Carrot Raisin Salad
Made with just 5 ingredients in 5 minutes, this Carrot Raisin Salad recipe is a quick and easy side dish. Enjoy with sandwiches, burgers, grilled chicken and more.
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When it comes to quick and easy side dishes, it doesn’t get much better than this carrot salad recipe! Made with crunchy matchstick carrots, sweet raisins, creamy mayo, and crispy hickory sticks, this simple side dish is filled with a variety of textures, flavors, and colors.
The best part? It takes just 5 minutes to prepare this carrot salad recipe. Just combine the ingredients and enjoy!
It’s simple enough for a casual weeknight dinner or potluck but would make a great addition to a holiday dinner table too, if you wanted to switch things up a bit.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Matchstick carrots – You can either buy them prepared at the store or cut them yourself. The sauce does tend to absorb better on freshly sliced carrots.
- Raisins – I prefer sultana raisins but others will work.
- Mayonnaise – The base of the creamy sauce.
- Tex Mex seasoning – Cajun seasoning also tastes great. Both add lots of flavor and a bit of heat, which is balanced out nicely by the creamy mayo and sweet raisins.
- Hickory sticks – These add a crunchy texture and unique flavor to the carrot salad recipe. Hickory and BBQ ripple chips crunched up will work too.
How to Make Carrot Raisin Salad
This carrot salad recipe is incredibly easy to make.
All you need to do is add all of the ingredients to a large bowl and mix to combine. Then serve and enjoy!
If you do not plan on serving immediately, wait to add the hickory sticks/chips as the mayo will make them soggy instead of crunchy.
Tips & Variations
Here are a few tips and suggestions for making this raw carrot salad recipe.
- What are Hickory Sticks? Hickory sticks are a popular Canadian snack, similar to potato chips but cut into sticks instead of chips. If you can’t find them, you can grab some Hickory and BBQ Ripple Chips instead and just crumble them up.
- Add the hickory sticks just before serving. If you are making this carrot and raisin salad in advance, wait to add the hickory sticks or chips. You want them crisp and crunchy when you dive in and they will soften quickly.
- Can I use other types of raisins? Yup, any type of raisin will work in this recipe. If you like cranberries, craisins are a fun option too.
- Can I use shredded carrots instead? Yes but note that the texture may be a little less crunchy because of the thinner slice.
Serving Suggestions
Carrot and raisin salad makes a great side dish for pretty much any meal, as well as potlucks and holiday gatherings. Chick-fil-A used to offer a similar version of this carrot salad as a side to their sandwiches.
It would be lovely paired with some crispy chicken thighs, sweet and spicy chicken, turkey breast, or burgers. You can even use it as a burger or sandwich topping if you’d like!
Proper Storage
Leftover carrot and raisin salad should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Note that the hickory sticks will become soft so the texture will change. If you know you won’t be enjoying it all immediately, it may be a good idea to keep the hickory sticks separate.
More Easy Side Salads
- German Potato Salad
- 5-Minute Asian Cucumber Salad
- Cucumber Salad with Dill
- Panzanella
- Mexican Bean Salad
Carrot Raisin Salad
Ingredients
- 10 oz matchstick carrots
- ¼ cup sultana raisins
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 1 ½ tbsp of Tex Mex or Cajun seasoning
- 1 ½ cup Hickory Sticks or crumbled Hickory and BBQ ripple chips
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl and mix to combine.
- If serving later, wait to add the hickory sticks or crumbled hickory chips until just before serving and then mix in.
Nutrition
Notes
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
