the perfect taste of sweet and savory flavors. Serve your salad alongside hearty options like pan seared chicken breast, beef brisket or zucchini fritters for a memorable meal.
Carrot Salad Ingredients
This recipe is made with carrots, pineapple, raisins, mayonnaise, sugar, pineapple juice and lemon juice.
How Do You Make Carrot Salad?
Start by shredding your carrots, or if you want to save time, buy a bag of pre-grated carrots. Place the carrots in a bowl along with raisins and diced pineapple. In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sugar, and a little bit of lemon juice and pineapple juice. Pour the dressing into the bowl with the carrots, then toss everything together. Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator. Let the salad chill for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors blend together, then serve and enjoy.
Tips For The Perfect Dish
The great part about this carrot salad recipe is that it tastes even better if you make it in advance. The salad will stay fresh in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Looking to save a few calories? It’s fine to use light mayonnaise instead of regular. You can use either golden or black raisins, whatever you have on hand is fine. I use canned pineapple tidbits because it’s so easy and convenient. If you prefer to cut your own pineapple, that will also be delicious. I do think that freshly grated carrots have a better flavor, but if I’m in a big hurry I’ll grab a bag of shredded carrots at the grocery store.
Carrot Raisin Salad Flavor Variations
While this salad is fabulous as-is, you can switch up some of the flavors to customize the recipe to your tastes.
Dressing: Sometimes I make a little bit different version of the dressing by combining one part of mayo with one part of Greek yogurt or sour cream. You can also use all pineapple juice to flavor the dressing instead of adding lemon juice. Honey makes a great substitute for the sugar! You can use the same amount of honey for a similar sweetness level. Fruit: You can use other types of fruit instead of pineapple such as oranges or apples. No raisins in the pantry? Feel free to use a different type of dried fruit such as dried cranberries. Toppings: Add a little extra crunch to your salad with toasted walnuts, pecans or sliced almonds. Savory Salad: To make a salad that’s decidedly savory, use the same amount of grated carrots with 2 tablespoons each of fresh parsley or cilantro, and green onion. Make a dressing with 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, salt and black pepper to taste, 1/4 teaspoon cumin, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder and 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard. Whisk the dressing together, pour it over the carrots and herbs, and stir everything together.
Next time you’re looking for a side dish to please a crowd, whip up a batch of carrot salad. You’ll be glad you did!
