Recipe archive
Recipe archive
America's Melting Pot
Carrot Raisin Salad hero image coming soon
1940s-present - Midcentury cafeteria cooks, Southern potluck cooks, and Chick-fil-A popularizers
Carrot raisin salad belongs to the American category of sweet mayonnaise salads that showed up in cafeterias, potlucks, and chain-restaurant side dishes. Chick-fil-A made one especially familiar before retiring it, and the recipe still circulates as a nostalgic copycat.
Difficulty
Easy
Prep time
15 minutes
Cook time
0 minutes
Total time
15 minutes plus chilling
Servings
6 servings
Region
United States cafeterias, potlucks, and chain restaurants
Era introduced
1940s-present
Introduced by
Midcentury cafeteria cooks, Southern potluck cooks, and Chick-fil-A popularizers
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Carrot raisin salad is a reminder that American salad once meant almost anything dressed and served cold. The crunch of carrot, chew of raisins, pineapple sweetness, and mayonnaise dressing made it a bright, inexpensive side for cafeterias and family tables. It is best after chilling, when the raisins plump and the dressing settles into the shredded carrots.
Drafted with Chick-fil-A carrot raisin salad recipe context (https://www.chick-fil-a.com/customer-support/our-food/recipes/carrot-raisin-salad-recipe), Southern chain nostalgia context from Southern Living (https://www.southernliving.com/chick-fil-a-carrot-raisin-salad-11725367), and copycat method context from Family Fresh Meals (https://www.familyfreshmeals.com/copycat-chick-fil-a-carrot-raisin-salad-recipe/).
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