Healthy Broccoli Apple Salad Recipe with Cranberries
This easy recipe for Broccoli Apple Salad makes a healthy side dish that pairs well with any protein or main dish. It’s made with simple ingredients and a great addition to your salad.
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Broccoli Apple Salad Recipe
This healthy broccoli salad recipe is a wholesome side dish full of nutritious ingredients like broccoli, apples, carrots, and chickpeas. It’s made with a simple dressing that’s sweet and tangy.
Broccoli Apple Salad is the perfect fall salad that can really be enjoyed any time of year. It’s a great side dish with an easy weeknight dinner like Air Fryer Chicken Tenders or Baked Pork Chops.
The dressing for this healthy broccoli salad is also a little different than the creamy dressing you’d find in a traditional broccoli salad, which makes it unique. Because the dressing is a simple vinaigrette, there’s no mayonnaise or Greek yogurt making it dairy free. It’s essentially a honey mustard dressing that’s big on flavor and amazing with broccoli.
You can make this as a vegan broccoli salad if you sub your favorite alternative sweetener for the honey.
This delicious broccoli apple salad is versatile and easy to make. It can be made with basic ingredients you can get right at your grocery store and with minimal effort.
Enjoy!
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Broccoli Apple Salad Ingredients
- Fresh Broccoli Florets – chopped into bitesized pieces to make it easier to eat. I use raw broccoli
- Apples – I used sweet apples (honey crisp) because I like the balance of sweet/savory/tangy and crisp texture of the apples. You can use tart apples or your favorite apples.
- Carrots – peeled and thinly sliced
- Fresh Parsley – parsley adds freshness to the dish
- Chickpeas – used canned and be sure they’re rinsed and drained well so they don’t water down the salad.
- Dried Cranberries – I used reduced sugar cranberries.
- Pepitas – Raw and unsalted are best. Shelled sunflower seeds can be subbed if you prefer.
- Feta Cheese
- Olive Oil
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Dijon Mustard
- Honey
- Salt and Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list in the recipe card below.
Ingredient Substitutions and Variations
Raisins – I really like the tartness of the cranberries but if you prefer sweeter notes, you can use golden raisins
Chickpeas – the chickpeas add protein to make a hearty salad and provide a soft, creamy texture to the dish. If you don’t like chickpeas, you can omit them.
Cheese – Feta is a lower calorie cheese. It crumbles nicely and has a great salty flavor – a little goes a long way! You can omit the cheese altogether or substitute another cheese like freshly grated parmesan or extra sharp cheddar cheese.
Red Onion – red onion is a popular ingredient in broccoli salad. I find it can be over powering so I tend to leave it out. If you find you’re missing it, you can add 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion.
Honey – to make this broccoli apple salad vegan, sub brown rice syrup or agave for the honey.
Nuts – nuts like crunchy walnuts or pecans add texture and flavor. Add a little of your favorite to play with different flavor combinations and other tasty additions.
Some other popular additions are poppy seeds, green onions, sunflower seeds, and bacon.
Note: Any ingredient substitutions you make will affect the total calorie count.
Tools you’ll need
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How to Make Broccoli Salad
Step 1: Make the Dressing/Vinegarette
- In a large mixing bowl, add the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, and honey and whisk until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 2. Toss the Salad
- Add the broccoli, apple, carrots, parsley and chickpeas and toss until fully coated with the dressing. Make sure to get that dressing in all those nooks and crannies of the broccoli.
Step 3. Assemble
- Top with the dried cranberries, pepitas, and feta cheese.
Step 4. Serve
- Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve. This salad is best if chilled 2-3 hours before serving.
Tips for Making Broccoli Apple Salad
- Make sure the apples are coated well with the vinaigrette, it will help keep them from turning brown.
- When chopping the broccoli, aim for small bite-sized florets. If the stem is tender, you can use it too; just peel the tough outer layer before slicing.
- I highly recommend making this salad recipe at least 3 hours before serving. It will give the broccoli a chance to soften a bit and really absorb the flavors of the dressing.
- Make sure to rinse and drain the canned chickpeas to remove excess starch. If you prefer a softer texture, you can lightly cook the chickpeas in a pan for a few minutes.
- This healthy broccoli salad recipe can easily be scaled up or down to make a larger or smaller salad.
- Try this Vegan Southwest Pasta Salad if you’re looking for more healthy side dish recipes.
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below
Storage and Leftovers
Leftover apple broccoli salad can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
If you tried and loved this recipe, please leave a comment and a star rating below!
Healthy Broccoli Apple Salad Recipe with Cranberries
Ingredients
For the Dressing
For the Salad
- 1 head Fresh Broccoli, chopped
- 2 large Red Apples, chopped
- 1 large Carrot, peeled and julienned
- 1 can Chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- ½ cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
- ½ cup Dried Cranberries
- ½ cup Pepitas
- ½ cup Reduced Fat Feta Cheese, cubed
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients for the dressing to a large bowl and whisk until well combined.
- Add the broccoli, apple, carrots, parsley and chickpeas and toss until fully coated.
- Top with the dried cranberries, sunflower seeds and feta cheese.
- Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve. This salad is best if chilled 2-3 hours before serving.
Notes
- Nutrition Facts are approximate and based on 6 servings. For the most accurate calories, weigh your ingredients in grams and use your favorite nutrition calculator.
Nutrition
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