Raw Beet Carrot and Apple Salad with Mint Cumin Vinaigrette
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This raw beet salad with carrots and apples is a fresh take on coleslaw. The mint and cumin vinaigrette is ridiculously flavorful. This mayo-free side dish is perfect for your summer BBQs and winter dinners alike!
This raw beet, carrot, and apple salad is one of those salad recipes I find myself making year-round. It has the fresh, vibrant feel of a summer salad, yet it’s built from ingredients that are available throughout the colder months. The combination of crisp apples, sweet carrots, earthy beets, and fresh mint creates a salad that’s colorful, crunchy, and full of flavor.
What I love most is its versatility. It’s just as at home next to grilled favorites in the summer as it is alongside a cozy roast or slow-cooked dinner in the winter. The mint cumin vinaigrette ties everything together with a fresh, slightly earthy flavor that complements the vegetables beautifully.
The salad itself is wonderfully simple. Crisp apples bring sweetness, carrots add crunch, and beets contribute their earthy flavor and gorgeous color. Fresh mint keeps everything tasting bright and fresh, creating a salad that’s somewhere between a slaw and a traditional salad—and completely irresistible either way.
Tools to make a delicious raw beet salad
A quick note about prep: For this salad, you’ll want a tool that can create thin, uniform slices. You can hand-slice everything, but it will take considerably longer, and it’s difficult to get the delicate texture that makes this raw beet salad so good. Using one of the tools below, the prep takes about 15 minutes:
- Mandolin slicer: This is what I used when testing the recipe. It quickly and consistently creates thin, even matchsticks from beets, carrots, and apples.
- Spiralizer: A great option if you prefer longer, noodle-like strands. It saves time and creates a beautiful texture for the salad.
- Food processor: Use the shredding attachment to quickly process carrots, apples, and beets. Just be careful not to over-process the apples, as they can become mushy. Aim for thin shreds rather than a fine grate.
What to serve with raw beet salad
Let’s make a full meal menu to complement this wonderful side!
Make ahead and store
How long does raw beet salad last? While it’s best served fresh, leftover raw beet salad can be stored in a covered container in the fridge for 4 days. It goes a bit soft, but it is still delicious.
Can I make this raw beet salad ahead of serving? You can prep parts of this salad ahead of time! The dressing can be made up to 4 days in advance. And the carrots and beets can be sliced and kept separately. Wait to slice the apple and chop the mint until you’re ready to serve the salad.
Raw Beet Carrot and Apple Salad with Mint Cumin Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Dressing
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Using a mandolin with a ⅛ blade, shred the beets then place them into a bowl. Rinse them 3-4 times with cold water then fill the bowl with water and set it aside. This will prevent the beets from bleeding their color through the salad. If the presentation isn't important when you're serving this, you can skip this step. Clean the mandolin and then use it to cut the carrots and apple and put them into a salad bowl. (You can also grate the veggies; the taste will remain roughly the same but the presentation will be quite different.)2 large carrots, 1 large crisp apple, 2 medium beets
- Whisk the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.¼ cup apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon honey, ¾ teaspoon ground cumin, 1 pinch sea salt
- Drain the beets and rinse them one more time then add them to the bowl with the carrots and apple. Add the mint to the salad bowl and then pour the dressing over the top and toss to coat well.1 cup mint
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
Delicious way to get all of your colorful veggies in. I can’t believe how easy it is to make with a good shredder. I could eat this every day.
Yes! I could eat this every day, too!
I appreciate the tip on handling the beets and color bleeding. That is always an issue and limits my use outside roasting them.
Thank you for the tip and the lovely (in appearance and I’m sure deliciousness) recipe. I will be placing on my meal prep list 😋
I just made this salad and it was absolutely delicious. Shreaded in the food processor made it so easy. Will definitely make it again and often.
Do you cook your beets or use them raw (once peeled)?
We use them raw in this recipe. 🙂
Great recipe!
I’ve had this recipe pinned for months and finally made it yesterday for a baby shower, where the mother-to-be is vegan. I used agave nectar instead of honey, spiralized the veggies and topped it with salted, toasted pumpkin seeds for a bit of protein. The salad was a big hit and so bright and refreshing on the usually warm summer day in the PNW. Thank you for the recipe, I’ll be making it again!
This looks so good! I can’t get mint where I live though. Do you have an alternative substitution for the mint or should I make it as is without any substitute. Thanks!
Mint is a tricky one to substitute. Anything in the mint family would work – spearmint, etc. While quite different, I think that cilantro would be nice in this recipe. Or you can simply omit it. 🙂
Thanks! I’ll try the cilantro!
What brand of Mandolin did you use. I love the perfect strips.
I have a Benriner. It’s one of the cheaper brands but it works well. 🙂
Really really yummy and fresh!
I’m so happy to hear it turned out well!
Oh my gosh! I didn’t see this coming – this is delicious! Is it the cumin that makes this so tasty?? Thanks for this and I can’t wait to try the coconut curry lentil soup!
So happy it was a hit! And yes, I think it’s the cumin that gives this recipe something special. 🙂
Is the beetroot meant to be cooked or raw?
It’s raw in this recipe. 🙂
Made this last night and added cabbage. Fantastic salad 🙂 I’ve been eating a lot of roasted beetroot in salads recently, but glad to have found an alternate option 🙂
Good call on adding cabbage. I love cabbage!
How long does this last the fridge? I made the whole recipe but there are only two of us to eat it and I have quite a bit left.
It’s best eaten the same day, but for up to a week in the fridge without going bad. The carrots and beets will start to soften so it won’t be as crispy and delicious. I’d probably eat it within a day or two, not for food safety, but for the quality.
If you make ahead, do the beets stain the carrots and apples? I want to make this the day before but could add the beets right before serving.
Yes, they will. Best to keep them separate and mix them in right before serving. 🙂
I recently had lunch with my Daughter who served delicious baked Salmon with the Apple,Beetroot and apple salad. I Googled it today and now I know where she found the Recipe! I will now be able to repeat the same delicious meal. Thank you very much.. I like what I see on your Website. Ruby in Australia.
I love this story! So happy you were able to find the recipe. 🙂
I would like to try this one looks delicious. Do I have to use cooked beetroot?
Nope … you can grate it raw. 🙂
I can’t wait to try this! I had a beet and apple salad awhile ago and have been searching for a recipe to recreate this deliciousness it and it looks like I’ve found one! Thanks for another awesome idea!
Thank you so much, Lyndz!!