Close
Credit:
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
You might think mixing carrots and raisins sounds odd—but, for this dish, it works.
The salad combines shredded carrots, raisins, and a dressing to make a dish that pairs crunchiness with creaminess and tangy, bright flavors with a little sweetness. It’s a staple at potlucks, picnics, and church gatherings all over the South. It works well alongside grilled meats, barbecue, sandwiches, and much more.
There’s something extra special about this particular salad, though: It’s a trusted family recipe passed down from a grandmother (and we all know there’s something different about grandma’s cooking).
How to Make Grandma's 5-Ingredient Carrot Salad
This 5-ingredient recipe is surprisingly simple. To make it, you need carrots, raisins, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and salt.
Since there are only two main ingredients, quality is important. Many reviewers speak to the simple pleasure that comes from lemon juice, mayonnaise, and salt. If you want to make a true Southern dish, there’s only one jar of mayonnaise worth using: Duke’s.
As for carrots, buy them whole and shred them yourself for the best crunch and sweet, earthy flavor. Once you grate your carrots, mix them with raisins in a bowl. Whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice, and salt and pour the ingredients over the carrot mixture. Once tossed together, chill the salad in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes, or until cold enough to serve.
You can make it ahead of time, but for the best results, store the carrots and raisins separately from the dressing until you are ready to serve the salad. If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container for about three to five days.
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Allrecipes member Mrs Wynkoop
My grandma made it all the time, and I loved it. Now I make it to honor her, and it's almost as good.
— Allrecipes member Mrs Wynkoop
Tips for Grandma's Carrot Salad
This recipe is super customizable. Here are some tips and tricks to make it your own:
- Add your own ingredients: Some reviewers say they add canned crushed pineapples, shredded ginger, shredded apples, or even prunes. If you want to add more seasonings, black pepper, shredded coconut, anise, or Dijon mustard are great suggestions.
- Change up the acid: While this recipe uses lemon juice, some reviewers missing this fruit substituted white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar instead. Others mixed together orange juice and zest. Either way, a little brightness goes a long way.
- Should you use pre-shredded carrots? Pre-shredded carrots make this recipe even easier than it already is, but should you use the store-bought version? If you’re going for convenience, there’s nothing wrong with taking this shortcut. But freshly grated carrots will bring the best flavor and texture. If you don’t mind putting in a little extra elbow grease, the recipe benefits from it.
How to Store Carrots to Keep Them Fresh
Praise From the Allrecipes Community
Don’t take it from just us. See how much the Allrecipes community loves this simple, seasonal salad:
- This was a fantastic recipe! I haven’t had carrot salad in a really long time,” says reviewer Melody Dumplin. “Back then all it had in it was carrots, raisins, mayo, and sugar. I liked it, but this was MUCH better and so easy to make!
- “I loved this stuff as a kid but never made it myself,” says Allrecipes member sheryl rieves. “Oh my gosh I forgot how good it is, a perfect blend of flavors and so easy to make. This will become a regular at our house!”
- “The mayonnaise, lemon juice, and salt are a great combo,” says reviewer Andrea Groccia. “I made a single batch and used about two tablespoons of mayonnaise for that. It does say ‘or to taste.’ I recommend adding as much mayo and lemon juice as you prefer and taste it prior to adding to the carrot mixture. The dressing also goes very well on shredded cabbage.”
Get the recipe: Grandma’s Carrot Salad
Explore more:
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Tell us why!
Other
Submit
