Classic Carrot Salad With Raisins

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 12/25/21
Classic Carrot Salad With Raisins

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 20 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings

This carrot salad is a flavorful and colorful side dish to serve with a holiday meal, everyday dinner, or your next cookout. For winter holidays, you can replace the raisins with dried cranberries. Pineapple chunks are an excellent addition as well, especially with a Christmas or Easter ham dinner. Even though the salad is a simple preparation with just a few basic ingredients, the flavors are amazing. 

Multicolored carrots make a beautiful salad if you can find them. Look for them at local farmers markets and grocery stores when they're in season. Trader Joe's sometimes has "rainbow carrots."

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Ingredients

  • 6 to 8 medium multicolored carrots, about 3/4 pound

  • 3/4 cup raisins

  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise, or to taste

  • 1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste

  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice, or cider vinegar

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Classic Carrot Salad With Raisins ingredients

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  2. Using a food processor with a shredding disc or a box grater, shred the carrots coarsely.

    shred carrots in the food processor

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  3. In a large bowl, combine the carrots with the raisins.

    In a large bowl, combine the carrots with the raisins

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  4. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sugar, lemon juice, and salt. Taste and add freshly ground black pepper, if desired.

    mayonnaise, sugar, lemon juice, and salt in a bow with black pepper

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  5. Add the dressing to the shredded carrots and raisins and toss to mix thoroughly. Cover the bowl and chill until serving time.

    Classic Carrot Salad With Raisins in a bowl

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Tip

  • Make It Ahead: Prepare the salad up to 48 hours in advance. Cover the bowl and keep the salad refrigerated until serving time. 

Variations

  • Use apple cider vinegar rather than lemon juice.
  • Omit the sugar and add 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of honey.
  • Add 1/2 to 3/4 cup of drained pineapple chunks or drained crushed pineapple in addition to the raisins.
  • Peel, core, and chop or shred a medium sweet apple and add it to the salad along with the raisins.
  • Replace the raisins with dried cranberries or "Craisins."
  • Add about 4 to 5 tablespoons of blanched slivered almonds or sunflower seeds for some extra crunch.
  • Add about 1 cup of shredded green or purple cabbage to the carrots. Just keep in mind purple cabbage will color the mayonnaise, so it should be added just before serving. 
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
170 Calories
9g Fat
23g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 170
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g 12%
Saturated Fat 1g 7%
Cholesterol 5mg 2%
Sodium 203mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 23g 8%
Dietary Fiber 3g 9%
Total Sugars 16g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 3mg 14%
Calcium 29mg 2%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 294mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)