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Apple Broccoli Cauliflower Salad with Lemon

Name: Apple Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 4 – 5 cups broccoli florets, chopped into bites size pieces (10-12 ounce bag); 2 ½ -3 cups cauliflower florets, chopped into bite size pieces (10-ounce bag); 1 medium apple, diced (1 ½ – 2 cups); ½ small red onion, diced (½ cup); 2 celery ribs, diced (½ cup); 2-3 green onion, thinly sliced (1/3 cup); ½ cup dried cranberries; ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled (omit for dairy-free or Whole30); ½ cup lightly salted roasted almonds, roughly chopped (may substitute walnuts, pecans, or sunflower seed for nut free, etc.); ¼ cup olive oil or avocado oil; 3 tablespoons lemon juice (1 lemon); 2 teaspoons honey (use maple syrup for vegan); 1 teaspoon garlic powder; ½ teaspoon fine salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper; ¾ cup mayo (use egg-free mayo for vegan)

W Whole30 EF Egg-Free GF Gluten-free NF Nut-free GR Grain-Free VG Vegetarian DF Dairy-Free P Paleo

Add more veggies to your plate with this Apple Broccoli Cauliflower Salad that’s tossed in a creamy, lemony garlic dressing.

20 mins

4.9 /5

169 Comments

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By: Stacie Hassing Posted: 7/22/24

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This is a favorite salad for my family when we all gather. In fact, my brother often requests it, and I love it because it’s a great way to use up fresh produce I have in the fridge. I also think it’s a great quick meal prep option as a veggie side for the week, since it lasts a long time in the fridge.

Overhead view of a bowl of apple broccoli cauliflower salad with lemon topped with green onions.

Recipe Highlights

This healthy broccoli salad was one of our first viral recipes. Here are a few reasons why it has remained so popular throughout the years:

With no cooking required, the prep time is minimal, and the total time is under an hour
Made with veggies, fruit, seeds, feta cheese, and a homemade salad dressing, it’s a hearty salad recipe that makes it easy to meet your daily veggie and fiber intake
You can easily mix and match different ingredients to suit a variety of flavor preferences and dietary needs, and I love to use it as a way to clean out my fridge
One of my favorite meal prep recipes, the flavors of this salad taste even better the next day. I like to prep a big batch and enjoy it as a quick addition to my lunches and dinners throughout the week
The crisp texture and sweet and savory flavors are always a hit, and it’s a popular potluck side dish that has hundreds of five-star reviews

All ingredients for apple broccoli salad dressing

Creamy lemon dressing for apple broccoli salad being scooped up with a spoon from a jar

5-Star Reviews

Here are what some of our readers are saying about this popular broccoli salad:

Delicious! I tried several recipes from your website and each one has been a winner with our family. Thank you for all the great ideas for meals! ~ Jo

Love this recipe. Easy to prep and have ready, great for cookouts. Plus broccoli and cauliflower are great for hormones and liver health! ~ Laura

I didn’t have cauliflower so I used all broccoli. This salad was delicious along with the dressing! It was hard to stop eating it! Everyone enjoyed it and everyone had seconds! Thank you for such a great and tasty salad!! ~ Palette

Overhead view of a large bowl with chopped fresh ingredients for apple broccoli cauliflower salad.

Health Benefits

Not only is this apple broccoli cauliflower salad tasty, but it’s also extremely nutritious thanks to the antioxidant and fiber-rich ingredients like broccoli, cauliflower, and apple. Fresh broccoli is also a naturally hydrating food, which could be why this salad is always so satisfying to serve in the summer.

The additions of cranberries and nuts provide heart health benefits, as does the olive oil-based dressing.

Ingredient Highlight: Cauliflower

Not only is it extremely versatile and tasty, but cauliflower is also full of health benefits. For instance, cauliflower is:

A versatile low-carb alternative to grains and legumes
An excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin K, and potassium
Rich in choline and sulforaphane
A good source of fiber

Overhead view apple broccoli salad with cranberries and cauliflower in a large serving bowl

Make It Allergy-Friendly

One of my favorite things about this salad is how versatile it can be, making it great for every occasion. Feel free to mix and match different ingredients to suit all your dietary needs. Some easy ways to switch it up include:

Using cashews, pecans, or sunflower seeds in place of the almonds
Omitting the feta cheese to keep it dairy-free
Replacing the mayo with Greek yogurt for an egg-free and lower-fat option

Using maple syrup instead of honey in the dressing, using an egg-free mayo, and plant-based cheese (or omitting the feta) will keep it vegan.

How To Store

I love to prepare a big batch of this broccoli cauliflower salad recipe at once. Stored in an airtight container or covered bowl, it will stay fresh for up to 4 days in the fridge. Just give the ingredients a good toss to redistribute before serving. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe, because it doesn’t thaw well and is likely to become soggy.

Try It With These Pairings

I love to pair this salad with a light protein source for a filling meal. Shredded chicken, homemade chicken nuggets, grilled salmon kabobs, and grilled shrimp are some of my favorite options. However, it’s also great with a light pasta dinner such as zucchini pasta carbonara.

And don’t forget to add a refreshing beverage like a watermelon mojito, or some blackberry lime prosecco cocktails, or even a glass of wine to balance out the flavors of the raw broccoli florets and cauliflower! No matter how you serve it, you really can’t go wrong. It’s always a crowd-pleasing dish that’s perfect for everything from weeknight meals to weekend cookouts and family gatherings.

Close up view of a wooden spoon scooping a large portion of freshly combined apple broccoli cauliflower salad.

Tip! Prep Ahead

You can easily prep this salad a day in advance. To do so, toss the diced apples in a little lemon juice before adding them to a large bowl. Then, combine all the salad ingredients except for the almonds. Add the almonds and dressing to the bowl about half an hour before serving, and toss to combine and coat the ingredients.

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The photos in this post were taken by Megan McKeehan.

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Stacie Hassing

Stacie is a Licensed and Registered Dietitian from rural southern Minnesota where she, her husband and three children reside with their dog. She’s a co-founder of The Real Food RDs and content creator of simple and wholesome recipes. She loves all kinds of fitness and has a passion to inspire as many as she can live a healthier and happier life both in and out of the kitchen - the driving force behind the co-development of the The Real Food RDs brand.