We all know of this salad. It was always in a goldenrod-colored Tupperware container in the fridge or served in a powder blue Cinderella Pyrex bowl. It was a sweet, creamy, crunchy, and satisfying addiction that only our grandmothers could reproduce in the medium of food-formed love. This Grandma’s Carrot Raisin Salad is just that — the embodiment of everything we loved about our grandmothers’ meals; the outdated but adored and everlasting comfort in the food we long to have as the time between the memories grows even farther away.
Here this recipe bridges the gap of time between those food memories and reality. This salad is a carbon copy of what we’d have at lunch and dinner at our grandmother’s house. The hardest thing about making this salad is shredding the carrots. You’ll want to peel the carrots before shredding, as this will ensure the best taste and texture for the salad.
After the carrot prep is done, mix all of the ingredients into the bowl, wrap the top with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for one hour. While you may want to skip this step, resist the temptation. The rest period in the refrigerator tenderizes the carrots and allows the ingredients to marry and blend together to make a more developed and unified taste.
One taste of Grandma’s Carrot Raisin Salad, and you’re transported into her kitchen. The carrots absorb the flavor but still maintain their crispy bite.
Creamy elements like sour cream and mayonnaise are complemented by the acidity of the vinegar and the sweetness of the raisins and pineapple.
The taste gets even better after the initial day and makes it a perfect side to have on hand for any meal you have planned. It’s a great contrast to a heavy Sunday ham or pot roast dinner, as well as the perfect side salad for any backyard get-together.
Try it out for yourself and you’ll be satisfied, guaranteed!
Yield(s): Serves about 6 to 8 Prep time 15m Inactive 1h
Ingredients
4 cups shredded carrots (from about 6 large carrots)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup full-fat sour cream
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 cup raisins
8 ounces pineapple, drained and cut into small wedges
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Preparation
In a large bowl combine the carrots, mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, raisins, pineapple, salt, and pepper, stirring to combine.
Wrap the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour before serving, enjoy!
