Name: Raw Beet Carrot and Apple Salad with Mint Cumin Vinaigrette
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 large carrots; 1 large crisp apple; 2 medium beets; 1 cup mint (roughly chopped); ¼ cup apple cider vinegar; ¼ cup olive oil; 1 tablespoon honey; ¾ teaspoon ground cumin; 1 pinch sea salt

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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!

Raw Beet Salad with carrots and apple in a salad bowl

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.

Salad dressing being poured over a beet, carrot, and apple salad

a dinner plate with Raw Beet Salad with carrots and apple

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

Prep: 15

Cook: 0

Total: 15

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Ingredients

▢ 2 large carrots
▢ 1 large crisp apple
▢ 2 medium beets
▢ 1 cup mint (roughly chopped)

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

Serving: 1 serving = ⅛ of the recipe, Calories: 114kcal (6%), Carbohydrates: 13g (4%), Protein: 1g (2%), Fat: 7g (11%), Saturated Fat: 1g (6%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Sodium: 53mg (2%), Potassium: 268mg (8%), Fiber: 3g (13%), Sugar: 9g (10%), Vitamin A: 3277IU (66%), Vitamin C: 6mg (7%), Calcium: 31mg (3%), Iron: 1mg (6%)

We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.