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    Home » Recipes » Salads

    Carrot Raisin Salad Recipe (Quick & Delicious)

    Published: Feb 13, 2020 · Modified: Sep 18, 2023 by Sally · This post may contain affiliate links · 4 Comments

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    This carrot raisin salad recipe is so quick and delicious! Creamy and lightly sweet and nutty with crispy bits throughout. A hearty, flavorful, refreshing salad that uses only 7 ingredients and takes only 15 minutes to prepare. Great for your potluck, cookout, or holiday side dish.

    The raisins offer a light sweetness while the celery and nuts add distinct crisp and complementary flavors. A small amount of nutmeg is all you need to escalate this salad from ho-hum to fabulous!

    Pairs well with most anything you're fixing for lunch or dinner like my Baked Mahi Mahi or Rice and Beef Tips.

    Great as a Thanksgiving side dish along with my Potato Salad with Bacon. Also, consider serving this easy Cheese Ball Recipe to your hungry crowd while they're waiting for the main course to be done.

    Jump to:
    • 💖 Why You'll Love This Salad
    • 🥘 Ingredients
    • 📖 Substitutions / Additions
    • 🔪 Step-by-Step Instructions
    • 💭 Expert Preparation Tips
    • 🧐 Recipe FAQs
    • 🥗 More Salads & Vegetable Side Dishes
    • 📋 Recipe

    💖 Why You'll Love This Salad

    • Quick: Takes just 15 minutes to prepare from start to finish, quicker if you have extra helpers or use your food processor to shred and chop.
    • Few Ingredients: Only 7 readily-available ingredients needed.
    • Kid Friendly: Most kids love carrots and raisins and are sure to love this delicious, lightly sweet salad. Browse through the rest of my salad recipes.

    🥘 Ingredients

    What You'll Need:

    Ingredient Notes:

    • Carrots: I recommend freshly shredded carrots, as the salad will have a much fresher flavor, but if you must use pre-shredded you can do so (just keep in mind that this may compromise the flavor).
    • Nutmeg: This spice is crucial for leveling this salad up a notch - don't leave it out if at all possible!
    • Walnuts: I used walnuts in this salad, and I love the subtle nuttiness they add. If you or your family are allergic to nuts, you can certainly omit them, but they do add a nice flavor boost (so leave them in if possible).

    (See recipe card below for ingredient quantities and full recipe instructions)

    📖 Substitutions / Additions

    • Nuts: I have only used walnuts for this salad, so I don't know how other nuts would taste. If you want to experiment, I suggest trying pecans, slivered almonds, or pumpkin seeds. Let me know in the comments if you tried something new - I always love to hear of variations people come up with!
    • Salt: You can add a bit of salt if you feel it needs it. I would add only a slight amount and taste. In my opinion, this salad needs very little or no salt - that's why I didn't include it.

    🔪 Step-by-Step Instructions

    Step 1: Grate or shred carrots with a hand grater. You can also use your food processor to shred / grate.

    Step 2: Finely chop the celery by hand or with your food processor.

    Step 3: Add all ingredients except mayonnaise to a large bowl, and use a large spoon to mix together.

    Step 4: Add mayonnaise and gently mix all ingredients to incorporate. Serve right away or cover and refrigerate up to 3 days.

    (Scroll down for full recipe and print capabilities)

    💭 Expert Preparation Tips

    • You can hand shred or grate (like I did), or feel free to use your food processor if you have a shredding feature in order to save some time.
    • I peel the carrots before shredding unless they are super fresh from my garden, as sometimes the outer layer can be a bit bitter.
    • Alternately, you could purchase pre-shredded carrots or matchstick carrots. The salad won't be quite as fresh, but this would be a time saver. With matchstick, the salad would turn out a bit more crunchy and bulky, but probably still just as delicious.
    • I like to use a bowl that's bigger than needed for the end product, so I use an extra-large bowl to mix in, then transfer to a smaller bowl for storage. This allows you room to mix all the ingredients thoroughly without struggle and mess.

    🧐 Recipe FAQs

    What is carrot salad made of?

    This carrot salad with raisins only needs 7 ingredients, including carrots, raisins, walnuts, celery, mayonnaise, ground nutmeg, and black pepper. There are other variations, but I think this one is the best and most simple.

    Are carrots and raisins good for you?

    Both carrots and raisins are healthy, containing many vitamins and minerals like beta carotene and iron that equip your body to function optimally. Don't let the health benefits fool you, as they are both delicious ingredients in this carrot & raisin salad recipe.

    How do you keep grated carrots from turning brown?

    To keep freshly grated or shredded carrots from turning brown, simply cover and refrigerate for up to three days. It's best to shred the carrots just before using in your recipe. After preparing, this carrot raisin salad will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to three days.

    Do carrots need to be peeled before shredding?

    If I have fresh carrots from my garden, I usually don't peel them. However, if they are from the grocery store, especially if they are not super fresh, I will usually peel them before shredding, chopping, or eating in any form.

    What is the difference between grated carrots and shredded carrots?

    Grated carrots are shorter, fatter pieces, while shredded carrots are longer and more slender. Both methods are ideal for this carrot salad whichever you prefer.

    🥗 More Salads & Vegetable Side Dishes

    • Corn in bowl ready to eat.
      Cream Style Corn Recipe (quick & easy)
    • Bacon with broccoli and other salad fixins
      Broccoli Bacon Salad (Easy & Tasty)
    • Cooked broccoli with red bell pepper slices and garlic on plate.
      Sauteed Broccoli Recipe with Red Pepper
    • Mediterranean Cucumber Salad with Lemon Dressing

    If you tried this Carrot Raisin Salad Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!

    📋 Recipe

    Carrot raisin salad with celery in bowl ready to serve.

    Carrot Raisin Salad

    This carrot raisin salad is so quick and delicious! Lightly sweet and savory with crispy bits throughout.
    5 from 7 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Salad, Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 369kcal
    Author: Sally

    Ingredients

    • 4 cups carrots , shredded (about 4 large)
    • 1 cup raisins
    • 1 cup celery , finely chopped
    • 1 cup walnut pieces
    • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 cup mayonnaise
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Shred or grate carrots with a hand grater or in a food processor.
    • Finely chop celery by hand or in a food processor.
    • Add all ingredients except mayonnaise to a large bowl and mix together with a large spoon.
    • Add in mayonnaise and mix together until incorporated. Serve right away or refrigerate for up to 3 days.

    Notes

      • You can hand shred or grate (like I did), or feel free to use your food processor if you have a shredding feature in order to save some time.
      • I peel the carrots before shredding unless they are super fresh from my garden, as sometimes the outer layer can be a bit bitter.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 369kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 237mg | Potassium: 457mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 10767IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Share it Today!Mention @SavoryWithSoul or tag #savorywithsoul!

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    Comments

    1. Caroline Moore says

      March 21, 2020 at 11:25 pm

      5 stars
      One of my favorite salads from childhood. Made it for my own children who are now grown. Just haven’t made it in years, Will buy the ingredients & make as soon as this Coronavirus scare
      Is over so I will be feel safe to shop for the ingredients. Thanks for posting some old favorites from time to time.

      Reply
      • Sally says

        March 22, 2020 at 2:15 am

        Thanks for stopping by Caroline!

        Reply
    2. Scarlet | Family Focus Blog says

      February 14, 2020 at 5:08 pm

      5 stars
      My mom used to make a carrot salad like this. I have to try this recipe!

      Reply
      • Sally says

        February 14, 2020 at 6:48 pm

        5 stars
        It's delicious, Scarlet! I think you'll like it!

        Reply
    5 from 7 votes (1 rating without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




    I'm Sally, and I love great food! Whole foods, specifically, and savory, yummy eats! I love using spices and trying new combinations - in fact, I consider it an art form, as I smell and taste my way through each dish.

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