Have you ever had Carrot Salad? If not, you may wonder what all the fuss is about. Surely it can't be that good; it's just shredded carrots after all, right? Wrong!! After just one taste, you might have a new favorite side dish. Carrot Salad is a fresh and light raw veggie salad made with simple ingredients that's BIG on flavor. You might wonder why it tastes so darn good and why you can't stop eating it. This is a simple yet delicious salad that comes together in only 5 minutes with just 3 ingredients. Perfect as a side dish for BBQs, school and work lunches, as well as meal prep.
The first time I had carrot salad, I was surprised at how delicious it was! This carrot salad recipe is closely related to coleslaw....you could call it carrot slaw! The grated carrots soak up the sweet, tangy lemon juice, and it's nearly impossible to put your fork down.
This shredded carrot salad is the perfect side dish for some of our favorite grill recipes, such as Smoked Chuck Roast, Chili Lime Chicken, Smoked Salmon on Pellet Grill, and The Best Smoked Burgers.
This cold carrot salad also goes with any meal, any time of the year, and is a perfect side dish to serve on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. But, of course, we also enjoy it served with cozy comfort food like Classic Meatloaf.
Jump to:
Why we love this grated carrot salad
This salad is one of the quickest and easiest and healthiest side dishes to make! The whole salad comes together in 5 minutes, and it can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge until you are ready to serve it.
Another reason we love this salad is it is made with natural ingredients and tastes amazing! It is so fresh and light and goes with anything.
It can be served as a side dish or used as a cold veggie salad in lunches, and it's perfect for meal prep because it stays fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days. I love it served right after it's made, and I love it after it's been sitting in the juice for a few days. Either way, it's delicious!
Ingredients
Only 3 simple ingredients are needed for this carrot salad recipe.
- Carrots. (Obviously 😊) Choose the best, freshest carrots you can, preferably organic carrots. We grow our own carrots in our garden, and we grow enough to last the entire year. We store them in our root cellar in a bin with sand which keeps them fresh and crisp.
- Lemon juice. You can use fresh or bottled lemon juice for this salad.
- Cane sugar. I use cane sugar, but feel free to use white sugar, coconut sugar, or your favorite sweetener. Honey would also be a good substitute, but my daughter is allergic, so we never use it. Adjust the sugar to taste.
Equipment
To make this recipe, you will need:
- Either a box grater or a food processor
- A large mixing bowl
- Tongs for mixing, or a wooden spoon
How to make carrot salad
For exact measurements of ingredients and detailed instructions, see the recipe card below.
I'm not kidding when I say this salad is super easy to make. First of all, wash and peel your carrots. Then shred them in your food processor, or use a box grater and grate them. I use a food processor; it shreds them in about 1 minute. 😊
Next, place shredded carrot or grated carrot in a bowl, and add lemon juice and cane sugar. Toss well until the shredded carrots are covered in lemon juice. Cover with plastic wrap or a tight-fitting lid and place the salad in the fridge until ready to serve. I personally believe that the flavor gets better after it sits in the juice for a few hours.
Top Tips
To make this salad even better, there are a few tips I would like to share with you. First of all, go easy on the sweetener. Carrots are a naturally sweet vegetable, and some varieties of carrots are sweeter. Our carrots are quite sweet, so I don't need to add much sweetener. Taste as you go, you can always add more sugar later if needed.
Another tip is that I find that the flavors meld together if you let the carrot salad sit for a few hours in the fridge after you make it. When you are ready to serve, give it a quick stir, making sure to grab some yummy juice that has moved to the bottom of the bowl and add it on top.
That's all there is to it! This is such an incredibly easy salad, and it is undoubtedly one of the most delicious sides I have ever made.
How to serve
This tasty side dish goes well alongside any grilled or barbecued meat, sandwiches, or by itself. It keeps well in a cooler, is perfect for potlucks, and tastes great in school and work lunches. I make a big bowl of this salad and serve it in lunches for the entire week.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Exposing the grated carrots to air is what can cause them to turn brown. However, because these carrots are tossed in lemon juice, they won't turn brown. Also, keep plastic wrap or a tight-fitting lid on the carrot salad.
The easiest method is to use a food processor. If you don't have one, use a box grater. Place the grater on a cutting board and, using a downward motion, move the carrot from the top of the grater to the bottom. Repeat this motion until 1-2 inches of carrot remain. Keep your fingers out of the way!
It takes about 1.25-1.5 large carrots, or 2.5-2.75 medium carrots to make 1 cup of grated carrots. For this recipe, I used 7 large carrots to get 5 cups of shredded carrots.
More side dishes
If you’ve tried this Carrot Salad Recipe or any other recipe, please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. I love hearing from you!
You can also Follow Me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Please tag me in your photos at @windingcreek_ranch. I would love to see your pictures!
📋 Recipe
Carrot Salad
Equipment
- A food processor; or
- A box grater
Ingredients
- 5 cups carrots shredded or grated
- ⅓ cup cane sugar
- ⅓ cup lemon juice fresh or bottled
Instructions
- Place shredded carrot or grated carrot in a bowl, add in cane sugar and lemon juice. Toss well until the shredded carrots are covered in lemon juice.
- Cover the carrot salad with plastic wrap and place in the fridge until ready to serve. Stir before serving.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Joanna
I remember a similar dish from my childhood in Poland. It is delicious and I must start making it again! Eating raw veggies is such a great way to keep your gut healthy. And do yummy!
Jeri
This is such an easy recipe to make, enjoy!
Anaiah
Love easy salads like this one! The lemon in this carrot salad gives it a nice tart flavor and the sugar added a nice hint of sweetness. It's the perfect recipe to make when I'm short on time and makes the perfect side dish for dinner.
Addie
Definitely a new favorite for us! So fresh!
Kayla DiMaggio
This carrot salad was so fun to make! I loved the simple flavors! Sometimes simple is truly the best!
Jeannie
I love carrots because they are super healthy, never had a carrot salad before and will add this to my side dish next time.
Mihaela | https://theworldisanoyster.com/
Gosh, mom used to make this salad for us when we were kids! It really brings back memories... Besides, it is so easy to make and so yummy. I have to make it and check if it has the same taste I remember from long ago!
Linda
This carrot salad is so refreshingly good! Love the combo flavors of sweet and tangy in one bite
Freya
I have a bunch of carrots them from the local farm shop that I have no idea what to do with: this is perfect!
Raquel
What a great summer salad idea! Love that it is just a few ingredients too!
Julia
Carrots make such a bright and colourful addition to a salad. I love this idea, thank you for sharing.
Millie Mae
Well it sure is my new favorite side dish! Thanks for sharing this!
Jeannie
I just got a pack of fresh carrots now I know what to do with them, I'm always up with easy and quick recipes.