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    Healthy Broccoli Salad

    Allergy Friendly Recipes Dairy-Free Recipes Gluten Free Plant Based Recipes Real Food Salads Side Dishes March 9, 2023 | By Kristen Chidsey | 8 Comments | *This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

    Jump to Recipe
    This Broccoli Salad is bursting with flavor! Packed full of broccoli, apples, oranges, edamame, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, and a fresh orange dressing - it is the BEST Broccoli Salad--PERIOD! It makes the perfect addition to any potluck, BBQ, or party!

    Made with fresh broccoli, crisp apples, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, and a light and bright citrus dressing, this Healthy Broccoli Salad is crunchy, sweet, tangy, and absolutely delicious!

    This lightened-up recipe for Broccoli Salad without mayo makes a wholesome side dish that pairs perfectly with entrees like Classic Burgers, Grilled BBQ Chicken Breasts, Grilled Shrimp, or Black Bean Burgers.

    Broccoli Salad without mayo in white serving bowl with apples and fresh broccoli to the side.

    I have never been a fan of Broccoli Salads made with mayonnaise, cheese, and bacon. They are overly heavy, too sweet, and not exactly the healthiest way to enjoy your broccoli.

    My recipe swaps out those heavy ingredients to create a Healthy Broccoli Salad that is fresh, bright, tangy, crunchy, and downright irresistible.

    This Healthy Broccoli Salad is the perfect dish to bring to a potluck, picnic, or block party. The fresh flavors in this salad are a welcome addition to the typically heavier sides shared at gatherings, making it a unique dish that appeals to the masses.

    And because this salad is gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, and nut-free, most everyone will be able to safely enjoy it.

    what makes this Broccoli Salad healthy

    • No Mayo. Instead of a heavy dressing, this broccoli salad recipe is dressed with a light and fresh citrus vinaigrette that pairs beautifully with the fruit and broccoli in this salad.
    • No Cheese or Bacon. Classically, Broccoli Salads are made with cheese and bacon, along with being dressed with a mayonnaise-based dressing. This recipe omits cheese and bacon, lowering the fat, calories, and cholesterol in this recipe.
    • Nutrient-Dense. This recipe for broccoli salad is loaded with superfoods. Broccoli, apples, and oranges are all filled with fiber and vitamins.
    • Filled with Protein. Thanks to the addition of edamame, this broccoli salad has a hefty dose of protein per serving.
    • Naturally-Sweetened. Instead of adding granulated sugar to the dressing, the dressing is instead sweetened with fresh orange juice and a bit of honey or maple syrup.
    • Allergy-Friendly. This Healthy Broccoli Salad recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free, and egg-free. It can easily be made vegan-friendly by swapping out the honey for maple syrup in the dressing.

    Notes On Ingredients & Substitutions

    Ingredients for Broccoli Salad and Broccoli Salad Dressing on white counter.
    • Broccoli: Be sure to use fresh broccoli and only the florets. Don't discard the stem, grate it and use it to make the filling for Baked Egg Rolls or Vegetable Potstickers.
    • Apples: Select sweet apples like a Honey Crisp or Fuji. Granny smith apples are too tart and red delicious break down in the dressing so are not recommended.
    • Oranges: Seedless oranges are best, which are much easier to segment than oranges with seeds. In a bind, you can swap the fresh oranges out for one 14-ounce can of mandarin oranges that have been drained.
    • Edamame: There is no need to cook the edamame, simply let it defrost before adding it to the salad.
    • Dried Cranberries: The cranberries add a sweet and tart bite. If you do not have cranberries, golden raisins are a good substitute.
    • Onion: Use a red or sweet onion to add a bit of crunch and balance the sweetness in this salad.
    • Sunflower Seeds: Use toasted, salted sunflower seeds to the salad to add crunch, while keeping it nut-free.
    • Citrus Dressing:
      • Orange Juice: If you have fresh oranges on hand, freshly squeezed juice work best. However, bottled orange juice works as well.
      • Honey: Feel free to swap the honey for maple syrup if desired.
      • Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar gives the dressing a nice tang and compliments the apples in the salad. The only substitution I would recommend for apple cider vinegar is rice wine vinegar.

    How to Prepare Broccoli Salad

    • Prepare the dressing by whisking together the orange juice, vinegar, honey, garlic, salt, and olive oil together in a small bowl until well incorporated and set aside.
    • Cut a head of broccoli into bite-size pieces, using only the florets.
    Knife cutting broccoli florets off broccoli stem
    • Segment the oranges by using a sharp knife, to carefully slice the skin away from the flesh of the orange. Trim off any white pith that remains and then cut between the membranes to segment the orange.
    Knife showing cutting out orange segments
    • Chop up the apples and onions.
    • Toss together the broccoli with the apples, orange segments, onions, cranberries, and edamame in a large bowl.
    Ingredients for broccoli salad in mixing bowl
    • Add the dressing to the vegetables and toss well.
    • Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours for the flavors to develop.
    • Before serving, add the sunflower seeds to the salad and toss to distribute evenly.
    Bowl of Healthy Broccoli Salad next to fresh oranges.

    Make-Ahead Directions

    The flavors in this broccoli salad get better after refrigeration, so it is perfect to prepare up to 48 hours in advance.

    To make in advance, prepare as directed up to the addition of sunflower seeds. Cover and refrigerate. Right before serving, toss the salad together again and sprinkle with sunflower seeds and serve.

    Notes on Serving

    This Broccoli Salad is able to be held at room temperature for several hours, without having to worry about food poisoning, even at outdoor gatherings. That also means this salad travels well, which is perfect if you have to transport your dish with you to a gathering.

    More Potluck Worthy Side Dish Recipes

    • Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
    • Asian Noodle Salad
    • Caprese Pasta Salad
    • Homemade Baked Beans
    • Summer Fruit Salad

    This Broccoli Salad is bursting with flavor and is sure to make the perfect addition to any potluck, BBQ, or party!

    Bowl of healthy broccoli salad next to oranges.

    Healthy Broccoli Salad

    A fresh broccoli salad made with a sweet and tangy dressing, apples, edamame, and oranges.
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Refrigerate: 2 hours hours
    Total Time: 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 10
    Calories: 139kcal
    Author: Kristen Chidsey

    Ingredients

    Dressing

    • â…“ cup orange juice
    • 2 cloves garlic grated
    • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
    • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

    Broccoli Salad

    • 4 cups broccoli florets chopped into bite size pieces
    • 2 apples chopped into bite size pieces
    • 2 seedless navel oranges segmented and cut into chunks
    • ¼ cup red onion minced
    • 1 cup defrosted edamame
    • ½ cup dried cranberries
    • ¼ cup sunflower seeds optional
    Prevents your screen from going dark while preparing the recipe.

    Instructions

    • Whisk together the orange juice, vinegar, honey, garlic, salt, and olive oil together in a small bowl until well incorporated. Set aside.
    • In a large mixing or serving bowl, combine the broccoli, apples, oranges, edamame, cranberries, and onion together.
    • Add the dressing to the vegetables and toss well.
    • Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
    • Before serving, toss again and then top with sunflower seeds.

    Notes

    Storage: Leftover broccoli salad will last for 3 days after preparation but is best if served within 48 hours. 
    Apples: Use sweet apples like Gala, Honey Crisp, or Fuji. I do not recommend Granny Smith or Red Delicious apples for this broccoli salad. 
    Oranges: If you do not want to segment fresh oranges, drain 1-(14-ounce) can of mandarin oranges in place of fresh oranges. But fresh oranges taste best.
    Dried Cranberries: Golden raisins make a good substitute for dried cranberries if desired. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 139kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 73mg | Potassium: 313mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 322IU | Vitamin C: 54mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 1mg
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    About Kristen Chidsey

    Hi, I am Kristen, creator of A Mind "Full" Mom. I believe that making a wholesome family meal does not need to be hard or expensive! I love nothing more than to share with you delicious solutions for your hungry family.

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    1. Kara

      March 28, 2023 at 12:26 am

      5 stars
      I made just a half batch because there were only 4 of us eating. I didn't have edamame on hand, but didn't change anything else. Used salted sunflower seeds, and love the crunch they add. I ended up eating the extra serving. Yummy!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        March 28, 2023 at 7:33 am

        I love hearing you enjoyed this broccoli salad, even without the edamame 🙂

        Reply
    2. Abeer

      March 23, 2023 at 9:14 pm

      5 stars
      I actually ended up liking this more than the creamy broccoli salad that my sister always makes. It was light but still packed with flavor.

      Reply
    3. Winona T

      March 04, 2023 at 6:52 am

      5 stars
      i made this last night for our girls night and everyone loved it. Light, healthy and so easy to make!

      Reply
    4. Suzy

      June 10, 2020 at 12:05 pm

      5 stars
      I am loving how tasty the citrus is with the broccoli! It's so good!

      Reply
    5. Liz

      June 10, 2020 at 11:51 am

      5 stars
      Yum!! I love all the crunchy ingredients in this recipe! One of my favorite ways to enjoy broccoli 🙂 Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
    6. Jean comerford

      June 08, 2020 at 3:01 pm

      I suggest steaming the broccoli a bit first. Too bad it looses some of its crunch but broccoli is one vegetable that really shouldn’t be eaten raw
      This recipe sounds great

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        June 09, 2020 at 8:37 am

        Hi Jean! I understand that some people are sensitive to raw broccoli and in that case you can blanch before making this salad. Bring a pot of water to a boil, drop broccoli in boiling water and cook for 1 minute. Then drain the broccoli and place in an ice bath right away--that will help retain that green color.

        Reply

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    This Broccoli Salad is bursting with flavor! Packed full of broccoli, apples, oranges, edamame, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, and a fresh orange dressing - it is the BEST Broccoli Salad--PERIOD! It makes the perfect addition to any potluck, BBQ, or party!

    Meet a Mind "Full" Mom

    A Picture of A Mind"Full"Mom

    Hi! I'm Kristen. I want to welcome you into my kitchen and my REAL, imperfect life. Let me share with you tips and tricks to help you make healthy eating a reality for your family in the chaos of life and on the constraints of a budget. Read more

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    This Broccoli Salad is bursting with flavor! Packed full of broccoli, apples, oranges, edamame, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, and a fresh orange dressing - it is the BEST Broccoli Salad--PERIOD! It makes the perfect addition to any potluck, BBQ, or party!

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