Enjoy a refreshing summer Broccoli Crunch Salad that has the perfect blend of salty and sweet. It's full of fresh crisp broccoli, apples, carrots, dried cranberries, walnuts and tossed in a tangy homemade dressing.
If you're looking for a quick meal prep option for the week that doesn't include cooking, this Crunchy Broccoli Salad is just for you! Enjoy this simple and healthy summer salad, with a mix of salty and sweet flavors with a tangy dressing. It's a healthier take on the Whole Foods Broccoli Crunch Salad without compromising the great flavor everyone loves.
Many ready-made salads at grocery stores contain preservatives and inflammatory oils, such as canola oil, in the dressings. By making your own homemade salad, you can skip all the additives and only eat the good stuff. It has a colorful blend of crunchy veggies, dried fruit, nuts and a creamy dressing. With only 10 ingredients, it's just as satisfying as the classic salad, but it's completely dairy-free, oil-free, and sugar-free!
This raw broccoli salad can be made in advance and it tastes even better the next day. It's great for a quick lunch, or as a side dish for summer BBQ's or any large gathering.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Great for a meal prep with minimal prep time needed and it's ready in only 10-minutes.
- No preservatives or inflammatory oils that are found in Whole Foods Broccoli Crunch Salad.
- Delicious salad for the summer that's great for BBQ's, picnics or potlucks.
- You can make it ahead of time and this broccoli salad actually tastes better the next day.
Ingredients You'll Need
This easy broccoli salad has simple ingredients and can be made in only 15 minutes. Here's what you'll need:
- Broccoli - You'll need a large head of broccoli. You can cut the florets away from the stem or you can keep some of the broccoli stems if you prefer.
- Apples - I prefer using Gala or HoneyCrisp apples, but feel free to use your favorite apples. Chop the apples into small pieces.
- Walnuts - use halved walnuts, these add a nice crunchy texture to the salad. Pecans would also go great. You can also substitute with sliced almonds or leave them out if needed.
- Carrots - look for matchstick carrots at your local grocery store or you can simply julienne a whole carrot.
- Dried Cranberries - helps add a little bit of tart and sweetness to the salad.
- Red onion - adds a nice bite of flavor. If you prefer a milder onion flavor, rinse the slices of the raw onions under cold water or put them in an ice bath. Then, pat them dry before adding it to the salad.
- Dairy Free Mayo Dressing - the salad dressing ingredients include dairy free plain yogurt, mayo, apple cider vinegar, honey and sea salt.
How to Make the Broccoli Salad
- Wash the broccoli, apples and carrots. Let them dry on a paper towel.
- Add the chopped broccoli, apples, walnuts, carrots, cranberries and red onion to a large mixing bowl.
- Combine the dairy free yogurt, mayo, apple cider vinegar, honey and sea salt in a small bowl and stir until all of the ingredients are mixed well.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Serve immediately, or cover and chill in the refrigerator before serving.
How to Store the Salad
Any leftover broccoli apple salad can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days, if it has the dressing on it, and up to 5 days, if you store the salad and dressing separately. I do not suggest freezing the salad.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Broccoli - Pre-packaged fresh broccoli is a great time saver when making this salad. Be sure to check the bags to make sure you're getting the best broccoli florets.
- Apples - I find that Gala and Honeycrisp apples pair well with this recipe however if you prefer to use another type of apple, any will work.
- Nuts & seeds - you can add in or substitute any variety of nuts or seeds like pecans, sliced almonds, sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds, just to name a few.
- Dried fruit - If you don't like cranberries, experiment with other dried fruits like sweet raisins, golden raisins or Goji Berries.
- Onion - Shallots are also a great substitution.
- Dairy - feel free to use greek yogurt (or your favorite plain yogurt) or regular mayonnaise. I prefer to use Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil Mayo.
- Sweetener - if you don't have honey you can also use agave or maple syrup.
Is It a Thyroid-Friendly Recipe? Cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, are full of fiber and other nutrients such as Vitamin K and Vitamin C. Many healthy specialists warn against the consumption of cruciferous vegetables if you suffer from hypothyroidism because it may interfere with the production of thyroid hormone if you have an iodine deficiency. However according to the Mayo Clinic, you would need to consume a significant amount of cruciferous vegetables for it to truly impact iodine uptake. Broccoli is a nutrient-rich vegetable that may enhance your health in a variety of ways when included in your healthy balanced diet.
Recipe FAQ
This recipe has 6 servings and contains 337 calories per serving.
It has broccoli florets, apples, walnuts, matchstick carrots, dried cranberries, red onion and a tangy dairy free dressing.
Yes, broccoli is great to incorporate into salads, added to a veggie platter, or served on the side with various dressings.
This recipe is best served fresh however it will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for 3 days.
More Recipes You May Like
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Dairy-Free Broccoli Crunch Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 4 cups broccoli florets washed
- 2 gala apples washed, cored and diced
- 1 cup halved walnuts
- 1 cup matchstick carrots washed
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup red onion chopped
Dressing
- 3/4 cup dairy free plain yogurt
- 1/4 cup mayo
- 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the broccoli, apples, walnuts, carrots, cranberries and red onion.
- In a small bowl, combine the dairy free yogurt, mayo, apple cider vinegar, honey and sea salt. Stir until all of the ingredients are mixed well.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Serve immediately, or cover and chill in the refrigerator before serving.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Although HalfPastHungry.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on which products you use, the brand that was purchased, or in other unforeseeable ways. HalfPastHungry.com will not be held liable for any reliance on given nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your physician first.
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