Carrot Raisin Salad

Name: Carrot Raisin Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 pound carrots; 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil; 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about 1/2 lemon); 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 2 tablespoon honey; 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon paprika; 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin; 1/2 teaspoon salt; freshly ground black pepper (to taste); 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts; 1/2 cup raisins; 1 cup chopped curly parsley

by Taylor June 13, 2023 (updated June 24, 2026)

This vibrant and refreshing carrot raisin salad recipe adds a bright, Mediterranean-inspired twist to the traditional version. Shredded carrots and sweet raisins are tossed with a mayo-free lemon-Dijon vinaigrette. The addition of warm spices, parsley, and pine nuts packs a flavorful punch in this make-ahead-friendly recipe that takes only 10 minutes to prepare!

Carrot Raisin Salad - On a Blue Plate with Fork

What Readers are Saying
Tips and Testing Notes
Ingredient Notes
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
Serving Suggestions
Frequently Asked Questions

Carrot raisin salad is an old-fashioned favorite, with crunchy shredded carrots and sweet raisins pairing perfectly together.

But most traditional recipes lean pretty sweet and rely on a mayonnaise-based dressing. While I love mayo dressings in recipes like my cranberry chicken salad, I prefer to take inspiration from Mediterranean flavors for my carrot raisin salad.

This version pairs the carrots and raisins with fresh parsley, toasted pine nuts, and a spiced lemon-Dijon vinaigrette. The warm spices in the mayo-free dressing add an unexpected burst of flavor that complements the sweetness of the both the carrots and the raisins, and the pine nuts add crunch to round it all out.

This recipe can be assembled in just 10 minutes. It tastes even better after it’s had time to rest, so it’s perfect for making ahead of time. Make it on a weeknight, take it to a potluck, or serve it at a holiday dinner. It’s always a hit!

Carrot and Raisin Salad - With Parsley On Top of Blue Plate

What Readers are Saying

“This was incredible! Thank you so much! It really was amazing – every family member couldn’t get enough of it! So easy to make and packed so much flavor!” -Liz

“I love it! Everything in this recipe works and complement each other.” -Clara

Tips and Testing Notes

Shred the carrots yourself – I know it adds a step, but freshly shredded carrots bring better flavor and texture in this salad than bagged, pre-shredded carrots. Pre-shredded carrots tend to dry out before you even get them home, while freshly shredded carrots are much juicier. Stay away from using diced carrots or carrot sticks, as they don’t soften or absorb the dressing in the same way as shredded carrots do.

Use curly parsley – Most of the time I choose flat-leaf parsley over curly, but for this dish I think the curly parsley looks better and also provides a more interesting texture. If you can’t find it, using flat-leaf is fine too!

Toast the pine nuts – Toasting nuts is one of those tasks that I always grumble inside about doing because of the extra step, but I always do it because it makes a massive difference in texture and flavor. It’s worth it.

Let it sit – While the carrot raisin salad can be enjoyed right away after making it, I like to let it sit for an hour. This allows the flavors to meld and gives the carrots and raisins a chance to absorb the dressing.

Ingredient Notes

For the full recipe, including ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below.

Carrots: This recipe uses a whole pound of carrots. Before shredding them, be sure to wash and peel them. I like to use the shredding disk on my food processor to make quick work of them, but you can also use the large holes on a box grater if you prefer to do this by hand. While you can use pre-shredded bagged carrots, the texture and flavor won’t be quite as good.
Raisins: This recipe works great with the standard, smaller raisins that you find at any grocery store. However, feel free to go fancy with the raisins if you’d like! You can try a medley, use jumbo golden raisins or flame raisins, or whatever variety you prefer.
Curly parsley: Flat-leaf parsley will also work.
Pine nuts: Take the time to toast these before adding them to the salad. If you don’t have pine nuts on hand, toasted chopped walnuts will also work nicely. If you’re not sure how to toast nuts, refer to the notes section of the recipe card below.
Extra virgin olive oil: I like to use a fruity olive oil in this recipe to complement the other flavors in the salad.
Lemon juice: Use fresh-squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor and aroma.
Dijon mustard: Adds a tangy flavor and helps emulsify the dressing. You can use stone-ground mustard if that’s what you have on hand, but do not use yellow mustard.
Honey: For a bit of sweetness. If you are feeding any vegan friends or family, feel free to swap in maple syrup instead.
Spices: A combination of cinnamon, paprika, and cumin add warmth to the dressing. It’s a combination that’s often used in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes such as chicken shawarma and works perfectly with the carrots, raisins, and lemon here. Don’t forget the salt and pepper to round out the flavors.

Shredded Carrots in Bowl with Pine Nuts, Raisins, and Curly Parsley

Grated Carrot Salad in Bowl with Raisins and Parsley

Make-Ahead and Storage Tips

Like my broccoli salad recipe, this carrot raisin salad tastes even better when it has time to rest before serving. You can easily make it up to a day ahead of when you plan to serve it.

If you make it more than an hour or two before serving, you may want to wait to add the pine nuts so they maintain their crunch. Toss them into the salad just before serving—this will help redistribute the dressing, too.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Serving Suggestions

This is the perfect make-ahead side dish to enjoy with other light dishes like bruschetta chicken and tabbouleh because of its crunchy texture and great flavor.

The flavors in this carrot raisin salad recipe also go beautifully with lamb. Try it with Leg of Lamb, Rack of Lamb, or Braised Lamb Shanks.

You can also pack it up for a picnic alongside my salmon salad, Caprese pasta salad, or egg salad!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a difference between shredded and grated carrots?

Yes! Shredded carrots are longer, thin strips, while grated carrots tend to be finer and more choppy. I recommend using shredded carrots here for a better texture, as they hold up better over time and don’t soften as quickly as grated carrots do.

Can I use carrot ribbons instead of shredded carrots?

Carrot ribbons make for a beautiful presentation and soak up dressing in a similar way to shredded carrots. However, the raisins and pine nuts will do not mix as well with carrot ribbons, and you really want to get all of the ingredients in this carrot raisin salad recipe in every single bite. For that reason, I recommend skipping ribbons for this recipe.

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