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This Carrot Apple and Walnut Salad is quick and easy; my kind of salad! My husband and I both kept going back to the bowl for refills and nearly finished the entire batch between the two of us, but you know what? It. felt .good!
This salad is loaded with healthy ingredients. The lemony dressing and plump raisins make it irresistible.
There’s something about sunflower oil that gives any salad a Slavic kick. It’s that secret little ingredient that makes salads taste more “authentic” to my Ukrainian taste buds (afterall, Ukraine and Russia are two of the largest producers of sunflower oil).
It’s so aromatic and adds great flavor. If you haven’t tried it, I think you should give it a whirl. P.S. If you have the option, it’s best to buy un-refined sunflower oil – it tastes better and is a little better for you.
Ingredients for Carrot Apple and Walnut Salad:
1 lb (about 5 large) carrots, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
2 apples (we used granny smith), peeled, cored and sliced into matchsticks
1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped, lightly toasted
1/2 cup raisins
Juice of 1 medium lemon (3 Tbsp, divided)
3 Tbsp sunflower oil (3 Tbsp)
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper to taste
How to Make Carrot Apple and Walnut Salad:
1. Toast walnuts on a dry skillet until golden then remove from heat to cool (keep an eye on them; they can burn quickly).
2. Soak raisins in 1 cup boiling hot water for about 1 minute to soften them up. Drain well and set aside.
3. Cut carrots into matchsticks and place them in a large mixing bowl. P.S. We recommend this Borner Julienne Grater
4. Cut apples into matchsticks and toss them with 1 Tbsp lemon juice right away to prevent browning. I used a granny smith apples but most apples will work well.
5. Add soaked raisins and toasted walnuts to the bowl.
6. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine 2 Tbsp lemon juice, 3 Tbsp sunflower oil, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Pour the dressing over salad and stir until combined. This salad stores really well in the refrigerator for several hours and the tiny bit that was leftover was still good the next day.
Carrot Apple and Walnut Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb about 5 large carrots, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
- 2 apples, we used granny smith, peeled, cored and sliced into matchsticks
- 1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped, lightly toasted
- 1/2 cup raisins
- Juice of 1 medium lemon, 3 Tbsp, divided
- 3 Tbsp sunflower oil, 3 Tbsp
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Toast walnuts on a dry skillet until golden then remove from heat to cool (keep an eye on them; they can burn quickly).
- Soak raisins in 1 cup boiling hot water for about 1 minute to soften them up. Drain well and set aside.
- Cut carrots into matchsticks and place them in a large mixing bowl.
- Cut apples into matchsticks and toss them with 1 Tbsp lemon juice right away to prevent browning (I used a granny smith apples but most apples will work well.
- Add soaked raisins and toasted walnuts to the bowl.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine 2 Tbsp lemon juice, 3 Tbsp sunflower oil, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Pour the dressing over salad and stir until combined.
Notes
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Aged well in the fridge, as the flavors melded, walnuts on the top kept those crunchy. Surprisingly, the Mr, who detests raw carrots … liked it!
Thanks Natasha, very helpful getting us to eat fresh vegetables.
Hi Natasha, I just made this recipe from memory last night. It’s one of my favorites!! I also added 1/2 sliced pineapples with real juice, 1/4 c chopped parsley & 1/2 cup organic coconut. It’s amazing, nutritious & refreshing ~ thank you! My heart is with the Ukrainian people **o**
That sounds wonderful. I’m happy you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for sharing your experience.
Love this salad, Natasha! I tried it as written the first time and liked it quite well. Then I tried it with a bit of added celery per another reviewer, which brought up the walnut flavors – too much so for my taste. Lastly, I tried it with added grated ginger (on the microplaner) and had an “oh-wow-yum!” reaction.
In general, I’m not terribly fond of carrots, but I need to eat them every day. This salad will definitely make that easier for me. Thank you for sharing!
Yum! great idea! Thank you for sharing those tests with us, Loretta! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you for the recipe! I made mine with what I had on hand, so shredded rainbow carrots, chopped dried cranberries, and roasted sunflower seeds.
It was perfect!
Perfect and colorful just like fall! We love this salad and I’m so glad you did too!
Lovely, I always add chopped celery to mine as in a waldorf. We all love this salad!
It is so good! Thank you for sharing that with us!