Classic Carrot Salad

Grated carrot salad has to be one of the easiest dishes in the world to prepare, as well as being pretty kid-friendly and good for you!

The trick is to start with the best carrots you can find. Here is where buying organic or from a farmer's market really makes a difference in taste.

Carrots, being root vegetables, are not only tastier when they are grown in compost-rich soil, but they are more nutrient-rich as well.

A Flexible Recipe

The proportions of this recipe are flexible, depending on what you have on hand. Many traditional carrot salad recipes also call for crushed pineapple, but I think with the apples, raisins, and carrots, it's sweet enough.

By the way, you can often find carrots of different colors at the market — deep red, purple, bright orange, and bold yellow. The taste differences are subtle (they're all delicious!); the main difference is in their mix of nutrients. For example while orange carrots have lots of beta-carotene, red carrots have lycopene (what you find in tomatoes). (More on rainbow carrots here.)

Make-Ahead Salad

This salad — a cousin to coleslaw — can be served right away, but also keeps well in the fridge for an hour or two if you want to get your dinner side dish prepped and crossed off the list.

If you want to make it further ahead, grate the carrots and prep the apples, then toss them with a bit of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to prevent browning. Wait to combine with the mayo until closer to serving.

Don't Like Mayo? Try This!

Several readers have tried mayo-free versions of this recipe over the years and shared their success with us in the comments. Here are a few of their ideas:

• Greek yogurt with a bit of honey
• Lemon juice and honey
• Splash of fresh-squeezed orange juice
• Salad dressing, like thousand island or poppyseed
• Vinaigrette with red wine vinegar and olive oil

More Carrot Salad Recipes

• Moroccan Grated Carrot and Beet Salad
• Jeweled Carrot Salad with Apple and Pomegranate
• Orange-Blossom Carrot Salad
• Autumn Tabbouleh with Cauliflower, Carrots, and Golden Beets
• Winter Root Vegetable Slaw