This Honeycrisp Apple Broccoli Salad is a cold, crunchy side made with fresh broccoli florets, diced Honeycrisp apples, fresh cranberries, and crushed bacon, all tossed in a slightly sweet, tangy dressing. It’s the kind of salad that actually gets finished at a potluck instead of sitting untouched at the end of the table.

I make this one for fall gatherings and holiday dinners, when I want something crisp and a little sweet next to heavier mains. It also holds up well made ahead, which makes it an easy one to bring somewhere. I usually set it out alongside Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Croutons, or serve it next to Chinese Chicken Salad when I want two salads on the table.

If crunchy salads with a little sweetness are your thing, these are worth bookmarking too:

Ingredients You’ll Need

Fresh broccoli florets are what you want here, not frozen (frozen broccoli turns watery once it thaws and waters down the dressing). Fresh cranberries add tartness and a little crunch that dried cranberries just don’t have, though you’ll want to halve them so they’re not too sharp in each bite. Crushed bacon goes in right before serving, so it stays crisp instead of going soft in the dressing.

Ingredients

6 cups fresh broccoli florets, chopped small
2 Honeycrisp apples, diced
1 cup fresh cranberries, halved
8 slices bacon, cooked and crushed
1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool, then crush it into small pieces once it’s cool enough to handle.
While the bacon cooks, chop the broccoli florets into small, bite-sized pieces.
Smaller pieces pick up more dressing and are easier to fit on a fork, so don’t leave them in big chunks.
Dice the Honeycrisp apples into small cubes (leave the skin on, it holds its color better than peeled apple and adds some texture).
Halve the fresh cranberries. Halving them cuts down on the tartness of each bite compared to leaving them whole.
In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper until smooth.
Taste it here and adjust. If you want it tangier, add a little more vinegar; for sweeter, add a touch more honey.
In a large bowl, combine the broccoli, diced apples, fresh cranberries, red onion, and sunflower seeds.
Pour the dressing over the top and toss until everything is evenly coated.
This part takes a little patience with a big bowl, but tossing thoroughly is what keeps the dressing from pooling at the bottom.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving, so the flavors have time to come together.
Stir in the crushed bacon right before serving so it stays crisp instead of turning soft in the dressing.
Serve chilled straight from the bowl and enjoy!

Important Recipe Notes

Use fresh cranberries, not dried. Fresh cranberries give this salad real tartness and a snap of texture that dried, sugared cranberries can’t match. Halve them so the tartness is spread out instead of concentrated in a few bites.
Crush the bacon last minute. Crushed bacon stays crisp if you add it right before serving. Mixed in too early, it softens in the dressing and loses its crunch.
Cut the broccoli small. Large florets are harder to eat and don’t pick up as much dressing. Chop them down to bite-sized pieces for the best texture in every forkful.
Dice the apples last. Apples brown once cut, so dice them right before you’re ready to mix the salad together, or toss them in a splash of the apple cider vinegar to slow the browning down.
Storage. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The broccoli softens a bit the longer it sits, so it’s best within the first day.
Make-ahead tip. The dressing and bacon can be made a day ahead separately. Toss everything together with the dressing no more than a few hours before serving for the best texture.
This one is not a last-minute salad. It takes a bit of prep between chopping, cooking the bacon, and chilling time, just so you know going in.

How to Serve, Store & Customize This Recipe

Serving — Serve this salad chilled, straight from the fridge, with the crushed bacon stirred in right before it hits the table. It works as a side next to roasted or grilled meats, or on its own for a lighter lunch.

Storing — Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The broccoli and apples soften over time, so the texture is best within the first 24 hours. I don’t recommend freezing this one.

Customizing — Swap the sunflower seeds for chopped pecans or walnuts if that’s what you have. Shredded cheddar or crumbled feta both work well stirred in for extra flavor. For a lighter dressing, swap half the mayonnaise for plain Greek yogurt.