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Broccoli, pecans, cranberries, carrots and apples come together to make an amazing salad with delicious flavors and textures. The creamy dressing on top makes this salad absolutely incredible!
Broccoli is amazing in salads, it adds crunch, nutrition and flavor. Some of the best salads with broccoli in them include Broccoli Cauliflower, Greek Broccoli Pasta and this incredible Bacon Ranch Pasta salad.
Easy Broccoli Apple Salad
Broccoli in salads is my favorite. I especially love this Broccoli Cashew Salad that is on the blog. But this Broccoli Apple Salad became an instant favorite! As I was eating it, I just couldn’t get enough! I knew this salad would be amazing but I wasn’t expecting it to become a new favorite! SO many delicious new textures and flavors in this salad. The broccoli, carrots, and red onion, was followed by the sweetness of the apples and dried cranberries. The pecans added another yummy flavor and crunch. The creamy dressing on top was THEE best. It completed this fresh and delicious salad perfectly. I know that if you make this salad, it will become an instant favorite as well!
At first you might think that broccoli and apples don’t go together, but they do, trust me. This is truly one of the best salads out there. It’s healthy, full of flavor and the dressing is even light. I traded out some of the mayonnaise for greek yogurt, giving you a boost of calcium, protein and cutting the fat. All without compromising on taste and tang. It’s going to be a new go to salad for sure!
Ingredients for Broccoli and Apple Salad
Full of fresh crunchy ingredients, this salad is truly satisfying and filling. You are going to love all the vegetables and the tangy dressing.
- Fresh Broccoli Florets: About 2 medium heads
- Shredded Carrots: You can sometimes find pre shredded carrots in the produce section
- Red Onion: Adds a bit of spice and tons of flavor.
- Apples: 2 large apples will work, pick sweet ones not tart or sour. I used Gala
- Pecans: Coarsely chopped
- Dried Cranberries: Perfect bit sweetness and tartness
Creamy Dressing Ingredients
- Light Mayonnaise: Creates the base of the dressing
- Low Fat Greek Yogurt: Gives it more creaminess and a nice bit of tang
- Lemon Juice: Adds a bit of tartness, and helps keep the apples fresh looking
- Sugar: Balances out the tart with a bit of sweet
- Salt and Pepper: Add more or less as desired.
How to Make Broccoli Salad with Apples
Chopping all the ingredients for this insanely delicious broccoli apple salad is the longest part of throwing this together. But it is so worth it. Add the flavors meld so perfectly together, it’s so good!
- Combine: In a large bowl combine broccoli, carrots, red onion, apples, pecans, and dried cranberries
- To make the dressing: Whisk together mayonnaise, greek yogurt, lemon juice, sugar, salt and pepper.
- Add: the dressing to the salad and toss to coat. Chill until ready to serve.
Why This Recipe Needs to be Made Today!
Besides being extremely delicious this broccoli apple salad has so many pros to it, you will truly want to keep this recipe close by.
- Nutritious: Packed with vegetables and fruit and even nuts, this broccoli salad is an immune boosting, fiber enhancing delicious dish. This salad is high in vitamin C, K and A plus it’s high in fiber. Pecans add protein and a healthy fat. Even though you have mayonnaise in the dressing, it’s such a big salad that the amount you’ll actually ingest is just little. Unless you eat the whole thing, which I wouldn’t blame you. It’s extremely diet friendly.
- Make Ahead: This broccoli apple salad actually tastes better if it sits for at least an hour. The flavors and the dressing all meld together in the most fantastic way. This non lettuce salad is full of hearty ingredients so this will stand up to being made ahead of time beautifully. It’s a great choice for packing in lunches, taking to potlucks, and having as leftovers. Make it ahead of time and free up time for making other dishes before dinner.
- Colorful: It’s been said we should eat the rainbow! Well, this broccoli apple salad is definitely a rainbow of colors! It’s as fun to look at as it is too eat! Not only isn’t appealing to the eyes, but to the tastebuds too! It’ll be a salad that gets eaten first at your next picnic
- Hearty and Satisfying: This salad is packed with nutritious ingredients that will not only taste good, but fill you up. The crunchiness satisfies your desire to chew and the high fiber will fill up your tummy!
Tips and Variations for Creamy Broccoli Apple Salad
This salad is delicious as a side dish for beef, fried chicken or even salmon. Or make it a highlight in a light meal served with a refreshing fruit salad and some breadsticks. Yummy!
- Make it Easy: You can make the prep for this salad even easier by buying pre shredded carrots, and pre cut broccoli florets.
- Substitute Dried Cranberries: Use raisins, golden raisins, or dried cherries instead of the cranberries if you wish.
- Nuts: Try using walnuts or cashews instead of pecans. Also try toasting them in a pan on the stovetop till fragrant and slightly browned for added flavor.
- Cheese: For a twist add blue cheese to the broccoli apple salad which adds incredible flavor.
- Apples: I used gala apples in this recipe. You want an apple on the sweeter side. Try Fuji or Braeburn as well for excellent results.
How to Store Apple Broccoli Salad
Broccoli Apple Salad keeps great for up to 3 days before it will start to really get soggy. It’ll still be good for another 2-3 days after, but the quality of the vegetables and fruit will decrease rapidly. If you plan to eat it all week long, try dividing the salad in half and only add dressing to the half you are eating up first. It will help keep the sogginess at bay.
More Broccoli Loving Recipes To Try
Broccoli is good for you, we all know that! I love it, but not everyone does. Sometimes we have to drown it in amazing cheese sauce or ranch dressing to get our kids or loved ones to eat it. Well, these recipes are tried and true and absolute favorites! So if you’re trying to get more good for you broccoli in your family’s diet, try one or all of these recipes! You won’t regret it!
- The Best Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Garlic Beef and Broccoli Noodles
- Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Broccoli over Rice
- 20 Min Beef and Broccoli Lo Mein
- Three Cheese Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
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Broccoli Apple Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh broccoli florets (about 2 medium heads)
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 2 large apples finely chopped (I used gala apples)
- 1/2 cup pecans coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
Creamy dressing ingredients:
- 1/2 cup lite mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup low fat greek yogurt
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine broccoli, carrots, red onion, apples, pecans, and dried cranberries.
- Whisk together mayonnaise, greek yogurt, lemon juice, sugar, salt and pepper.
- Add the dressing to the salad and toss to coat. Chill until ready to serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this today and it was GREAT!!! Meat or fish is great with this salad for me.?
Very good! Thank you for sharing. I did use grapes rather than dried cranberries and almonds rather than pecans (what I had on hand). I also used sugar substitute rather than sugar and it was still fabulous. 🙂
Is it possible to have a sugar substitute that is natural rather than refined? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks.
I took this to my dad’s house for dinner, and everyone LOVED it!!! It’s creamy with a bit of sweetness that’s balanced by the lemon juice. The broccoli and apple go together so well. My go to recipe when I need to bring a dish!
Finally a broccoli salad without bacon! Husband is vegetarian and he loved it!!
For those who are diabetic, would it hurt to leave the sugar out of the dressing since the fruit adds sugar? I would sub fresh grapes or strawberries for the dried cranberries so those would add sugar as well. This sounds so delicious – much better than a Waldorf salad! Would give it five stars if not for so much sugar.
I bet you could substitute kale for the broccoli and it would be yummy as well!
YES!! I need to try that!!
I made this for my Bunco group. It makes a full salad bowl ,healthy, tasty, and eye appealing. I will be making this for my next family gathering. I followed the recipe without making any changes and it tastes delicious.
Awesome recipe. I add bacon, swap the carrots out for shredded cheddar. Trail mix is good with it as well, if no cranberries. I had no yogurt so used mayo and light ranch dressing, lemon juice.It the hot summer temp I would use no mayo but sour cream and yogurt, lemon juice
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Sooooo yummy and I don’t normally like raw broccoli. My whole family loves this I’ve made it over and over. Ty for the recipe
I’m not one to comment typically but I have to say this was AMAZING!!! And, honestly, i think even better the next day for leftovers. 🙂 Thanks so much!!
My family aging from 4yrs up to 76yrs. Loved this salad.thank you for the amazing recipe.
How far ahead can you make this salad? Also would the apples brown if made ahead? Looks wonderful and I plan to make it for Easter dinner!
I would probably make it the day of. Although I have heard of people making it the night before and refrigerating it as well.
I was going to try coating the apples with a little extra lemon juice (stops browning), keeping the ingredients in a container (sans dressing) and adding the dressing shortly before I have it (I want to take this for work lunches). I’ll let you know how that works out LOL
I was very excited to try this salad. Even better than I imagined. Couldn’t get enough. Looking forward to trying some of your other recipes.
I tried to give it a 5 Star but it wouldn’t let me
Has anyone substituted something (or left out) the greek yogurt? I don’t like yogurt AT ALL. I know, I know… Other than that, this sounds delicious!
You can use all mayonnaise but I promise you won’t even know! The creamy dressing on top is delicious!
I made this just as it’s written and you would never know there is yogurt in it. My husband and I both agree this is one of the best salads we have ever eaten. It has become a family favorite. Thank you so much for the recipe.
No the lemon juice keeps them nice. Mine lasted 3 days in the fridge but I made a huge bowl full.
I subbed sour cream in the same amount as the yogurt and it was delish.
Can you suggest a way to make this a bit more diabetic friendly?
Wondering if you got an answer?
Wondering if you got an answer about making it more diabetic friendly?
Spenda Baking Blend is highly recommended.
Looks delicious! However, I am dairy intolerant any ideas for a non-dairy dressing that would work with these flavors?