This Broccoli Apple Salad is vibrant and flavourful with a refreshing and tangy no-mayo orange dressing! It makes for the perfect side dish or salad for entertaining {think barbecues, potlucks and picnics} or for a healthy lunch or dinner throughout the week! Made with simple ingredients, it takes less than 20 minutes to prepare! {Vegan, Gluten-free, Nut-free & Paleo}
Get ready for the most delicious Broccoli Apple Salad ever! With the broccoli, apples, cranberries, sunflower seeds, and flavour packed orange dressing, it’s perfectly crunchy, sweet and tangy all at the same time. And did I mention that there’s no mayo?
When picturing broccoli salad, we often tend to think about the heavy, creamy, mayo-laden salads with bacon bits and cheese. It can definitely be a delicious option, but it’s always nice to switch things up, right?
I know not everyone is a lover of mayo and sometimes it’s nice to have a lighter option without comprising on flavour.
That’s why for this broccoli salad, we opted for a no mayo dressing. You definitely don’t miss it at all! This salad is so refreshing with a flavour explosion and tons of texture in every bite!
If you’re looking for other mayo-free salads, be sure to also check out this Blueberry Mandarin Broccoli Salad and Creamy Cranberry & Walnut Coleslaw.
Table of Contents
Why Make this Broccoli Salad with Apples
There are a number of reasons why we are seriously crushing on this salad.
- Perfect for meal prep – It makes a relatively large batch and it can sit in the fridge for several days and it just keeps getting better and better. It’s the perfect salad for meal prep since you can enjoy it all week long!
- Beautiful presentation – If you’re looking for the ultimate salad to serve to guests, this one is perfect for entertaining {think barbecues, parties and potlucks}! It’s absolutely gorgeous with vibrant pops of colour in every bite.
- A healthier option – Most classic broccoli salad recipes generally contain quite a bit of saturated fat due to the addition of the mayo, bacon and cheese. This salad uses olive oil as its base so it consists of healthy unsaturated fats, in addition to vitamin C, A, fibre, potassium.
So now that we’ve established that this broccoli salad is amazing, let’s talk ingredients.
Ingredient Notes
For the broccoli salad:
- Broccoli: Broccoli adds the perfect crunchy base to this salad. Chop the broccoli into small bite-sized pieces for best results.
- Apple: I recommend going for a sweeter variety for this recipe such as Gala, Honey Crisp, Ambrosia or Golden Delicious. Try to avoid using Granny smith as it may be too tart, and Red Delicious may break down due to the acid in the dressing.
- Shredded carrot: Adds a nice crunch and pop of colour to the salad. You can also finely dice the carrot instead of shredding it if preferred.
- Red onion: The onion helps to balance out the sweetness in the salad and adds some additional colour and texture. Use finely diced red onion or sub in sweet onion if preferred.
- Dried cranberries: Adds a burst of sweetness and touch of chewiness to every bite. Look for the dried cranberries sweetened with apple juice if possible to help reduce added sugar. You can also sub in raisins if desired.
- Sunflower seeds: Incorporates a nice crunch and some extra healthy fats and protein. You can also use pumpkin seeds or sliced or slivered almonds.
For the dressing:
- Olive oil: I typically use extra virgin olive oil. You could also use avocado or canola oil instead.
- Apple cider vinegar: Adds a tanginess to the dressing. You could also use white or red wine vinegar if that’s all you have on hand.
- Orange juice concentrate: Adds a zesty and refreshing flavour and sweetness to the dressing:
- Maple syrup: Use 100% pure maple syrup. You can also sub in honey too.
This salad is basically like a rainbow in a bowl with so many beautiful colours and flavours!
Step by Step Instructions for No Mayo Broccoli Salad
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Add all of the ingredients for the salad to a large bowl.
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In a small bowl or mason jar, mix together the ingredients for the dressing.
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Pour dressing over the salad.
- Toss to combine. Allow to sit in the fridge for at least an hour to absorb the flavours.
Recipe Tips
- I recommend cutting the broccoli into small bite sized pieces (about an inch in length) so that you get equal amounts of all the ingredients in every bite. The smaller pieces are also better when serving this recipe to children or older adults since raw broccoli can be rather hard to chew.
- I used frozen orange juice concentrate and scooped the concentrate right out of the can. To make it easier to measure and scoop, you can let the frozen concentrate thaw for several minutes at room temperature before adding it in with the remaining dressing ingredients.
- For best results, let this broccoli salad sit for at least 1-2 hours in the fridge to allow the ingredients to absorb the flavours of the dressing.
Recipe FAQs
How long does can you keep broccoli salad in the fridge?
The beauty of this salad is that it tastes better the longer it sits in the dressing. Don’t you just love those types of salads?
For best results, I suggest making this salad at least an hour before serving to allow the broccoli to absorb all of the flavours. You can keep it in the fridge for up to four days, which makes the perfect make-ahead lunch or side dish option!
Store it in the bowl covered with saran wrap or in an air-tight container.
Can I make this broccoli salad ahead of time?
Yes, in fact, it’s recommended that you make it at least an hour or two before serving it to allow the flavours to come together. You can make it up to 48 hours in advance of serving it up so it’s perfect for meal prep throughout the week or if serving up at a party, barbecue or potluck.
Can I eat broccoli raw?
Yes! Raw broccoli tastes great in this salad. If you find that it’s too tough to chew, you’re serving it to small children or you don’t like the taste of raw broccoli, you can also blanch it first.
To blanch the broccoli: Boil some water in a large pot. Add the broccoli and cook for one minute. Immediately drain the broccoli and place into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. This will help the broccoli to stay crisp and retain its vibrant green hue.
Serving suggestions
This broccoli apple salad recipe can be served up in so many ways!
It tastes great paired with the following options:
- Grilled chicken (marinated in one of these healthy chicken marinades)
- Chicken Feta Burgers
- Lemon Garlic Chicken Kabobs
- Dijon Mustard Salmon with Walnuts
- Parmesan Crusted Cod
- Zucchini Turkey Burgers
To make it into a complete meal, you can also add diced chicken or cheese to the salad for extra protein. Try cheddar or feta or add chickpeas for a meat and dairy-free option.
No matter how you choose to serve this salad up, I guarantee it won’t last for long!
More broccoli recipes:
- Broccoli Salad without Bacon
- Oven Roasted Broccoli with Lemon and Parmesan
- Broccoli Cheddar Quinoa Bites
- Broccoli Cheddar Tater Tots
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a rating and review!
Broccoli Apple Salad {No-Mayo}
Ingredients
For the broccoli salad:
- 4 cups chopped broccoli (about 1 large head of broccoli cut into small bite-sized pieces)
- 1 small apple diced into small chunks (I used Gala)
- 1 large carrot grated
- 1/4 small red onion diced finely
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
For the orange dressing:
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp orange juice concentrate*
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients for the salad in a large bowl.
- In a small bowl or mason jar, mix together the ingredients for the dressing until well combined.
- Pour desired amount of dressing over the salad and allow it to sit in the fridge for at least an hour to absorb the flavours.
Notes
- I recommend cutting the broccoli into small bite sized pieces (about an inch in length) so that you get equal amounts of all the ingredients in every bite. The smaller pieces are also better when serving this recipe to children or older adults since raw broccoli can be rather hard to chew.
- *I used frozen orange juice concentrate and scooped the concentrate right out of the can. To make it easier to measure and scoop, you can let the frozen concentrate thaw for several minutes at room temperature before adding it in with the remaining dressing ingredients.
- For best results, let this broccoli salad sit for at least 1-2 hours in the fridge to allow the ingredients to absorb the flavours of the dressing.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted August 2019 and was updated in May 2021 to include better tips and photos.
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I subbed the orange juice concentrate for the zest and juice of one orange and it was delicious! Made mine for meal prep with roasted chicken thighs. Highly recommend!
Ooh love that idea of subbing in orange juice and zest — I’ll have to try that sometime! I bet this salad was delicious with roasted chicken thighs! Thanks so much for leaving a review :)
This one was a big hit (again)! And it tastes even better the second day, which is a bonus for lunch prep. I doubled the dressing because we are a ‘sauce’ family. So, so good!
That’s amazing Robin! I agree that this salad is a good one to make in advance since it keeps getting better the longer that it sits. Great idea making a double batch of the dressing!