Carrot Apple Salad Recipe
A refreshing carrot apple salad combining sweet and tangy flavors, with crunchy matchstick carrots, crisp apples, dried cranberries, and mandarin segments, all tossed in a creamy vanilla yogurt and mayo dressing. Perfect as a light side dish or healthy snack.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Fruits and Vegetables
- 1 red delicious apple
- 1 granny smith apple
- 2 cups matchstick carrots (precooked or fresh)
- ¼ cup yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 cup canned mandarin segments, drained
Dressing and Mix-ins
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ⅓ cup dried sweetened cranberries
- ½ cup vanilla yogurt
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare Apples: Cut both the red delicious and granny smith apples into matchstick-style pieces. Place them in a bowl, pour lemon juice over the apple pieces, and toss well to coat. Let the apples soak for 5 minutes to prevent browning.
- Combine Vegetables and Cranberries: Pour the matchstick carrots into a large mixing bowl. Add the finely diced yellow onion and dried sweetened cranberries to the bowl.
- Add Apples to Mix: After the apples have soaked for 5 minutes, add them to the mixing bowl with the carrots, onions, and cranberries.
- Prepare Dressing: Add the vanilla yogurt and mayonnaise to the bowl. Then sprinkle in the sugar, salt, and black pepper.
- Mix Salad: Stir all ingredients thoroughly to combine and evenly coat everything with the dressing.
- Add Mandarins: Gently fold in the drained canned mandarin segments to the salad.
- Chill: Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate the salad for at least three hours to allow flavors to meld and the salad to chill.
- Serve: Once chilled, serve the carrot apple salad as a refreshing side or light snack and enjoy.
Notes
- Using lemon juice is essential to keep apples from browning and maintain a bright color.
- Vanilla yogurt adds a subtle sweetness that complements the fruit, but plain yogurt could be substituted for a less sweet version.
- Refrigeration time is important for flavor development, so do not skip chilling the salad.
- This salad can be prepared a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator for convenience.
- For a vegan version, substitute the yogurt and mayo with plant-based alternatives.
Keywords: carrot apple salad, creamy carrot salad, fruit and vegetable salad, matchstick carrots, cranberry salad, mandarin salad
Find it online: https://mixitwitjoe.com/carrot-apple-salad-recipe/
