This easy Carrot Raisin Salad is made without mayonnaise and instead is dressed with a sweet and tangy dressing that compliments the carrots, raisins, and pineapple perfectly.
My kids, like most other children, prefer carrots raw with a side of ranch dressing or hummus. Unless I offer them this sweet and tangy carrot raisin salad. Then I can watch the carrots disappear!
The reason this Carrot Raisin Salad is so appealing to kids (and adults) is that instead of being tossed with a mayonnaise-based dressing, this carrot salad swaps the classically heavy dressing for a light, refreshing dressing made with pineapple juice, honey, and a bit of rice vinegar.
It is light, refreshing, and a simple recipe that will help get kids excited about eating their vegetables!
Whether paired with Pineapple Glazed Ham and Scalloped Potatoes at a holiday meal or served alongside Pita Pizzas for a quick and easy kid-friendly lunch, this carrot raisin salad is sure to be a hit! And just like you, I love it when my kids get excited to eat their veggies!
Notes on Ingredients
- Carrots: It is best to grate fresh, whole carrots yourself, rather than purchasing pre-shredded carrots. Not only is it more cost-effective to shred whole carrots using a box grater or food processor, but the pre-shredded carrots are much thicker and don't absorb the dressing as well as freshly grated carrots.
- Raisins: Traditional brown raisins are classic in a carrot salad, but feel free to use golden raisins if that is what you have on hand.
- Pineapple: Be sure to use pineapple tidbits in 100% pineapple juice. The tidbits are the perfect bite-size for this salad. Use the juice from the canned pineapples to plump up the raisins and for the dressing.
- Honey: While carrots and honey are a natural match, maple syrup works well in place of honey, if that is what you have on hand or if you need this recipe to be vegan-friendly.
- Rice Wine Vinegar: The mild vinegar helps to balance out the sweetness of this salad. If you don't have rice wine vinegar, mirin or white wine vinegar would work in its place.
How to Make Carrot Raisin Salad
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Plump The Raisins. Place the raisins in a small bowl and cover them with pineapple juice from the canned pineapples. Allow the raisins to soak while you shred the carrot and prepare the dressing. This lets the raisins plump up and adds a juicy burst of flavor to this salad. If you are short on time, skip this step and add the raisins directly to the salad.
- Prepare Dressing. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the honey, rice wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons of pineapple juice, and a pinch of salt.
- Prepare Salad. To the dressing, add the drained pineapple tidbits and shredded carrots. Drain the raisins, add them to the bowl, and toss everything together.
- Chill Salad. Cover and refrigerate for one hour. This will allow the flavors to marry together and the carrots to soften slightly.
Serving Suggestions
Carrot Raisin Salad with Pineapple is one of my favorite quick side dishes to make for my kids. It pairs well with Homemade Chicken Tenders, Baked Fish Sticks, or Homemade Hot Pockets for an easy, family-friendly dinner. It also packs well in a lunchbox alongside Turkey Wraps or English Muffin Pizzas.
Carrot Raisin Salad also makes an unexpected and welcomed side dish for a holiday side dish when served alongside Roasted Turkey or Instant Pot Honey Baked Ham, Mashed Potato Casserole, and Instant Pot Mac and Cheese.
More Kid-Friendly Vegetable Recipes
- Orange Glazed Carrots
- Mandarin Orange Salad
- Air Fryer Asparagus
- Green Beans Almondine
- Parmesan Roasted Broccoli
- Instant Pot Glazed Carrots
If you give this Carrot Raisin Salad Recipe a try, please be sure to leave a comment and review below.
Carrot Raisin Salad
Ingredients
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ cup hot water
- 8 ounce can pineapple tidbits in 100% juice juice reserved
- 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 cups shredded carrots about 4 large carrots
Instructions
- Place the raisins in a small mixing bowl and cover them with hot water. Let the raisins sit in the hot water to plump up for 5 to 10 minutes. Once the raisins have plumped up, drain off the water.
- Drain the pineapple tidbits, reserving 2 tablespoons for the dressing.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the rice wine vinegar, honey, salt, and 2 tablespoons of reserved pineapple juice. for the dressing. Add the carrots, pineapple tidbits, and plumped raisins to the dressing and toss well to combine.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in 2018 but has been updated in 2022 with a few new tips.
Kate
Interesting, I'll have to try this. I usually do a similar salad but do grapes, yogurt of kefir, honey and a little bit of orange juice. Thanks so much for sharing.
Kristen Chidsey
And that sounds delicious too! This carrot salad is very light and refreshing. I hope you enjoy it!
Rebecca
I was searching for a recipe for carrot salad, without mayo, to serve today for Easter. Your recipe caught my eye and I am so glad it did. It is fabulous! I experimented with the dressing and tested out using honey vs. maple syrup. I liked the maple syrup better as it seemed to be sweeter than the honey and I liked the way it balanced out the tartness of the vinegar. The only change I made was to stir in a little olive oil before serving to give the salad a bit more richness. Thank you, Kristen, for a delicious recipe that I will be sure to enjoy throughout the year!
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad your family enjoyed Rebecca!
Terry Bothwell
I made the carrot raisin salad..... with pineapple. Put honey and rice vinegar as called.
It was not what I expected. My family said they wouldn't care if I didn't make it again 🤷.
Kristen Chidsey
I am so sorry your family did not care for this Terry! Were you expecting a creamier or sweeter salad?
Natalie
Loved this! Had to use white wine vinegar but still delicious
Kristen Chidsey
So glad you enjoyed.
Diane
Hi! Great recipe. I’m babysitting and they don’t have mayo, so this was perfect. I did substitute lime for the vinegar, again because they didn’t have rice wine vinegar. I love it! Thank you, Kristen!
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you were able to enjoy this with what you have on hand!
Sharon
I usually make it with dressing at all always been a crowd pleaser at potluck.My favorite salad
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you and your guests enjoy Sharon! Thanks for sharing!
Shirley Masongezi
We were so disappointed to walk into Chic-Fil-A one day, a couple years ago to find out they dropped Carrot-Raisin salad from the menu! We loved it. So, I tried my best but it just wasn’t a good replica. I’m so excited today to find your recipe that I’m preparing it as I text 😋. We’re missionaries now working in Central Africa and wanted you to know what a blessing you have been to me this morning!!! Thanks again.
Kristen Chidsey
Oh Shirley!! What a BLESSING you are!! We will be praying for you as you reach people in Central Africa. I am humbled to do something small for you today 🙂
Renee Goerger
I have made this before and it's a real winner with the entire family! It tastes like sunshine to me!
Kristen Chidsey
I love the way you described this as "sunshine" Renee!
Claire
My kids just love this salad!
They both love carrots but we are going through the wobbly tooth stage so they are always forgoing carrots and crunch apples because they hurt too much.
This is so much easier for them to eat 😀
Kristen Chidsey
YAY!!! I am so glad your kids were able to enjoy just like my son with his braces!