Description
A refreshing and sweet carrot apple salad combining crunchy apples and carrots with creamy yogurt and mayo dressing, accented by dried cranberries and mandarin oranges. Perfect as a light side dish or snack, this salad offers a delightful mix of textures and flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Produce
- 1 red delicious apple
- 1 granny smith apple
- 2 cups matchstick carrots
- ¼ cup yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 cup canned mandarin segments, drained
Dried Fruit
- ⅓ cup dried sweetened cranberries
Dairy & Condiments
- ½ cup vanilla yogurt
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
Others
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the apples: Cut both red delicious and granny smith apples into matchstick style pieces and place them in a bowl.
- Toss with lemon juice: Pour the lemon juice over the apple pieces and toss well to coat all pieces evenly.
- Let apples soak: Set the bowl aside for 5 minutes to let the apples absorb the lemon juice, preventing browning.
- Combine dry ingredients: Pour the matchstick carrots into a large mixing bowl. Add the finely diced yellow onion and dried sweetened cranberries to this bowl.
- Add apples to mix: After the apples have soaked for at least 5 minutes, add them to the mixing bowl with carrots and other ingredients.
- Mix dressing: Add the vanilla yogurt and mayonnaise into the bowl.
- Season the salad: Sprinkle sugar, salt, and pepper over the ingredients in the bowl.
- Stir well: Thoroughly stir all ingredients together ensuring the dressing coats everything evenly.
- Add mandarins: Fold in the drained canned mandarin segments carefully into the salad.
- Chill the salad: Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least three hours to allow flavors to meld and chill thoroughly.
- Serve: After chilling, serve the carrot apple salad chilled and enjoy this fresh, sweet, and tangy dish.
Notes
- Using matchstick carrots saves prep time, but you can finely julienne whole carrots if needed.
- Letting the apples soak in lemon juice prevents them from browning and keeps the salad visually appealing.
- For a dairy-free option, substitute vegan yogurt and vegan mayo.
- Adjust sugar according to taste or use a natural sweetener as preferred.
- Ensure mandarins are well-drained to avoid watery salad.
- This salad tastes best when served chilled, so don’t skip the refrigeration step.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 5 mg
