This carrot raisin salad is full of bright colors — and flavors! Large carrots are diced into bite-sized pieces, simmered in cinnamon, and paired with golden raisins, then the whole thing is left to chill overnight.
I try my best to eat some kind of salad at least once a day — it’s an easy way to squeeze in my vegetables, and there are so many directions you can go in! I’ve always loved my Moroccan carrot salad, full of harissa and citrus, and my warm Moroccan carrots are another recipe I make fairly often. It got me thinking… what else could I do with carrots?
I decided to incorporate some golden raisins and simmer the veggies in cinnamon to create a brand-new Moroccan carrot raisin salad!
I know they serve something similar at the Al Fassia restaurant in Marrakech, and when I found Paula Wolfert’s recipe in her cookbook The Food of Morocco, I just had to try my hand at it.
What resulted was a flavorful salad that I plan on serving all winter and throughout early spring.
Spiced thanks to the cinnamon, full of sweet carrots and raisins, and bright due to a few squeezes of citrus juice, my carrot raisin salad is sure to be a hit!
To Mold… or Not!
This dish comes via a reader inquiry to see if I could locate this recipe from a trip they had in Morocco. Challenge was on and I found it! I loved it so much I needed to share it here on the site with all of you.
As mentioned, this dish is served at Al Fassia restaurant in Marrakech and the recipe is adapted from Paula Wolfert’s cookbook, The Food of Morocco. Typically it is set in molds and chilled overnight for a presentation at the restaurant, but I found chilling the salad for a few hours and serving it molded in a small bowl worked just fine, too.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
(Be sure to check the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and quantities)
- Large Carrots – The colorful and crunchy base for this carrot raisin salad recipe! Grab large carrots rather than baby — they’re a lot easier to chop.
- Golden Raisins – Add sweetness and a chewy texture. They pair beautifully with the spiced carrots! Alternatively, you could also use dark raisins, dried cranberries, or currants.
- Ceylon Cinnamon Stick – For a subtle warm spice that compliments the sweet carrots and raisins perfectly. I always try to find a Ceylon cinnamon stick — often considered to be “true” cinnamon — it’s more delicate and boasts an almost citrusy flavor that’s ideal for dishes like Moroccan carrot raisin salad.
- Sugar – Balances out the tart lemon juice and enhances the sweetness of the carrots and raisins. I add a pinch of kosher salt for the same reasons!
- Fresh Lemon Juice – Brightens the whole thing up.
- Orange Flower Water – To add a floral and aromatic touch that’s so synonymous with Moroccan cuisine. If you can’t find orange flower water, ½ teaspoon of orange zest will give you a similar flavor. Rose water is another option — though be sure to use it sparingly as the flavor is stronger!
How to Make Carrot Raisin Salad
- Recipe Prep. Trim, peel, and chop the carrots as directed on the recipe card below, then place the raisins in a small bowl.
- Cook the Carrots. Add the carrots, cinnamon stick, sugar, salt, and lemon juice to a small saucepan, then add water to cover. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until tender, about 8 minutes.
- Soak the Raisins. Place a colander over the bowl with the raisins. Add the carrots and drain, soaking the raisins in the cinnamon-sugar liquid.
- Assemble the Salad. Drain the raisins once the liquid has cooled, then combine them with the carrots and orange flower water. Pack the salad into a bowl or two rounded molds and cover with plastic wrap.
- Chill & Serve. Chill the carrot raisin salad overnight. When ready to serve, invert the bowl or molds onto a plate, and enjoy!
- Small Saucepan – To simmer the carrots in the sugar and spices. The process infuses them with flavor and softens their texture.
- Bowls or Rounded Molds – I like arranging the Moroccan carrot raisin salad in a large bowl, rounded molds, or small bowls to chill overnight. The flavors meld and become stronger, plus when you invert the salad onto a serving platter, it creates a presentation that’s impressive enough for guests!
Storing
Transfer any leftover carrot raisin salad to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Any longer and the carrots will lose their firmness and the raisins will become overly soft.
If you notice the salad looks a little on the dry side after a day or so, you can freshen it up with a splash of orange flower water or a few squeezes of fresh lemon juice.
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Frequently Asked Questions
While using pre-shredded carrots can save time, dicing fresh whole carrots is best for this carrot raisin salad recipe! Shredded carrots will become overly mushy when cooked, and you’ll end up with a big mess.
You can soften raisins for salad by letting them soak in boiling liquid for about 10 minutes. Here, draining the hot cinnamon and sugar mixture over the raisins does a great job of softening them!
Yes — if you’re watching your sugar intake, you can replace it with a natural sweetener like honey, maple syrup, or even a sugar substitute like stevia or my new favorite, Wholesome Sweeteners Allulose. However, keep in mind that the sugar helps balance out the acidity in the lemon juice and highlights the sweetness of the carrots and raisins, so I don’t suggest omitting a sweetener completely.
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Trim and peel the carrots, half them lengthwise, and cut out and discard the hard core. Cut the carrots into 1/4-inch dice. Place raisins in a small bowl.
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In a small saucepan add the carrots, cinnamon stick, sugar, salt, lemon juice, and water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook 8 minutes, or until tender. Drain carrots in a colander set over the bowl with raisins to soak.
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When liquid has cooled down, drain the raisins and mix with the carrots and orange flower water. Pack into a small bowl large enough to hold all carrot raisin mixture, or 2 1/2- 3″ rounded molds, and chill overnight, covered with plastic wrap.
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To serve remove/invert mold onto a plate.
This dish is served at Al Fassia restaurant in Marrakech. Recipe adapted from Paula Wolfert’s cookbook, The Food of Morocco.
Calories: 367kcal | Carbohydrates: 94g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Sodium: 311mg | Potassium: 1302mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 66g | Vitamin A: 37893IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 125mg | Iron: 2mg
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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