Beet Carrot Apple Salad is a great warm-weather salad recipe, and it comes together in just minutes.
The best part about this beet carrot apple salad is the short list of just five ingredients.
What Do Beets Taste Like?
Now, I know some people think beets taste like dirt, but in this recipe, they’re balanced out by the sweetness from the carrot and green apple along with tartness from the lemon.
Beets are packed with vitamins – C and B6 come to mind – and minerals like manganese and potassium.
People get a little freaked out because beets are higher in carbohydrates than a lot of other veggies, but don’t worry.
The carbs you do get are wrapped up with dietary fiber and all the other good stuff I mentioned earlier. In other words, you’re getting lots of great vitamins and minerals along with the macros.
Credit for this Beet Carrot Apple Salad recipe goes to my good pals Jamie & Anastasia from New Zealand. We recently caught up with our darling Hobbits in Boulder for the 2016 Ancestral Health Society Symposium, and Jamie made this salad for a few of our home-cooked dinners.
I put my own little spin on it, and I’m sharing it with you now.
How Do You Prepare Beets to Eat?
This Beet Carrot Apple Salad takes just a few minutes to create if you have a food processor with a shredding blade. I just peeled the beets, rough chopped everything, and ran it through. Of course, you can use a box grater and get a bonus arm workout at the same time.
If you use organic beets, you don’t even have to peel them. Just give them a good scrub, trim of any long root hairs, and you’re good to go.
The quantities here will make a pretty large batch that can feed 6+ people. If you want less, simply cut the quantities in half.
All you have to do is toss the shredded beets, carrots, and apples together then dress the salad very simply. I used lemon juice and a mild-tasting olive oil, but you can vary up the acid and the fat in a few different ways.
How to Make Beet Carrot Apple Salad
This Beet Carrot Apple Salad takes a little bit of effort to prep. However, once that’s done, it comes together quickly.
- Shred the beets, carrots, and apple using a food processor or box grater.
- Zest one lemon.
- Combine all of these ingredients in a large bowl.
- Add the dressing ingredients: olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and optional honey.
- Stir to mix the salad, then serve.
Substitutions For This Beet Carrot Apple Salad
It’s easy to make substitutions in this recipe.
- If you go with lemon juice, be sure to zest the lemons first. The zest is loaded with lemon essential oil, and it goes a long way to give a real burst of freshness to the dish. You definitely need acid to balance out the sweetness of the other ingredients.
- If you don’t want to use lemon juice, you could easily substitute in apple cider vinegar or maybe even a white balsamic. Instead of olive oil, try avocado oil.
- This beet carrot apple salad would also be delicious when topped with some nuts for crunch. Walnuts would pair well because they’re a natural match for apple and carrot, but use what you like.
- Go one step further in this Beet Carrot Apple Salad by drizzling some of raw, local honey into the mix.
Of course, if you’re doing Whole30 or you wish to leave it out, that’s totally fine as well. The honey played really nicely off the lemon, but again, it’s your call.
Watch my cooking show episode for Beet Carrot Apple Salad
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Other Delicious Salads You’ll Like
If you’re looking for some other vegetable salads, check these out:
- Simple Greek Salad
- Fresh Corn Salad with Avocado
- Grain-Free Tabbouleh
- Cucumber Sesame Salad
- Paleo Broccoli Salad
Beet Carrot Apple Salad Recipe
Beet Carrot Apple Salad will make your tastebuds dance with flavor. The sweet carrot & apple balance out the earthy beets. Simply tasty, paleo, and gluten-free. Learn how!
Ingredients
- 2 beets large, raw, about 1 lb, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 carrots large, about 8 oz, roughly chopped
- 2 granny smith apples cored and roughly chopped*
- Zest & juice of 2 lemons ~1/4 cup
- 1 tbsp olive oil mild tasting
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tbsp honey raw, optional (omit for Whole30)
Instructions
- Shred the beets, carrots, and apples. I used a food processor fitted with a shredding blade, but you can also use a box grater. Works the same, but it’ll just take longer. Place the shredded beets, carrots, and apples into a very large bowl.
- Zest the lemons, and add it to the bowl. I used a microplane. Cut the lemons open and squeeze out the juice into the bowl. Be sure you don’t put any seeds into the salad.
- Add the olive oil, salt, pepper, and honey (optional).
- Toss the salad well until everything is evenly combined. I use my hands because they’re the best tool for the job.
- Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
This pairs perfectly with my Easy Pan-Fried Lemon Chicken.
Did you make this recipe? Leave a rating and comment below. I’d love to hear from you.
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39 Responses
Oh my!! Really delish!! Starting a Whole 30 on the 1st and trying some new recipes. Thank you, thank you, thank you for emailing this one out!! This will be on my weekly rotation now? Beet hummus is next!!
Kimberly, I’m excited to hear that you enjoyed it!
So I halved this…everything except for the dressing and seasonings. Its a little peppery! Lol It is still so good! I love the lemon in it. Thank you for sharing. This will go into my normal rotation.
You’re welcome! You can always season to taste instead of following the exact proportions 🙂
Wonderful recipe, I am a salads lover and I was all the time thinking in a diferent salad with beets, than a boiling beets with some mayo.
I tried to toss with part of lemon juice, and other half with orange juice and just a pinch of dijon mustard and gave me a good results.
Try it ??
Sweet!! Super glad to hear that, Isabel!
I used balsamic vinegar instead of lemons it was amazing.
This was great. I made half the amount and added raisins and toasted pecans with no honey for whole30.
Awesome! Glad you liked it Jillian!
This is so refreshing, will definitely make it again. But, my carrots & apples turned red & your photo shows them in their original color, is there something else I should have done?
Natalie
It’s normal for that to happen because of the beets. I kept the beets separate until photographing so everyone could see the components.
I forgot to add the honey but it was great without it.. very refreshing
So glad to hear that Doris!
I’m going to try this by spiralizing the beets/carrots/apples. Such a time saver. I’ll add some dried cranberries as well. Love that combination. Thanks for the great, and simple, recipe.
Brilliant idea to spiralize! Love it, Rebecca!
I am going to try this with cooked beets, carrots, as I have crohn’s and raw vegetables sometimes don’t work. Has any one tried with cooked chilled vegetables?
I haven’t tried it with cooked veggies, no. I think if you could lightly cook them it might work.
My Ukrainian family has been making this dish for many many years and we always bake the beets and carrots for this salad. Just put the beets and carrots into a shallow dish, add a little water on the bottom, and roast at 350 F degrees for 1 hour. Afterwards, wait for them to cool and peel off the skin, shred and add apples and dressings. This is exactly how I make this salad every week and I think it makes a big difference by bringing out the wonderful flavors of the vegetables.
That sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing Anna 🙂
If I use the bought spiralized beets, about how much would the measurement be for 2 beets?
I don’t know exactly because I didn’t measure the beets when shredded. I’d say probably about 4 cups.
Fabulous. Thanks
Thanks so much for sharing this wonderful recipe!!! It is delicious and so easy to make.
You’re so very welcome and I’m really excited that you enjoyed it!
I am trying to eat healthy. My great grandson, 8, made this with me. I had not tried beets before and neither had he. We both loved it!
So glad you both enjoyed it!
Can I use yellow beets with this?
Yes absolutely!
Great Recipe!
I am going to make this for Thanksgiving this year and I plan to add Cranberries and Walnuts for a festive touch.
Thank you and Happy Cooking / Chopping
That’s a wonderful addition. Enjoy!!
I loved this. I had to chop the veggies small because I didn’t have a grater or a food processor on hand and it was still delicious!
So glad you loved it!
Hello!
Thank you for sharing your most excellent and simply tasty beet carrot salad. This is now rated my newest and most favorite staple!!
Simple, easy and oh so tasty ?
i love this salad! it is my signature dish at summer potlucks- leftovers last for a week in the fridge, and it dehydrates well for backpacking salad. i usually double the recipe or there is none left to take to any BBQs.
Awesome!!! Enjoy and I’m glad it’s working so well for you!
Sooo good. So simple. New favorite!
Make this on a regular rotation. Amazing!!
So glad you love it!
Wow! This is lovely!!! I make this using hemp oil and toasted (tempered) almonds and was looking for a picture to share online and found your website and this fantastic recipe! Great information…I really appreciate the extra tidbits and nutritional information and your attention to detail sharing this wonderful information. THANK YOU !!!