Creamy Carrot Salad is a fun, super easy, and quick way to serve a delicious carrot side dish. This salad combines the natural sweetness of carrots, the tropical tang of pineapple, the chewy texture of raisins, and a rich, creamy mayonnaise-based dressing, creating a harmony of flavors and textures. While I love serving my glazed carrots in the colder months, this dish is wonderful when the weather begins to warm up. And if you prefer a lighter, mayonnaise-free version, try our Lemon Dijon Carrot Salad. All of these carrot sides are excellent dishes to prepare ahead of time. In fact, it is extremely important to allow the dish to rest for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator so that the flavors have time to meld.
One thing I love about this salad is that it is so flexible. If you are not a fan of a certain ingredient, feel free to leave it out or make substitutions. Don’t love walnuts? Maybe use almonds or remove the nuts entirely. This Creamy Carrot Salad is a versatile side dish that pairs well with a variety of grilled or roasted meats, fish, and even vegetarian dishes.
Creamy Carrot Salad Key Ingredients
Let’s take a closer look at the ingredients that make up this delicious dish.
Carrots
I typically buy carrots already peeled to save time and then use my food processor to shred them. You may also buy shredded carrots however; the quality of the carrots may vary. Store bought shredded carrots may be dry and rubbery.
Pineapple
Crushed pineapple adds a bit of sweetness to the recipe and brightens it up. Be sure to drain the pineapple before adding to the dish.
Walnuts
I love walnuts but if you prefer a different kind of nut, feel free to use whatever you would like. You can remove the nuts entirely as well.
Raisins
Brown or golden raisins taste delicious in this dish. You may also omit them entirely if you’d prefer not to use them! An alternative to raisins is dried cranberries.
Creamy Dressing
The creamy dressing consists of mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sour cream, sugar, salt, and pepper.
How do I Shred carrots?
To julienne carrots means to cut into thin strips. There are several ways of accomplishing this for this recipe. More often than not, I am in a hurry and use the quickest method: the food processor! (Alternatively, you can always just buy the carrots already shredded. Just be aware that the quality of the carrots may vary. Store bought shredded carrots are sometimes dry and rubbery.) Below are three methods for shredding your own carrots. (Be sure to wash, dry, and peel carrots before beginning.)
- Knife – Using a sharp knife, cut off the stems and roots of the carrots. Then, cut carrots into 2-inch sections and trim off one side of each. This will give you a flat surface for each carrot. Using the flat sides, slice the carrots into planks. When you have several planks, stack them on top of each other and cut into thin sticks.
- Peeler -Using a julienne peeler, peel carrots into strips.
- Food Processor – A food processor makes shredding carrots super quick and painless. Simply use the shredding disc and you will be done in a few minutes!
How to Select and Store Fresh Carrots
When shopping for carrots, be sure that they are firm and do not bend. Carrots that bend are beginning to lose structure and will not be super fresh. Fresh carrots should last several weeks in a vegetable crisper.
Can I make Creamy Carrot Salad in advance?
Yes! This dish is excellent for preparing ahead of time and benefits from marinating in the refrigerator. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Before serving, give it a quick stir.
Tips
- Julienned carrots – If cutting carrots by knife, try to keep your cuts as uniform as possible for best presentation.
- Make ahead – This dish can easily be made ahead of time and tastes better after marinating for a few hours. It is extremely important to allow the dish to rest for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator so that the flavors have time to meld. Covered Creamy Carrot Salad will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
My Preferred Tools
You may already have many of these items in your kitchen. I recommend the following for this recipe:
- Peeler – to peel carrots
- Sharp knife set – to julienne carrots
- Cutting board – to julienne carrots
- Food processor – to shred carrots
- Julienne peeler – to julienne carrots
If you enjoyed this recipe, try our
- Macaroni Salad
- Lemon Dijon Carrot Salad
- Broccoli Salad
- Brussels Sprouts Salad
- The Best Potato Salad
- Fried Cabbage
Creamy Carrot Salad
Creamy Carrot Salad is an easy and quick way to serve a delicious carrot side mixed with pineapple, raisins, and a mayonnaise based dressing.
Ingredients
- 4 cups (approx. 1 lb) shredded carrots
- 8 oz (1 can) crushed pineapple, mostly drained
- 1 cup golden raisins (or dried cranberries)
- ½ cup walnuts, chopped (Optional)
- Dressing
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp salt
- Pepper to taste
Directions
- Step 1 Shred the carrots in a food processor. In a medium bowl, mix together the shredded carrots, crushed pineapple, raisins, and walnuts (optional). Set aside.
- Step 2 In a bowl, whisk together all ingredients for the dressing.
- Step 3 Pour the dressing over the carrot mixture and mix well. Cover and let sit for at least 1-2 hours in the refrigerator prior to serving. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Give a quick stir before serving.
- Step 4 NOTE: It is extremely important to allow the dish to rest for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator so that the flavors have time to meld. If you taste the salad immediately after preparing, the flavor will be lackluster. The dish will magically transform after an hour or two in the fridge. I like to make it in the morning and serve it for dinner the same day.
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