Apple Broccoli Cauliflower Salad with Lemon

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. 

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

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.

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.

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.

Video: Making Apple Broccoli Cauliflower Salad

The photos in this post were taken by Megan McKeehan.

For ultimate success, we highly recommend reading the tips in the full blog post above. All photos and content are copyright-protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish a recipe, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words. Link back to the source recipe here on The Real Food Dietitians. Thank you!