Broccoli Apple Salad with Maple Dressing

❤️ Why you'll love this raw broccoli salad recipe

• Here's a perfect salad for the fall and winter months. Broccoli, carrots, apples, pecans--celebrate fall with healthy ingredients!
• This salad has beautiful contrasts in both colour and texture. It uses ingredients you probably have on hand in your fridge and pantry. No running to the store for specialty items!
• It's an easy way to enjoy broccoli--and there's no need to cook or blanch the broccoli first!
• Quick and easy to make with common ingredients. Forget the salad kit and have a fresh homemade healthy broccoli salad in minutes.
• Broccoli apple salad for two! This broccoli salad recipe as written is perfect for two. While a big broccoli salad is great for a group or to take to a potluck, sometimes it's good to have a smaller salad as a side for dinner. It's easy to double or triple this recipe if you want to make a bigger salad.

Love broccoli in a salad? Try these other favourite broccoli salad recipes:

Honey-Dijon Broccoli Salad with Cranberries

Asian Broccoli Salad with Peanut Dressing

Broccoli Quinoa Salad with Sesame Miso Dressing

Ready to make this oh-so-good easy broccoli salad with apples and maple dressing? Here's what you'll need.

You'll find a complete list of ingredients with amounts in the recipe card below. Here are a few notes.

• broccoli: one head will usually yield two cups of florets. Use two heads if you're going to double the recipe.
• apple: a sweet firm variety, like Honeycrisp, Gala, Ambrosia, or Fuji gives a perfect contrast to the broccoli.
• carrot: you can use the coarse side of a box grater to grate your carrot, use a julienne tool to cut it, or a sharp knife to cut it into matchsticks.
• red onions: a little adds a slightly spicy flavour and beautiful colour.
• dried cranberries: for natural sweetness
• pecans: you can swap in walnuts. Nuts add a crunchy element to this broccoli apple salad.
• Maple Dressing What's the best dressing for a broccoli salad with apples? This one! Maple Balsamic Dressing is made with a shallot, maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Here's an overview of what you'll do to make this recipe perfectly. You'll find complete instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.

1. Pecans or walnuts: Toast the nuts in a small skillet over medium heat, just until they barely begin to brown and become fragrant. Remove the skillet from the heat and let them cool.
2. Broccoli: Wash and cut the broccoli into tiny bite-sized florets. Peel the tough outer layer of the stalks, then dice these finely. There is no need to blanch the broccoli first to make this salad! The dressing softens the broccoli florets.
3. Carrots: Grate, julienne or slice the carrot.
4. Red onion: Dice it finely.
5. Apple: Remove the core but don't peel it. Slice thinly and chop into bite-sized pieces.
6. Combine: the vegetables and fruit in a bowl, sprinkle with dried cranberries and pecans or walnuts and toss with the maple balsamic dressing.
7. Maple Balsamic Dressing: Combine all ingredients in a small jar with a lid. Give it a good shake, then dress the salad generously.

Swap walnuts for pecans if you'd like. Walnuts and apples are a popular flavour pairing. I used this combination in this Crispy Fennel Apple Chopped Salad with Walnuts.

Prefer a creamy dressing? Keep the maple flavour but make it creamy by adding a tablespoon or two of Greek yogurt or sour cream to the dressing. Whisk and taste as you add.

This broccoli apple salad with maple dressing makes a healthy lunch (it's packable!) or a side dish for dinner. Serve it with your favourite chicken or fish dishes like these.

• Easy Baked Lemon Chicken
• Honey Dijon Turmeric Chicken Thighs
• Easiest Chicken Saltimbocca
• Juicy Blackberry Glazed Chicken Thighs

Leftover broccoli apple salad should be refrigerated promptly in a covered container. It will be just as delicious if not more so, the following day. It tends to be a little soggy after 3 days.

Enjoy every nutritious bite!