This Raw Shredded Carrot Salad With Lemon is the perfect light side dish. This simple recipe is vegan, gluten-free, and comes together in just a few minutes with 3 ingredients! Perfect as a side dish for BBQs, potlucks, and holiday meals.
If you liked this simple salad, check out my watermelon mint salad next!
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This shredded carrot salad is one of my all-time favorite sides. The carrots are sweet and crunchy and pair perfectly with the tangy lemon juice.
It's also super quick and easy to make, perfect for a quick weeknight dinner!
Why You'll Love This Sweet Carrot Salad
- This is an easy recipe that only takes 5 minutes to make.
- Make it ahead of time and store it in the fridge until ready to serve.
- It keeps well in a cooler and is perfect for potlucks.
- This grated carrot salad tastes delicious and is a great way to sneak in some beta-carotene.
- You'll love the simple combo of shredded carrots with lemon juice.
- It makes a great side dish or can be used as a cold veggie salad for a quick lunch.
- Great for meal prep because it stays fresh in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Recipe Ingredients
Only three simple ingredients are needed for this raw carrot salad recipe.
Ingredient Notes
- Raw Carrots. Use the freshest carrots you can, preferably organic carrots. You can shred them, grate them, or cut them into pretty carrot ribbons.
- Lemon juice. You can use fresh or bottled lemon juice for this salad. You can also use lime juice for a slightly different flavor.
- Sugar. I used cane sugar, but feel free to use granulated sugar, coconut sugar, maple syrup, honey, or your favorite sweetener. Taste and add more sweetener as needed. If your carrots are really sweet you may not need much sweetener.
See the printable recipe card below for exact measurements and a full list of ingredients.
How To Make Raw Shredded Carrot Salad With Lemon
Step-By-Step Instructions
- Wash and peel carrots with a vegetable peeler. Then shred them in your food processor using the shredding blade (which takes about 1 minute). You can also use a box mixer, julienne peeler, or the grating attachment on your KitchenAid mixer.
If grating the carrots with a box grater, use the large holes, not the small holes.
- Next, place shredded carrot or grated carrot in a large bowl, and sprinkle with sugar.
- Next, add the lemon juice and toss the ingredients well until the shredded carrots are covered in lemon juice.
- Transfer the crunchy carrot salad to a serving bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a tight-fitting lid and place in the fridge until ready to serve. Stir before serving, and enjoy!
Storage Tips
Store this raw carrot salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Mix well before serving.
This salad does not freeze well.
Variations
There are so many variations for this simple salad. Some fun ones to try are:
- Add chopped nuts or seeds.
- Add chopped green onions, fresh dill, fresh parsley, or fresh cilantro.
- Make a carrot raisin salad by adding raisins or dried cranberries.
- Add shredded cabbage or Brussels sprouts and some olive oil.
- Add feta cheese or a splash of apple cider vinegar for extra tang.
- For a Hawaiian flavor, mix shredded carrots with pineapple juice instead of lemon juice, and add fresh diced pineapple.
What To Serve With Raw Carrots With Lemon Juice Salad
This carrot salad is the perfect side dish for Smoked Chuck Roast, Smoked Chili Lime Chicken Breasts, Smoked Salmon on Pellet Grill, and 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.
I also serve it with cozy comfort food like Classic Meatloaf With Brown Sugar Glaze or low-calorie mains like Air Fryer Tuna Patties and Air Fryer Tilapia.
It goes with pretty much anything! It even tastes fantastic on its own! 🙂
Expert Tips
- Use a food processor to easily shred the carrots.
- Go easy on the sweetener. Carrots are naturally sweet vegetables, and some varieties of carrots are sweeter.
- Let the carrot salad sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld together.
- When 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.
Recipe FAQs
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. I used seven large carrots for this recipe to get 5 cups of shredded carrots.
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Recipe
Raw Shredded Carrot Salad With Lemon
Ingredients
- 5 cups raw carrots shredded or grated
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup lemon juice fresh or bottled
Instructions
- Place shredded carrot in a large mixing bowl with sugar and lemon juice.
- Toss well until the shredded carrots are covered in lemon juice. Taste and add more sugar if necessary.
- Cover the carrot salad with plastic wrap and place in the fridge until ready to serve. Stir before serving and enjoy!
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Recipe Notes:
- Use a food processor to easily shred the carrots.
- Go easy on the sweetener. Carrots are naturally sweet vegetables, and some varieties of carrots are sweeter.
- Let the carrot salad sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld together.
- When 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.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
NUTRITION INFORMATION
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Lexa says
We love this salad. I’ve made it at least 5 times this year for dinner and it’s always delicious! My husband keeps asking me to make it again!
Joanna says
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 says
This is such an easy recipe to make, enjoy!