Carrot Raisin Salad Recipe: How To Make it At Home - Little Sunny Kitchen (2024)

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By: DianaPosted: 6/26/21Updated: 1/31/24

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Make a super simple side dish from this creamy and crunchy Carrot Raisin Salad! It’s slightly sweet, but sugar/honey can be omitted and replaced with a grated apple if preferred. This old fashioned salad is very similar to the one that used to be served at Chick-Fil-A.

Carrot Raisin Salad Recipe: How To Make it At Home - Little Sunny Kitchen (1)

Great for potlucks, bbq’s, weeknight dinners, and any time you want a creamy, cold side dish, this Carrot Salad with raisins is always a hit. If you’re a Chick-Fil-A fan, this salad is very similar to their (discontinued) version too.

I love that this copycat recipe is so simple, with just a few ingredients. You can add things if you like, but it’s totally scrumptious as written. Just like coleslaw, this salad is quite crunchy but creamy at the same time. The sweetness of the salad is a great way to get kids to eat vegetables too, which is a total bonus.

And make sure to check out my homemade Chick-Fil-A Chicken Sandwich, it’s an amazing recipe that your whole family will love. Trust me, it’s much better than the original!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  1. Six Ingredients. Just carrots, raisins, and a few ingredients for the creamy and tangy sweet salad dressing.
  2. Fast and Easy. Mix everything up in one bowl for this carrot raisin salad recipe. It takes less than 5 minutes to make.
  3. Healthy. Carrots are packed with vitamins, fiber, and vegetable goodness.
Carrot Raisin Salad Recipe: How To Make it At Home - Little Sunny Kitchen (2)

Absolutely delicious! I love that it is not overly sweet. Very healthy too! I am definitely making this again. Thank you for this recipe.

Mary

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Ingredients in Carrot Raisin Salad

  • Mayonnaise – This is the base of our salad dressing and makes this a creamy, delicious side.
  • Honey – My favorite liquid sweetener. You can substitute maple syrup or agave nectar along with vegan mayo to make this recipe vegan.
  • Water – Just a bit of water is needed to get the right consistency.
  • Lemon Juice – This adds a bright flavor that offsets the heaviness of the mayo.
  • Salt – To season everything well.
  • Shredded carrots – You’ll need about 4 cups of shredded carrots. Use a box grater, or a food processor with a grating plate. I like a larger sized shred for this recipe. For a shortcut, buy carrots already shredded at the grocery store. Just be aware that the texture will be much better if you use freshly grated carrots.

Tip!

I always recommend buying fresh carrots and shredding them. Carrot sticks won’t work here as they have a different texture.

  • Raisins – Regular raisins are perfect, and I like the way their dark color looks against the orange carrots. Substitute golden raisins if that’s what you have at home. For plum raisins, just soak them in warm water for 30 minutes before using.

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Carrot Raisin Salad Recipe: How To Make it At Home - Little Sunny Kitchen (3)

Optional Add-Ins for Carrot Raisin Salad

  • Pineapple – I often add a small can of pineapple chunks or tidbits, drained, to this recipe. A little bit more fruit and sweetness never hurt anyone.But avoid using canned crushed pineapple here.
  • Apples – A diced tart apple is delicious added in too.
  • Other Dried Fruit – Try substituting dried cranberries (craisins) or dried blueberries for the raisins.
  • Nuts or Seeds – Sunflower seeds, or sliced almonds give this salad some extra crunch.

How to Make Carrot Raisin Salad

The recipe for Carrot Raisin Salad could not get any easier!

  1. Make Dressing: In a large bowl, combine mayo with honey, water, lemon juice, and salt. Whisk everything together until well combined.
  2. Mix. In the same bowl, add shredded carrots and raisins. Toss well. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.Give the salad a quick stir and enjoy!
Carrot Raisin Salad Recipe: How To Make it At Home - Little Sunny Kitchen (4)

Frequently Asked Questions About Carrot Raisin Salad

Do I need to soak the carrots?

I don’t think that’s necessary. While the salad sits in the fridge the raisins will soak up some of the dressing and plump right up.

Can I make carrot salad ahead of time?

I suggest making this salad within 24 hours of the time you plan to serve it. It’s fine to make it up to 2 days ahead, but the salad may get watery as the salt and sugar pull moisture from the carrots.

Carrot Raisin Salad Recipe: How To Make it At Home - Little Sunny Kitchen (5)

For more delicious salads with carrots, try my Asian chicken salad, this simple but super healthy and tasty kale salad, and if you love crab, then this spicy kani salad is for you!

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Enjoy your retro raisin carrot salad side dish! Don’t forget to pin this recipe for later and for more people to enjoy.

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Recipe

Carrot Raisin Salad Recipe: How To Make it At Home - Little Sunny Kitchen (10)

4.92 from 50 votes(Click stars to rate!)

Carrot Raisin Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Total Time: 15 minutes mins

Author: Diana

Print Rate Recipe

Carrot Raisin Salad is a simple to make cold side dish that is sweet and creamy and perfect for BBQs or potlucks.

6 servings

Carrot Raisin Salad is a simple to make cold side dish that is sweet and creamy and perfect for BBQs or potlucks.

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 4 cups shredded carrot
  • 1 cup raisins

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine mayo with honey, water, lemon juice, and salt. Whisk everything together until well combined.

  • Add the carrots and the raisins to the sauce, and toss well. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until serving.

Notes:

  • Mayo can be substituted with sour cream.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 181kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 4mg, Sodium: 222mg, Potassium: 477mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 14262IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 36mg, Iron: 1mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Little Sunny Kitchen

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Reader Interactions

Leave a Review!

  1. Dianne says

    Carrot Raisin Salad Recipe: How To Make it At Home - Little Sunny Kitchen (17)
    This is just the recipe I was looking for. Perfect! Tastes wonderful. Thanks for posting it.

    Reply

  2. J Bentley says

    Carrot Raisin Salad Recipe: How To Make it At Home - Little Sunny Kitchen (18)
    Delicious

    Reply

  3. Nancy Majoros says

    Carrot Raisin Salad Recipe: How To Make it At Home - Little Sunny Kitchen (19)
    Yumm
    Added lemon and lime juice
    3 heaping Tablespoons of canned crushed pineapple with juice
    Same salt and honey
    Perfect

    Reply

    • Diana says

      Thank you for sharing your tweaks! Happy to hear you enjoyed it!

      Reply

  4. Susan says

    Carrot Raisin Salad Recipe: How To Make it At Home - Little Sunny Kitchen (20)
    Delicious! Thank you for the recipe and thank you for making your recipe printable right from the recipe.

    I won’t download and use some funky print app.

    My entire family loved this recipe!

    Reply

    • Little Sunny Kitchen says

      You’re very welcome Susan, and I’m very glad that everyone loved the salad!

      Reply

  5. Jan Peck says

    can you use sultanas?

    Reply

    • Diana says

      Sure!

      Reply

Older Comments1456

Carrot Raisin Salad Recipe: How To Make it At Home - Little Sunny Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

How do you shred carrots? ›

Shred Carrots With a Grater

For this method, ensure your grater is clean, then place your carrots and the box grater on top of a cutting board to catch the shreds. Use the box grater to create shredded pieces after peeling your carrots with a peeler or knife.

What does carrot salad do? ›

Raw carrots, being fibrous, naturally promotes bowel regularity which positively affects digestion and elimination as well! Optimal liver and thyroid function Since the raw carrot salad assists in eliminating excess estrogens and endotoxins, this also reduces the heavy load the liver carries.

What is the best tool to shred carrots? ›

Yes, you can shred or grate carrots without a food processor using a few different methods. You can use a box grater, a plane grater, a julienne peeler or a mandolin to get similar results to shredding with a food processor.

What makes carrots taste better? ›

If you're roasting your carrots, toss them in olive oil first. This will help keep the moisture in them. To bring out the sweetness in your carrots, season them with orange or lemon juice or a little brown sugar and butter. You can also add cardamom to make carrot deserts, like Indian carrot halwa.

Can diabetics eat carrot salad? ›

Uncontrolled blood sugar levels can lead to type 2 diabetes or worsen your disease. Carrots can be a safe choice if you have diabetes and are watching your blood sugar levels. They're also non-starchy vegetables. So you can even enjoy small amounts of carrots if you're following the ketogenic, or keto, diet.

What is the best type of cut used on carrots to put them in salads? ›

I prefer to cut the carrots into a fine julienne rather than use a box grater, which makes them a bit raggedy. The julienne carrots have a more appealing texture, and they look gorgeous piled on a platter, scattered with chives.

How do you shred carrots without a shredder? ›

If that's not an option – I'd go for my vegetable peeler. Over a cutting board, run the peeler in a downward motion starting at the larger end of the carrot and ending at the pointed end of the carrot. Just like you would if you were going to peel it. It will make long thin strips.

Do you have to peel carrots before shredding? ›

Because a carrot's skin isn't as thick as other root vegetables (like potatoes) or winter squashes, carrots are perfectly safe and delicious to eat without peeling so long as they are properly cleaned. When it comes down to it, peeling carrots or keeping the skin on is a matter of personal preference.

Do carrots need to be peeled before shredding? ›

But do they really have to be peeled? As it turns out, no. As long as you wash and scrub the root vegetables before chopping, dicing, or otherwise preparing them for a recipe, you're likely okay. Carrot skins are not as thick as some other vegetable skins, like potatoes or beets.

What is the easiest way to grate vegetables? ›

Most vegetables can be shredded with a box grater, a hand grater, or a food processor—however, cabbage, lettuce, and other leafy greens can just as easily be shredded with a knife.

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