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This easy Carrot Salad with Raisins and Apple is a bright and colorful side dish that adults and kids will love! Made with shredded carrots and apples this delicious German Carrot Raisin Salad Recipe can be made in minutes and is loaded with healthy vitamins.
Easy salad recipes like our German Cucumber Salad Recipe, Roasted Corn Zucchini Salad, and Authentic German Potato Salad make a great addition to every family dinner!
Carrot Raisin Salad
This easy Carrot and Raisin Salad is loaded with flavor and texture. It’s such an easy recipe that only takes a few minutes to prep and taste so delicious – sweet, a little bit sour, and just the right amount of crunchiness. It I like to serve this healthy salad with dinner but it is also a perfect thing to bring to a picknick or potluck because it can be made ahead of time.
This nutritious shredded carrot salad requires no cooking and can be made in minutes with simple ingredients. Instead of mayonnaise, this European recipe uses a lighter dressing made with sunflower oil, orange juice, a little bit of apple cider vinegar, and some honey. This is the way my family enjoys Carrot Apple Salad the most so I hope you will love this easy recipe too!
How to Make Carrot Salad with Raisins
Making carrot salad with raisins only takes a few minutes and is really easy, especially if you own a food processor. Start with shredding the carrots and apple in a food processor or with a box grater. Then combine all the dressing ingredients in a big bowl. My favorite carrot salad dressing is made with sunflower oil but you can also use any other mild oil. Add the shredded carrots and apples to the bowl and stir until combined and everything is coated evenly with the dressing. Now it’s time to mix in your favorite add-ins, I always add raisins, but you can also add nuts, herbs, or even some fresh ginger for some spiciness.
Tips and Tricks for Making Carrot Salad
- Use a food processor or a box grater to shred the carrots and apple.
- The shredding disc of your Food Processor works best for grating the apple and carrots. If your shredding disc has two sides use the coarser side.
- Instead of shredding your own carrots you can also buy pre-shredded carrots in the grocery store.
- Depending on the sweetness of the carrots add 1 or 2 tsp more honey.
- If you want you can soak the raisins in boiling water for a couple of minutes to make them softer. But they will soak up some of the dressing and get plumb while the salad sits in the fridge so I often skip this step
- If you make the salad ahead of time, check seasoning before serving. Flavors tend to mellow after it sits for a longer time.
- This salad will keep for 1-2 days in the fridge, then it starts to get watery in my experience
How to Shred Carrots
The best way to shred carrots is to use a food processor with a shredding disc. If your shredding disc has two sides I recommend using the coarser side. Instead of a food processor, you can also use a box grater or a hand grater. I prefer to peel the carrots before grating them.
Do you Have to Peel Carrots?
No, you don’t necessarily have to peel carrots. Eating the peel is perfectly safe after you washed and scrubbed the carrots. But the peel might have a slightly bitter or soapy taste so it is better to peel the carrots especially if you want to eat them raw in a salad. So for the best flavor and texture, it is recommended to peel your carrots.
Add-ins for Carrot Salad
- 1/2 – 1 cup toasted walnuts
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup pistachios
- 1/2 cup craisins
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 1/2 cup fresh sweet pineapple
- 2 tsp minced fresh ginger
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Tools used for Making this Recipe
Food Processor: I love my Food Processor! It has an adjustable Slicing Disc which is so helpful and it is really sturdy. I would 100% recommend it!!
Sunflower Oil: This oil is often used in European Salad Recipes. It has a mild taste and is great for salads, cooking, and baking
Box Grater: A box greater is always helpful to have! This grater comes with an attachable container to catch and store what you grate with it
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Carrot Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound carrots, 5-6 large carrots
- 1 large sweet apple, or 2 small apples
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
For the Dressing:
- 2 Tbsp orange juice
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp sunflower oil , or mild olive oil
- 1 tsp honey, or more
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup raisins
Instructions
- Peel the carrots and coarsely grate them in a food processor. Peel, core and grate the apple. Add lemon juice to grated apple and mix. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine orange juice, vinegar, oil, honey, salt, and pepper. Stir until combined then add the carrots, apples, and raisins. Stir everything together and adjust seasoning.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Nutrition
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