This beetroot salad with apple and carrot takes 10 minutes and no cooking whatsoever. Raw beets can taste a little harsh on their own - that's something I learned early on. The apple is what fixes that.
The tartness softens the beet's earthiness, and the whole thing clicks into place. My fussy kids, who would normally push vegetables around on their plates without a word, eat this without complaint. That alone tells you something.
🌿 Vegan & Gluten-Free
I make this beetroot and carrot salad because raw vegetables hold onto their vitamins and fiber in a way that cooked ones just don't. That matters to me. My family eats a lot of salads, and this one has stayed in the rotation because it's fast, it works, and nobody argues about it at the table.
📷 Recipe Snapshot
📌 Recipe: Beetroot Salad with Apple and Carrot
⏲️ Time: 10 minutes
👥 Serves: 6 servings
🌏 Cuisine: Mediterranean-Inspired / American
📝 Quick Summary: A fresh no-cook salad made with raw beetroot, carrot, apple, and a simple lemon olive oil dressing. Crisp, naturally sweet, and ready in just 10 minutes.
🌟 Main Ingredients: Beetroot, carrot, green apple, onion, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, cilantro, and parsley.
💡 Pro Tip: Pulse the vegetables in short bursts until finely chopped but still textured. Avoid over-processing or the salad will lose its crunchy texture and become too soft.
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💗 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- 10 minutes, no cooking, no cleanup hassle
- Raw vegetables - maximum vitamins and fiber, nothing lost to heat
- The apple tones down the harshness of raw beet - kids actually eat it
- Naturally vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free
- Works as a side next to grilled chicken, salmon, or steak
- Keeps well in the fridge for meal prep
🥘 Ingredients
- Beetroot/beets: Fresh and raw only - not canned. Canned beets are too soft and turn the whole salad watery. I store my raw beets submerged in water in a glass container in the fridge. It keeps them firm and crunchy right up until you're ready to use them. Same goes for the carrots - water in a glass jar in the fridge, and they stay crisp for days. Buy organic when you can; the difference in taste with root vegetables is noticeable.
- Green apple: Use 2 if you like a more pronounced tartness - that's what I do. I prefer the sourness to really push back against the beet. Granny Smith is the best choice here; sweeter varieties like Fuji or Gala get lost. One important thing: find unwaxed apples. You're leaving the skin on, and waxed apples aren't what you want in a raw salad. Most organic apples are unwaxed - another reason to go organic.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Don't use light or pure olive oil. Cold-pressed EVOO is what this needs. I use California Olive Ranch - available at Whole Foods, Target, and most major grocery stores. Kirkland Signature Organic EVOO from Costco is just as good and better value.
- Lemon juice: Fresh only. Squeeze it right before you mix. Bottled lemon juice tastes flat and slightly metallic - it dulls the whole dressing.
- Cilantro/coriander: This herb is optional and I mean it. I skip it entirely when making this for my kids - they don't love it, and I'd rather they eat the salad than pick around it. If you're new to cilantro, try just a few leaves the first time. If it's not for you, leave it out. The salad is completely fine without it.
♻️ Substitutes & Variations
- No cilantro or parsley? Skip them - the salad holds up completely without herbs. That's how I make it most of the time.
- Want more tartness? Use 2 apples instead of 1. That's my default. The extra sourness is what keeps this interesting and balances the beet.
- No green apple? A firm ripe pear works as a swap. It's sweeter, so adjust from there.
- Add pomegranate molasses: 1 teaspoon stirred in before chopping takes this to a different level - a deep, tangy layer that works really well with the beet. I use Soom or Al Arz brand, both on Amazon and at Middle Eastern grocery stores.
- Add ginger: A ½-inch piece of fresh peeled ginger tossed in before chopping gives a warm, slightly spicy edge. It makes the whole salad feel brighter. Worth trying if you like ginger.
- Add mint: Fresh mint in place of cilantro is a gentler option - cooler, less polarizing, and good with the apple.
- Make it a meal: Fold in a drained can of chickpeas after chopping. It becomes a filling light lunch on its own.
🥗 Serving Suggestions
- With protein: Grilled chicken thighs, baked salmon, or a fried egg alongside. The lemon cuts through richer proteins cleanly.
- On baby spinach: My favorite way to serve this for guests. Pile the salad over fresh baby spinach, crumble goat cheese or feta on top, scatter toasted pumpkin seeds or pistachios. Two minutes of extra work, and it looks like a proper composed salad.
- As a grain bowl: Spoon over warm farro, quinoa, or brown rice. A little extra olive oil and it's a full meal.
- At a cookout: Travels well and holds at room temperature for a couple of hours. The deep red-pink catches people's attention on a buffet table - it always goes first.
💭 Expert Tips
Wear gloves. Already said it in the instructions, but it's worth repeating - the stain is real and it lasts hours. Two seconds to put gloves on saves you a lot of scrubbing.
Pulse, don't blend. The moment this turns into a smooth paste, it's over. Short pulses, lid off, check, repeat. Stop when you can still see distinct pieces.
Taste every batch. Beets vary - sweet in summer, earthier out of season. I always adjust the lemon and salt at the end. In-season beets need almost nothing extra. Out of season, a little more lemon and sometimes an extra pinch of salt.
Keep your beets and carrots in water. Store cut raw beets and carrots submerged in cold water in a glass container in the fridge. They stay noticeably crunchier. It's a small habit that makes the salad texture better every time.
❓ FAQs
Raw beets retain their full folate, manganese, and dietary nitrates - nutrients that support blood pressure and circulation. Cooking destroys a significant portion of these. Carrots hold onto more beta-carotene raw, and the apple adds fiber and vitamin C. The olive oil provides monounsaturated fats that help your body absorb fat-soluble vitamins from the vegetables. This salad is around 90 calories per serving, naturally vegan and gluten-free.
Up to 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container. The texture softens a little after day one, but the taste holds. Before serving, stir and add a squeeze of fresh lemon to wake it back up. I find it's best on the day it's made or the day after.
Use a box grater for the beets and carrots, and finely dice the apple and onion with a sharp knife. The texture will be more shredded than chopped, but it tastes the same. Budget about 20 minutes. No food processor needed.
Use glass with a tight-fitting lid. Beet juice permanently stains plastic. Also worth knowing: keep raw unpeeled beets submerged in water in a glass jar in the fridge between grocery shops - they stay firm and crisp far longer than sitting dry in the crisper drawer.
It's around 90 calories per serving with fiber from three different vegetables and healthy fats from olive oil - a combination that keeps you full without a lot of calories. It's a practical, low-effort option for anyone watching their intake. Skip the optional sugar if you're tracking closely; the apple handles sweetness on its own.
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📖 Recipe
Beetroot Salad with Apple and Carrot
Ingredients
- 14 oz beetroot peeled and quartered
- 3.5 oz carrots cut into pieces
- ¾ oz onion about ¼ small onion
- 1 medium green apple quartered
- 2 -3 sprigs fresh cilantro leaves only, optional
- 2 -3 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves only, optional
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 -4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch ground black pepper optional
Instructions
- Prep your vegetables. Peel the beetroot and cut into quarters. Cut the carrots into rough chunks. Quarter the apple - leave the skin on, no need to peel. Roughly slice the onion. If using cilantro or parsley, strip the leaves and discard the stems.14 oz beetroot, 3.5 oz carrots, ¾ oz onion, 1 medium green apple, 2 -3 sprigs fresh cilantro, 2 -3 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
- Wear gloves. Raw beets stain hands, cutting boards, and counters a deep magenta that doesn't wash off fast. I learned this the hard way right before a dinner party. A plastic cutting board is easier to clean than wood.
- Load the food processor. Add the beetroot, carrots, onion, apple, and herbs (if using) to the food processor. Pour in the olive oil and lemon juice, then add the salt and pepper.2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 2 -4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 pinch ground black pepper
- Pulse to a coarse chop. Pulse in 2-3 second bursts, checking after each one. You want chunky and textured - not smooth. Think coarse slaw, not paste. Thermomix: 5-7 seconds at Speed 5.
- Taste and adjust. Taste it before serving. Need more brightness? More lemon. A little flat? A pinch more salt. I skip the sugar completely - the apple brings enough natural sweetness on its own.
- Serve or chill. Good right away. Even better after 30 minutes in the fridge - the lemon and olive oil settle into everything and the flavors pull together.
Notes
- Use fresh raw beets only - canned beets make this watery and soft.
- Use 2 apples if you prefer more tartness - that's the version I make most often.
- Skip the cilantro if you're making this for kids or cilantro-skeptics - it's just as good without.
- Store raw beets and carrots submerged in cold water in the fridge for maximum crunch.
- Skip the sugar - the apple provides enough natural sweetness.
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