Swap out the heavy mayo-based broccoli salad for this light and fresh broccoli and apple salad! Made with fresh broccoli, crisp apples, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, and a light and bright citrus dressing, this Mayo-Free Broccoli Salad is crunchy, sweet, tangy, and absolutely delicious!
When it comes to eating and ENJOYING broccoli, most recipes tend to pair this green veggie with rich and decadent ingredients, like cheese. From Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole to Broccoli Cheddar Soup to Parmesan Roasted Broccoli, I agree that broccoli and cheese are a match made in heaven.
However, when it comes to a broccoli salad, I like to leave out the heavier ingredients like mayonnaise, bacon, and cheese, to create a Broccoli Apple Salad that is fresh, bright, tangy, crunchy, and downright irresistible.
Reasons to Love Broccoli Apple Salad
- Pot-Luck Perfect. 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.
- Tasty Side Dish. This Broccoli Apple Salad is the perfect side dish like, Classic Burgers, Grilled BBQ Chicken Breasts, Grilled Shrimp, or Black Bean Burgers.
- 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.
- 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
- 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
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Prepare the Dressing. 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.
- Combine Salad. Toss broccoli, apples, orange segments, onions, cranberries, and edamame together with salad.
- Chill. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours for the flavors to develop.
- Serve. Before serving, add the sunflower seeds to the salad and toss to distribute evenly.
Storage
- Storage: Leftover broccoli salad will last for 4 days after preparation but is best if served within 48 hours.
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!
Broccoli Apple Salad
Ingredients
Dressing
- ⅓ 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
Instructions
- Whisk together the orange juice, vinegar, honey, garlic, salt, and olive oil together in a small bowl until well incorporated. Set aside.
- Cut a head of broccoli into bite-size pieces, using only the florets. Save the stem to use for other recipes.
- 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. Cut the orange segments in half.
- 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.
- Cover and chill the salad for at least 2 hours prior to serving.
- Before serving, toss again and then top with sunflower seeds.
Tracy
Great salad . Any idea of how many WW points?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Tracy! I don't calculate WW points, but I did use a WW Calculator which calculates this salad at 5 points.
Cathy
I understand the flavors develop the longer it sits but will is still be good if we don't have two hours to wait between making and serving?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Cathy! It will still be tasty. The broccoli will won't be as flavorful, but I eat it myself immediately before refrigerating as I can't resist.
Kara
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!
Kristen Chidsey
I love hearing you enjoyed this broccoli salad, even without the edamame 🙂
Abeer
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.
Winona T
i made this last night for our girls night and everyone loved it. Light, healthy and so easy to make!
Suzy
I am loving how tasty the citrus is with the broccoli! It's so good!
Liz
Yum!! I love all the crunchy ingredients in this recipe! One of my favorite ways to enjoy broccoli 🙂 Thanks for the recipe!
Jean comerford
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
Kristen Chidsey
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.