This delicious carrot salad recipe, featuring raisins and pineapple, is packed with antioxidants and flavor. The ingredient list is short, with no unique, hard-to-find, or costly ingredients, making it ideal for a light lunch or side dish.
Grandma’s Carrot Salad
This easy salad is a carrot lover’s dream come true and a pleasant change from the usual fare with just the right amount of sweetness. With the help of a food processor, this dish can be on the table in less than 15 minutes. My family and friends love to rant and rave about this salad. The main courses it pairs well with are endless, but I like serving it with ham steak, grilled pork tenderloin, air fryer salmon, and roasted pork loin.
Carrot Salad Ingredients
- Carrots
- Mayonnaise – I use Duke’s
- Honey
- Lemon Juice
- Pineapple – fresh or canned tidbits
- Raisins
- Kosher salt
- Black Pepper
How to Make Carrot Salad
Start by shredding your carrots in a food processor or with a mandoline or a box grater. Then, whisk together the mayo, honey, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste. Stir in the shredded carrots, pineapple, and raisins and toss to coat. Refrigerate for about 1 hour before serving.
Recipe Tips
- I like using fresh pineapple with this recipe, but you can substitute canned pineapple tidbits or crushed pineapple. If you don’t like pineapple, try apples.
- Are you watching your sugar intake? Simply omit the honey. It will still be delicious, as pineapple and raisins are naturally sweet.
- Cut off the ends and peel the carrots before shredding them. This will give this carrot-raisin salad a bright, gorgeous orange color.
- Are you feeling a little sassy? Add 1/2 shredded coconut and 1/2 chopped pecans, walnuts, or sunflower seeds.
- Are you not into mayo dressing? Try swapping it out for a honey Dijon mustard vinaigrette made with olive oil or Greek yogurt. Or try fresh herbs like parsley, cilantro, or coriander.
- Dried cranberries can be substituted for raisins.
- Add nuts for a little extra crunch. Try chopped almonds, pistachios, walnuts, and pecans.
- For best results, chill before serving so all the flavors meld together.
Three Ways to Shred Carrots
- Food processor – trim both ends, and for best results, peel the carrots. Cut the carrots into 3 – 3 1/2-inch sections, and using your shredding blade, send them through the safety shute pulsing to shred them. This will produce a fairly finely shredded carrot.
- Mandoline – trim both ends, and peel the carrots for best results. Cut the carrots in half, especially if they have a bend in them. Use the mandoline blade that produces small matchstick cuts. This cut produces more crunch, and I think it makes for a much prettier presentation for company and perhaps a better overall texture.
- Box grater – trim both ends, and for best results, peel the carrots. Leave the carrots whole and use the large holes on the box cutter. This produces a very similar shred to the food processor, with less cleanup but with more elbow grease.
Storage
This dish can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Stir again before serving. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
More Carrot Recipe
Easy Carrot Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb. carrots peeled and shredded
- ⅔ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 cup pineapple tidbits preferably fresh
- 1 cup raisins
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, honey, and lemon juice. Gently stir in carrots, pineapple, and raisins. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Chill for 45-60 minutes before serving.
Notes
- I like to use fresh pineapple with this recipe, but you can substitute canned pineapple tidbits or even crushed pineapple. If you don’t like pineapple, try apples.
- Are you watching your sugar? Simply omit the honey. It will still be delicious as pineapple, and raisins are naturally sweet.
- Cut off the ends and peel the carrots before shredding them. This will give this carrot-raisin salad a bright, gorgeous orange color.
- Feeling a little sassy! Add 1/2 shredded coconut and 1/2 chopped pecans, walnuts, or sunflower seeds.
- Are you not into mayo dressing? Try swapping it out for a honey Dijon mustard vinaigrette made with olive oil or Greek yogurt. Or try fresh herbs like parsley, cilantro, or coriander.
- Dried cranberries can be substituted for raisins.
- Add nuts for a little extra crunch. Try chopped almonds, pistachios, walnuts, and pecans.
- For best results, chill before serving so all the flavors meld together.
Nutrition
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Olympia
When I was a kid, my grandmom made a similar salad. She didn’t put pineapples, but I think it is a great addition. Thank you for this recipe. My youngest son loved this carrot salad!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Olympia! I am so glad that he liked the carrot salad!
Carole C
What a healthy refreshing side dish!!! It reminded me of a carrot salad that my Grandmother made. So tasty and easy to make.
Stephanie Morris
This carrot salad is so delightful and refreshing. A wonderful side dish for my BBQ pulled pork last night – it’s full of lots of great flavors and crunchy textures.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Stephanie! You summed it up so well. It is a delicious salad.
Richmond
What an awesome recipe. I remember my Mom making something similar. Thanks for the walk down memory lane.
Beth Pierce
Food can be so nostalgic!
Kimberley Asante
This easy carrot salad recipe is a real game-changer! It’s vibrant, crunchy, and bursting with flavor. I love how simple and quick it is to make, yet it’s packed with wholesome ingredients. I served it with your glazed ham steak but the possiblities are endless. Thank you for the amazing recipe.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Kimberley! I am so glad that you liked the carrot salad!
Ben B
Aww, yeah! I grew up in the south, so I know good carrot salad when I have it, and let me tell you, this is the real deal. Absolutely fantastic recipe.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Ben! So glad that you enjoyed it!
Leanne Reamy
Oh, I love this recipe so much! Believe it or not, I’ve never made carrot salad before. It’s not a big thing in my country. It was fun to try something so good and out of the box for me.
Beth Pierce
I agree! It is always fun to try something new!
Krystle
I grew up eating this. Your recipe tastes just as good as I remember it.
Claudia
What a great healthy side dish and even the kids will love this one! MAking this tomorrow!
Dannii
I love a carrot salad, but I have never tried it with raisins in it. Great idea!
Caroline
Love how east carrot salads are. I haven’t tried with pineapple so will have to give that a go next time.
Jacqueline
This is my new favourite spring salad. Subbed out the honey for maple syrup and used vegan mayo and it was delicious. Great idea for using carrots and the pineapple was amazing. And I sprinkled over some sunflower seeds as you suggested Thanks!
Jessie
This salad is going to be a great addition to summer cookouts!!
Anna
What a delicious salad idea! I love the creamy dressing!
Betsy
Delicious salad! I tried it with the sunflower seeds. I used salted & roasted seeds and I absolutely adored the sweet & salty combo that then occurred. I’m thinking about trying it with salted pumpkin seeds, too, think that will be good?
Matt
Gotta love a good carrot salad. This one reminds me of the one my mom used to make. Can’t wait to try this!