Chickpea Apple Broccoli Salad | Formidable Kitchen

I bear in mind completely despising broccoli salad once I was rising up; each time it appeared on a celebration desk or at a potluck it concerned a whole lot of bizarre textures and a mayo-drenched salad. But ever since I created my tahini curry broccoli salad there’s nothing I like greater than REALLY, REALLY GOOD crunchy salad that doesn’t contain lettuce.

At the moment I’m again to reinvent the traditional broccoli salad and get the occasion desk a bit of bit more healthy with my fall-inspired apple broccoli salad: it’s full of chickpeas, crunchy candy Honeycrisp apples (or no matter apples you’d like), dried cherries, pecans for some crunch and recent herbs.

The honey dijon dressing concerned brings all of it collectively and damnnnnnn it’s GOOD. No, there’s no mayonnaise and even greek yogurt concerned.

One of the best a part of this salad is that it’s no cook dinner and solely takes about 20 minutes to whip up. Chop all of your veggies and throw all the pieces in an enormous bowl, toss with the dressing and also you’re good to go!

Table of Contents

Every part you’ll have to make this wholesome broccoli apple salad

This stunning dairy free broccoli apple salad recipe is loaded with crunchy veggies for loads of fiber, protein from chickpeas, and a candy & tangy honey dijon dressing. Right here’s all the pieces you’ll have to make it:

Produce: we’re packing this salad with broccoli, carrots, inexperienced onion, and juicy Honeycrisp apples.
Chickpeas: this apple broccoli salad will get loads of protein from chickpeas!
Combine-ins: you’ll additionally combine in candy dried cherries, crunchy pecans, and recent parsley.
For the dressing: give this salad scrumptious taste with a tangy dressing created from olive oil, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper. You may additionally use lemon juice rather than the apple cider vinegar in case you’d like.

Do I have to cook dinner the broccoli?

Nope! This salad makes use of recent, uncooked broccoli, which I believe is ideal as is. Should you’re delicate to uncooked veggies like broccoli you’ll be able to be happy to provide it a fast blanch to make it a bit of bit simpler to digest.

Customise your apple broccoli salad

Seeking to combine it up a bit? Right here’s what I can advocate by way of ingredient swaps:

Go vegan. Merely swap the honey within the dressing for maple syrup.
Select your protein. Should you’re not consuming plant-based, you might swap the chickpeas for cooked, cubed honey mustard hen, shrimp, and even salmon.
Swap the produce. Be at liberty to make use of what you may have available! I believe bell pepper, pink onion, and/or shredded cabbage could be nice additions, and you might even swap the broccoli for shredded brussels sprouts. Fuji, gala apples, braeburn, or tart granny smith apples would even be nice — it’s simply as much as your style desire!
Strive a brand new dressing. This sesame ginger dressing and this Thai-inspired peanut dressing would even be scrumptious.
Have enjoyable with mix-ins. I like the crunch of pecans, however cashews, sliced almonds, walnuts, and even sunflower seeds make an awesome swap. Be at liberty to omit nuts if want be! You may additionally add chopped dates, dried cranberries, or raisins rather than the dried cherries.

Don’t overlook these broccoli salad suggestions

Chop your broccoli very finely. The trick to this salad is to verify your recent broccoli florets are VERY finely chopped so that you simply get scrumptious bites with a bit of little bit of all the pieces.
Meal prep or feed a crowd. This salad is ideal to make through the week as a result of it retains properly within the fridge, but it surely’s additionally nice for events & gatherings! Be at liberty to double it for a crowd to make a yummy facet dish that everybody will love. I recommend leaving out the pecans till you’re able to serve.
Make it forward of time. Should you’re wanting to avoid wasting time, I’d advocate chopping up your whole veggies 1-2 days forward of serving or consuming the salad so as to simply throw it collectively! You may additionally make the dressing 1-2 days forward of time as properly and retailer it individually within the fridge.

Add a bit of heartiness

Should you’re in search of a heartier meal, be happy so as to add this crunchy salad to your favourite tortilla to make a wrap!

Storing suggestions

Retailer this wholesome apple broccoli salad in an airtight container within the fridge for as much as 5 days. The apple cider vinegar prevents the apples from browning! I like to recommend including the pecans to your particular person portion earlier than serving.

Extra salad recipes you’ll love

Get all of my salad recipes right here!

I hope you like this vegetarian apple broccoli salad recipe. Should you make it you should definitely go away a remark and a score so I do know you appreciated it!

Chickpea Apple Broccoli Salad with Honey Dijon Dressing

Prep Time 20 minutes

Whole Time 20 minutes

Serves4 servings

Wholesome apple broccoli salad with chickpeas, dried cherries, carrots, pecans and recent herbs. Toss all the pieces collectively in a light-weight honey dijon dressing to convey this salad collectively. Straightforward to make, nice for lunch or events and makes glorious leftovers!

Substances

For the salad:
1 head broccoli, very finely chopped
1 (15 ounce) can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 cups diced honeycrisp apples (from about 2 medium honeycrisp apples)
1 cup shredded carrots (or 1 cup matchstick minimize carrots)
⅓ cup diced inexperienced onion
⅓ cup dried cherries
⅓ cup chopped pecans
½ cup chopped flat leaf parsley
For the dressing:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
½ tablespoon honey
1 clove of garlic, minced
Freshly floor salt and pepper, to style
To garnish:
Additional cherries and pecans

Directions

In a big bowl, add finely chopped broccoli, chickpeas, apples, carrots, inexperienced onion, dried cherries, pecans, and parsley. Put aside.
Make the dressing by whisking collectively the next substances in a small bowl: olive oil, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, honey, garlic, salt and pepper. Instantly drizzle over salad and toss to mix.
Style and add extra salt and pepper, if mandatory. Garnish with additional cherries and pecans and serve instantly or place within the fridge for later. Salad will preserve properly as much as 5 days. Serves 4.

Recipe Notes

In case you are making this for a celebration, it most certainly serves 6 reasonably than 4 folks.
To make vegan: sub agave or maple syrup for the honey.
See the complete publish for suggestions, tips, and non-obligatory ingredient swaps!