Refreshing Apple Cranberry Carrot Salad
A crisp and colorful salad with sweet apples, tart cranberries, and crunchy carrots for a light, tasty dish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Salad, Side Dish
- Method: No-cook
- Cuisine: American, Healthy
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
2 medium apples (Honeycrisp or Fuji), julienned or diced
2 cups shredded carrots (about 3–4 medium carrots)
½ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup sunflower seeds or chopped pecans
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Dressing:
3 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt (or dairy-free yogurt)
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 Tbsp honey or maple syrup
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
Pinch of salt
Dash of freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Make dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, honey, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper until smooth.
Prep salad ingredients: Core and dice (or julienne) apples, shred carrots, and chop parsley.
Assemble salad: In a large mixing bowl, combine apples, carrots, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, and parsley.
Dress and toss: Pour dressing over the salad and toss until evenly coated.
Serve: Enjoy immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
Notes
Prevent browning: Toss apples in a little lemon juice before adding to the salad.
Nut swap: Walnuts, almonds, or pumpkin seeds can replace sunflower seeds.
Make it vegan: Use dairy-free yogurt and vegan mayo, and swap honey for maple syrup.
Extra texture: Add shredded red cabbage for crunch and color.
