Name: Carrot Apple Salad with Yogurt Dressing
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 3 cups shredded carrots; 2 cups diced apples; 1/2 cup diced celery; 1/3 cup of golden raisins or regular raisins; 1/4 cup toasted chopped pecans; 1/2 cup plain non fat Greek yogurt; 1/4 teaspoon orange zest; 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice, about 1/2 of an orange; 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup; 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon; Pinch of salt

Carrot Apple Salad with Yogurt Dressing is a retro salad with a healthy upgrade! An easy to make side dish for your next brunch or dinner.

This recipe and photos have been updated since the original post on 2/26/2014

If you grew up in the 70’s you might be familiar with this vintage carrot apple salad recipe. I found this in my mom’s cookbook and then compared it with other similar recipes I saw online. One ingredient that stood out in them was mayonnaise in the dressing. That seems to be a common theme in dressings from that era.

While I agree mayonnaise has a place in some recipes, I was not a fan of the use of it in this salad. That’s why I gave it a facelift and created my own version of Carrot Apple Salad with Yogurt Dressing.

What Do I Need to Make the Carrot Apple Salad?

Carrots
Apples
Celery
Golden raisins or regular raisins
Pecans or walnuts
Plain Greek yogurt
An orange
Cinnamon
Honey or maple syrup

Making this carrot apple salad is about as easy as it gets. Simply shred the carrots with a box grater or if you want to get it done really fast, use a food processor. The apple and celery both get chopped and no need to peel the apple. Then toast the pecans (or walnuts), chop them up and combine everything along with the raisins in a serving bowl.

The yogurt dressing is equally easy to make. Zest the orange and add it along with some of the juice to a small bowl. Add in the yogurt, cinnamon, honey and a pinch of salt. Whisk together and it’s ready to pour over the salad.

Can This Salad Be Made Ahead of Time?

Parts of this salad can be made ahead of time. The carrots, celery and apple can be prepped and combined in the serving bowl a day or two in advance. Take some of the orange juice and squeeze it over the apple so it doesn’t brown. The pecans can also be toasted and chopped multiple days in advance, but wait to add them to the salad just before serving so they don’t get soft.

The yogurt dressing can be made a couple days in advance as well, but again, wait until just before serving to add it to the salad. This salad has the same reaction with dressing as coleslaw does. It draws out the moisture in the carrots and apple and will get runnier the longer they’re combined. It still tastes great the next day, but I like the consistency better on day one.

This is a versatile salad and can be served with brunch or dinner. It will make a wonderful healthy addition to your Easter table this year!

Brunch Serving Suggestions

More Easter Salad Recipes

Chimichurri Potato Salad

Berry, Chickpea, Feta Salad with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

Berry, Asparagus, Quinoa and Feta Salad with Sweet Crispy Chickpeas