Broccoli Salad
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Broccoli salad made with fresh broccoli is the perfect side for dinner or bring it to your next potluck!
Broccoli salad has been on my mind lately! I think because it’s a million degrees and the thought of turning on the stove to make roasted broccoli sounds like an awful idea. Also this easy broccoli salad is deeeeelicious. We like enjoy it with homemade mac and cheese, macaroni salad, and peanut butter cookies!
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Broccoli Salad
Broccoli Salad
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Broccoli salad ingredients
- Broccoli – always use fresh broccoli for broccoli salad. I like to chop the florets small and slice the stems thinly. Don’t waste the stems, they’re great in this salad.
- Carrots – super fine julienned carrots work perfectly. You want them to add a punch of color, but not an overbearing flavor.
- Bacon – I like to warm the bacon up in the microwave right before adding it to the salad, so the flavor mixes throughout the salad better.
- Dried cranberries – If you can find dried unsweetened cranberries, that’s ideal, otherwise Craisins or low sugar Craisins work well.
- Sunflower seeds – sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds (pepitas) add the perfect amount of salty crunch.
- Red onion – don’t skip this, I know a lot of folks don’t like onion, but you only need a little to round out the flavor of the dish nicely.
Dressing
- Mayonnaise – I’m a huge fan of full fat mayo, but if you’re looking to lighten things up low fat mayo will suffice. Just don’t use Miracle Whip!
- Honey – most broccoli salad recipes use sugar to sweeten the dressing, but I think honey tastes so much better. We only add a little bit, this isn’t dessert!
- Dijon mustard – just enough to balance the sweetness of the honey. I prefer smooth dijon mustard for this recipe as opposed to the stone ground.
- Soy sauce – whenever possible I like to use soy sauce in lieu of table salt because it adds the salt but also a delicious umami flavor as well.
Preparation
What kind of dressing goes on a broccoli salad?
It is traditionally dressed with a mayonnaise based dressing. Ours also uses dijon mustard for spice, soy sauce for some salty umami, and honey for a touch of sweetness. Many broccoli salad dressings are loaded with sugar, but we prefer to sweeten ours only slightly with just a touch of honey. And it’s delicious!
Can Broccoli Salad be made ahead of time?
Broccoli salad can be made ahead of time. Not only can it be made ahead of time, but I actually think it tastes better after the flavors have melded in the fridge overnight or at least for a few hours.
*This goes great alongside our baked chicken with Italian dressing!*
Nutrition
How many calories are in a cup of broccoli salad?
There are approximately 165 calories per 1 cup serving of this recipe when using full fat mayonnaise and low sugar Craisins.
Is broccoli salad healthy?
It is very healthy. It is full of fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Specifically, broccoli, which makes up the majority of this salad, is a very good source of dietary fiber, vitamin B6, vitamin E, manganese, phosphorus, choline, vitamin B1, vitamin A, potassium and copper. Broccoli is also a good source of vitamin B1, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, protein, zinc, calcium, iron, niacin and selenium. source
If you’re doing Weight Watchers and looking to make this broccoli salad lower in points, try using low fat mayonnaise and apples instead of dried raisins. As written the recipe is 8 points per serving, but with the modifications it’s only 2 points!
Serving suggestions
I love this as a light lunch, but it’s also delicious as a side along with some parmesan baked chicken, and homemade steak fries or add a healthy touch to your pizza night when you make our bisquick pizza recipe!
More Salad Recipes to Love!
- Cobb Salad
- Creamy Cucumber Salad
- Egg Salad
- Tuna Macaroni Salad
- Potato Salad Recipe
- Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Ramen Noodle Salad Recipe
- Macaroni Salad
More broccoli recipes to love!
- Roasted broccoli recipe
- Broccoli cheese potato casserole
- Broccoli slaw salad
- Cheesy broccoli rice
- Cheese and Broccoli Soup
Recommended Tools
- Knife sharpener – Let me tell you about this knife sharpener! I won it at a conference almost ten years ago, and I still use it several times a week. It’s one of my go-to housewarming gifts and everyone I know just loves it.
- Santuko knife – My favorite knife for cutting vegetables! This knife is the perfect size and shape, handles great, and is super reasonably priced. Also, I just love that it’s fun and colorful!
- End grain cutting board – This is my absolute favorite cutting board and the one that I get the most compliments on. And p.s. I have a lot of cutting boards. It really is absolutely stunning, and knows how to take a beating. We use it every single day!
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How to make broccoli salad
Broccoli Salad
Ingredients
- 10 cups fresh broccoli florets and stems small chopped
- 1 cup finely chopped carrots
- 2 tablespoons finely minced red onion
- 1/2 cup real bacon bits
- 1 cup dried unsweetened cranberries or low sugar Craisins
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine broccoli, carrot, bacon, cranberries, and onion.
- In a smaller bowl whisk together mayonnaise, honey, mustard, and soy sauce.
- Pour dressing over ingredients in large bowl and toss well.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Calories are calculated using full fat mayo and low sugar Craisins.
- Healthy alternatives: try using low fat or fat free mayonnaise, and apples instead of Craisins! This will bring it down to 2 Freestyle WW point per serving!
- 1 serving is about 1 cup, recipe yields approximately 12 cups.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Try this alongside our tatertot casserole recipe!
Broccoli Salad
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Recipe FAQS
How many calories are in a cup of broccoli salad?
Approximately 165 calories/1 cup serving of this recipe using full fat mayonnaise and low sugar Craisins.
What kind of dressing goes on a broccoli salad?
Traditionally a creamy dressing, we use mayo, dijon mustard, soy sauce, and honey.
Can Broccoli Salad be made ahead of time?
Broccoli salad can be made ahead of time and actually tastes better when made about a day in advance.
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I have made this salad several times. It is a hit always.
This is my kind of summer side! Raw broccoli is one of my fave veggies, and I’m loving the dried cranberries in this – a tiny bite of fall in a fab summer salad!
Honestly, I could make a meal on this delicious salad. I would just add some chicken or turkey and call it dinner. What a great recipe….and with grilling season here, you can’t have too many salad recipes to fall back on.
I made this the other day. I had to use chopped walnuts, as I didn’t have the sunflower seeds. Even with the change, the recipe was a hit. Thanks for sharing. I also like the idea that another reviewer had of adding chicken and making dinner out of it.
walnuts sounds delicious! love the idea of adding chicken too! so glad you enjoyed 🙂
Hi this look great can’t wait to try it.
Also the broccoli salad is a good idea
to go with this. Thanks!!