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A bowl of Sweet Apple Broccoli Salad with fresh broccoli, red apple chunks, blueberries, dried cranberries, pecans, and creamy dressing.
Layla

Sweet Apple Broccoli Salad

Crisp broccoli and sweet-tart apples tossed in a creamy, tangy dressing with bacon and cheddar for the perfect potluck side.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 340
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Salad
  • 6 cups broccoli florets cut into small bite-sized pieces, about 1.5 lbs
  • 1 large Honeycrisp apple diced, unpeeled
  • 4 oz sharp cheddar cheese cut into small cubes
  • 6 slices bacon cooked crisp and crumbled
  • 0.25 cup red onion finely diced
  • 0.5 cup dried cranberries
  • 0.25 cup sunflower seeds toasted, salted
For the Dressing
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise full-fat
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper freshly ground

Equipment

  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Small bowl for dressing
  • Sharp knife
  • Cutting board

Method
 

Prep
  1. Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain, then crumble when cool.
  2. Cut broccoli into small, bite-sized florets - smaller than you think, about the size of your thumbnail so they pick up dressing easily. Dice the apple into 1/4-inch pieces, leaving the skin on for color and texture.
Make the Dressing
  1. In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust - it should be tangy-sweet with a little bite from the mustard.
Assemble
  1. In a large bowl, combine broccoli, diced apple, cheddar, red onion, cranberries, and crumbled bacon. Toss to mix evenly.
  2. Pour dressing over the salad and fold gently until everything is coated. Sprinkle sunflower seeds on top and fold once more. Serve immediately, or refrigerate up to 4 hours - the flavors actually improve as they meld.

Notes

For the best texture, cut broccoli florets small so they absorb dressing rather than just getting coated on the outside. Honeycrisp apples hold their crunch best, but Gala or Fuji work too - just avoid soft varieties like McIntosh. Make it a meal by adding shredded rotisserie chicken or swap bacon for toasted pepitas to make it vegetarian.