Low Calorie Broccoli Salad

Real talk: most broccoli salads are a sad, mayo-soaked situation drowning in bacon and mystery mix-ins. This is NOT that salad.

This one is crunchy, creamy, a little sweet, a little tangy, and clocks in at the kind of calorie count that lets you go back for seconds. (And thirds. And possibly the leftovers standing at the fridge at midnight, but we don’t talk about that.)

Tiny broccoli florets. Matchstick carrots. Sweet-tart cranberries. Crunchy sunflower seeds. A crisp apple for surprise sweetness. And the dressing? Greek yogurt, honey, lemon, cider vinegar. Light but PACKED with flavor.

It takes about 15 minutes to throw together, then just chill in the fridge for an hour. The broccoli softens just enough, the dressing hugs every floret, and suddenly you’re the person who brought the best dish to the cookout. Again.

Why Greek Yogurt Instead of Mayo?

Greek yogurt saves you roughly 650 calories per 1/2 cup swap, while delivering the same creamy coating you actually want

• CALORIE DROP 1/2 cup of mayo runs about 720 calories. Same amount of Fage 0% Greek yogurt? Around 65. Not a typo
• TEXTURE MATCH Strained, thick Greek yogurt mimics mayo’s body. No watery dressing pooling at the bottom of your bowl
• FLAVOR WIN The tang plays nice with cranberries, apple, and honey. Mayo would mute all that brightness
• PROTEIN BOOST You get about 12g protein per 1/2 cup. Mayo gives you zero. Yes, zero
• 1:1 SWAP Replace mayo with equal parts Greek yogurt. No other changes needed

Skip the mayo…. your waistline (and your taste buds!) will thank you later.

How to Keep the Apple from Browning

Step 1: Cut the apple LAST, right before assembly. Exposed apple flesh plus air equals browning, plain and simple.

Step 2: For prep-ahead situations (we get it, life’s chaotic!), toss the diced apple with a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice. The acid blocks oxidation, keeping pieces bright and crisp for up to 15 minutes.

Step 3: Dress the salad FAST once the apple hits the bowl. The yogurt and lemon juice in the dressing create a protective coating that slows further browning.

A little acidity goes a long way here. Stay sharp, stay crisp, and enjoy that salad looking (and tasting) FRESH!

How Long Does Broccoli Salad Keep?

• UP TO 2 DAYS IN THE FRIDGE – this salad is best within the first 48 hours, so plan accordingly (don’t make it Sunday for a Friday picnic, lol).
• STORE IN AN AIRTIGHT CONTAINER – keeps the broccoli from getting sad and wilted, and stops the dressing from absorbing weird fridge smells.
• WAIT TO DRESS IT – if you want it to last longer, keep the dressing separate and toss right before serving. The dressed version gets soggy fast.
• APPLES BROWN FAST – the diced apple will start looking tired after day one, so eat up!

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 500-600
• Protein: 13-16 g
• Fat: 9-12 g
• Carbohydrates: 100-115 g

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 5.5 cups broccoli (cut into small 1/2-inch florets)
• 1 cup carrots
• 3/4 cup cranberries (I use Ocean Spray Craisins)
• 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup red onion
• 1 apple (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces)

For the dressing:

• 3/4 cup yogurt (I recommend Fage 0% Greek yogurt for a creamy texture)
• 2 tbsp cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed for better acidity)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Step 1: Chop the Produce

• 5.5 cups broccoli
• 1 cup carrots
• 1/4 cup red onion
• 1 apple

Cut the broccoli into small 1/2-inch florets, slice the carrots into thin matchsticks or small dice, finely dice the red onion into small pieces, and cut the apple into 1/4-inch pieces.

I recommend cutting the apple just before mixing it with the dressing to prevent browning, but you can prepare it up to 15 minutes ahead and toss it with a squeeze of lemon juice to keep it fresh.

Have all ingredients prepped and ready to go before assembling the salad.

Step 2: Whisk the Yogurt Dressing

• 3/4 cup yogurt
• 2 tbsp cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, cider vinegar, honey, and freshly squeezed lemon juice until smooth and well combined.

Add the salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then whisk again until the dressing is creamy and all seasonings are evenly distributed.

I prefer Greek yogurt over regular yogurt because it creates a richer, thicker dressing while keeping the calories low.

Step 3: Toss the Salad Base

• broccoli from Step 1
• carrots from Step 1
• 3/4 cup cranberries
• 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
• red onion from Step 1
• apple from Step 1

In a large bowl, add the prepared broccoli florets, carrots, cranberries, and sunflower seeds.

Gently toss these ingredients together to distribute them evenly, then add the diced red onion and apple.

Mix gently until all ingredients are combined—be careful not to crush the broccoli florets.

Step 4: Coat and Chill

• vegetable mixture from Step 3
• dressing from Step 2

Pour the dressing from Step 2 over the vegetable mixture and toss gently but thoroughly until all the vegetables and fruit are evenly coated with the creamy dressing.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least 1 hour—this allows the flavors to meld and the broccoli to soften slightly while the salad stays crisp and fresh.

Step 5: Stir and Serve Cold

• prepared salad from Step 4

Remove the salad from the refrigerator, give it a gentle stir to redistribute any dressing that has settled at the bottom, and taste for seasoning.

Adjust salt, pepper, or lemon juice if needed, then serve immediately.

This salad is best enjoyed cold and will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Homemade Low Calorie Broccoli Salad

Delicious Homemade Low Calorie Broccoli Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 17 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 550

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the salad::

• 5.5 cups broccoli (cut into small 1/2-inch florets)
• 1 cup carrots
• 3/4 cup cranberries (I use Ocean Spray Craisins)
• 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup red onion
• 1 apple (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces)

For the dressing::

• 3/4 cup yogurt (I recommend Fage 0% Greek yogurt for a creamy texture)
• 2 tbsp cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed for better acidity)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Method

 

1. Cut the broccoli into small 1/2-inch florets, slice the carrots into thin matchsticks or small dice, finely dice the red onion into small pieces, and cut the apple into 1/4-inch pieces. I recommend cutting the apple just before mixing it with the dressing to prevent browning, but you can prepare it up to 15 minutes ahead and toss it with a squeeze of lemon juice to keep it fresh. Have all ingredients prepped and ready to go before assembling the salad.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, cider vinegar, honey, and freshly squeezed lemon juice until smooth and well combined. Add the salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then whisk again until the dressing is creamy and all seasonings are evenly distributed. I prefer Greek yogurt over regular yogurt because it creates a richer, thicker dressing while keeping the calories low.
3. In a large bowl, add the prepared broccoli florets, carrots, cranberries, and sunflower seeds. Gently toss these ingredients together to distribute them evenly, then add the diced red onion and apple. Mix gently until all ingredients are combined—be careful not to crush the broccoli florets.
4. Pour the dressing from Step 2 over the vegetable mixture and toss gently but thoroughly until all the vegetables and fruit are evenly coated with the creamy dressing. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least 1 hour—this allows the flavors to meld and the broccoli to soften slightly while the salad stays crisp and fresh.
5. Remove the salad from the refrigerator, give it a gentle stir to redistribute any dressing that has settled at the bottom, and taste for seasoning. Adjust salt, pepper, or lemon juice if needed, then serve immediately. This salad is best enjoyed cold and will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.