Carrot Apple and Walnut Salad

Make Carrot Apple and Walnut Salad for a crisp, citrusy side—ready in minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 lb about 5 large carrots, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
• 2 apples (we used granny smith, peeled, cored and sliced into matchsticks)
• 1 cup walnuts (coarsely chopped, lightly toasted)
• 1/2 cup raisins
• Juice of 1 medium lemon (3 Tbsp, divided)
• 3 Tbsp sunflower oil (3 Tbsp)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper to taste

Instructions

Step 1: Toast the walnuts

Place the coarsely chopped walnuts in a dry skillet and toast them until they turn golden and aromatic, then remove and let them cool on a small plate. Keep a close eye so they don’t burn; the goal is warm, slightly glossy, crunchy pieces with a deepened brown edge and a faint nutty sheen.

Step 2: Soften the raisins

Pour one cup of boiling water over the raisins in a small heatproof bowl, let them sit for about a minute until plump, then drain thoroughly and spread them out briefly to release steam. The raisins should be soft, slightly swollen and glossy, not syrupy.

Step 3: Cut the carrots and assemble the base

Peel the carrots and slice them into thin, crisp matchsticks; transfer the bright orange matchsticks into a large mixing bowl so they sit upright as a textured bed. The carrot strands should look firm, slightly moist from peeling, with sharp linear edges and a matte, fresh crunch.

Step 4: Cut the apples and prevent browning

Peel, core and slice the apples into matchsticks to mirror the carrots, then immediately toss the apple sticks with one tablespoon of lemon juice so their pale cream-to-pale-yellow flesh stays fresh and taut. The apple pieces should look crisp, slightly glossy where lemon kissed them, and visually echo the carrot matchsticks.

Step 5: Add raisins and walnuts to the bowl

Add the drained, plump raisins and the cooled toasted walnut pieces to the bowl with the carrots and apples, scattering the dark, chewy raisins and warm-brown, irregular walnut chunks throughout the crisp strands for contrast in color and bite.

Step 6: Make the dressing and toss to finish

Whisk together the remaining two tablespoons lemon juice, the sunflower oil, salt and black pepper in a small glass measuring cup, then pour the vinaigrette over the assembled salad and gently toss until everything glistens evenly. The finished salad should be glossy but not wet, with crunchy walnuts, chewy raisins and crisp matchsticks all coated in a light, citrusy sheen.

Notes

• Toast walnuts just until fragrant to avoid bitterness.
• Toss apples immediately with lemon juice to prevent browning.
• Dress the salad just before serving to keep it crisp.
• Substitute sunflower oil with light olive oil if preferred.
• Add a teaspoon of honey to the dressing for extra sweetness.