Shredded Carrot Raisin Pineapple Salad

Shredded Carrot Raisin Pineapple Salad is sweet, creamy with a nice crunch, and absolutely perfect when served chilled.

Serve it at your next cookout get-together and you’ll be asked for the recipe over and over!

Carrot Salad with Raisins and Pineapple is a scrumptious side dish!

Recipe Highlights

• This sweet salad is fairly inexpensive, refreshing, and easy to make. Similar to my other Shaved Carrot Salad with Sweet Orange Dressing, this salad is always a hit when I serve it at different places because the pineapple really adds nice texture and sweetness.
• It’s a fantastic make-ahead side dish.
• Carrot salad is a vintage recipe that’s been around for many years and has countless variations. However, I think my version is all that you need for any cookout, picnic, Mother’s Day brunch side dish, or even a busy weeknight side dish.

Let’s Talk Ingredients!

CARROTS: Obviously carrots are the main ingredients in this recipe. I used as fresh as possible carrots and left them unpeeled. (More on that in the recipe card below.) If possible, support your local farmers market and buy your carrots there. Typically, they’ll be fresher and sweeter than what you’ll find in the grocery store.
PINEAPPLE: Canned pineapple is the best choice for this salad. It’s crushed, so a lot of the pineapple flavor is distributed throughout the salad, not just in the tidbits. You’ll want to drain the juice from the pineapple and reserve it for later use in the recipe.
RAISINS: The variety of the raisins you choose doesn’t matter. Sultanas, golden raisins, etc, it’s all fine, use what you have on hand.
MAYONNAISE: I prefer to use a regular mayonnaise but I recommend using a salad dressing type mayonnaise (like Miracle Whip) if you want this salad sweeter.
SALT: Just a dash will do you in this salad. It’s meant to heighten and balance the flavors and sweetness of the ingredients.

***NOTE: The exact amounts of ingredients as well as specific directions and notes will be in the printable recipe card below.

How To Make This Carrot Salad Recipe

Once you make this carrot salad with raisins and pineapple, you’ll see exactly why this side dish is so perfect for not only busy weeknights but gatherings and events as well.

Step #1: First, drain the pineapple as much as possible from the pineapple juice in the can. Reserve this juice in a bowl.

Step #2: Set the drained fruit aside and transfer the raisins into the pineapple juice. Place the bowl in the microwave for one minute to heat. When the timer goes, simply leave the bowl in the microwave for the heat of the oven and the heat of the juice to soak into the raisins and let them take on some of the pineapple flavors. (And plumps them up in the meantime!).

Step #3: Shredding the carrots in a food processor is the easiest way to break them down. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a mandoline (julienne blade) or even a box grater will work.

Step #4: Making the dressing is a cinch. Mix the mayo and a bit of the reserved pineapple juice. Mix well and sprinkle a little salt to enhance the sweetness.

Step #5: In a large bowl, place the shredded carrots, pineapple, and plumped raisins in with the freshly made dressing. Mix until very well incorporated.

Cover with plastic wrap or a bowl lid and chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

Serving Tips and Ideas

My number one piece of advice for this carrot and pineapple salad is to serve it CHILLED! The ingredients mixed with the dressing are the most perfect combination when chilled and served next to something warm.

This salad is awesome served next to grilled/roasted chicken or ribs. Seafood skewers like shrimp kabobs would be fun and even snuggled up to your burger at the cookout would be ideal.

Don’t forget that during those busy weeknights, this veggie salad is perfect next to practically any protein you make on the stove. Pork chops, hot dogs, steak, or chicken breasts will be complimented by the flavors in this salad.

Variations For This Recipe

While this carrot salad recipe calls for all the classic ingredients it’s really so easy to switch it up and add other ingredients, making this recipe totally unique to you.

I like adding different nuts to the recipe. Chopped pecans are best friends with carrots or even try some chopped walnuts as well for some extra crunch.
Don’t want to use raisins? Not a problem. Swap them out with dried cranberries or even a few chopped seedless dates.
As for the dressing, if you want to go a bit more of a lighter route, try switching the mayonnaise for a thick Greek yogurt. The tang from the yogurt will be delicious and still slight because it’s mixed with the pineapple juice.

Storing and Leftovers

This pineapple carrot salad recipe will stay great if it’s covered tightly in the fridge for up to 4 days. I find you have to give the salad a mix before serving because often the dressing will pool at the bottom but it still tastes wonderful.

I don’t recommend freezing this salad.

Questions You Might Have

I hope you decide to make this shredded carrot pineapple raisin salad. You’ll see it’s light, slightly sweet, and refreshing. It’s also a fantastic way to get extra veggies and fruit into the little ones!

Have you made this recipe? I’d love to hear what you thought about it, or if you switched it up in any way. Please leave me a comment and star rating below in the recipe card or in the comment section! I really hope you have a fantastic day, and thank you so much for stopping by The Salty Pot.

~Joanne