Description
A refreshing and colorful Carrot Apple Salad featuring a crisp combination of red delicious and granny smith apples, matchstick carrots, dried cranberries, and mandarin segments tossed in a creamy vanilla yogurt and mayo dressing. This salad is perfect as a light snack or a vibrant side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruit and Vegetables
- 1 red delicious apple
- 1 granny smith apple
- 2 cups matchstick carrots
- ¼ cup yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 cup canned mandarin segments, drained
Dressing and Mix-ins
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ⅓ cup dried sweetened cranberries
- ½ cup vanilla yogurt
- ¼ cup mayo
- 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 into a mixing bowl.
- Toss with lemon juice: Pour the lemon juice over the apple pieces and toss well to coat all pieces, then set aside for 5 minutes to prevent browning.
- Combine vegetables and dried fruit: In a large mixing bowl, add the matchstick carrots, finely diced yellow onion, and dried sweetened cranberries.
- Add apples to the mix: Once apples have soaked for 5 minutes, add them to the large mixing bowl with the other ingredients.
- Prepare the dressing: Add vanilla yogurt, mayo, sugar, salt, and pepper to the mixing bowl.
- Mix ingredients: Stir all ingredients together thoroughly until everything is evenly combined.
- Add mandarins: Fold in the drained mandarin segments and gently stir them into the salad.
- Chill: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the salad for at least 3 hours to allow flavors to meld.
- Serve: After chilling, serve the salad chilled and enjoy this crisp, sweet, and tangy treat.
Notes
- Use fresh matchstick carrots or pre-cut matchstick carrots from the store for convenience.
- The lemon juice prevents apple slices from browning and adds a fresh tartness.
- For a dairy-free option, substitute the vanilla yogurt with a plant-based yogurt and use vegan mayo.
- Adjust the sugar amount depending on the sweetness of your apples and mandarins.
- This salad can be prepared a day ahead to enhance the flavors further.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 140 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 5 mg
