Broccoli Salad
This easy broccoli salad recipe is a classic party side dish! It's made with cranberries, red onion, almonds, and a creamy homemade dressing.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Active time
- 10 min
- Yield
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
Ingredients and Constraints
Ingredients
Ingredient watchpoints6 watchpoints
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Maple Syrup
1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
The source ingredient row lists alternatives.
Details and source
Acceptable alternatives: Honey
Source: Best Broccoli Salad
Garlic
1 garlic clove (minced)
The source row includes a form, size, temperature, preparation, or handling detail.
Details and source
Source: Best Broccoli Salad
Sea Salt
¼ teaspoon sea salt (plus more to taste)
The source row includes a form, size, temperature, preparation, or handling detail.
Details and source
Source: Best Broccoli Salad
Red Onion
⅓ cup diced red onion
The source row includes a form, size, temperature, preparation, or handling detail.
Details and source
Source: Best Broccoli Salad
Sunflower Seeds
½ cup sunflower seeds or pepitas
The source ingredient row lists alternatives.
Details and source
Acceptable alternatives: Pepitas
Source: Best Broccoli Salad
Smoked Paprika
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika (more to taste)
The source row includes a form, size, temperature, preparation, or handling detail.
Details and source
Source: Best Broccoli Salad
Additional ingredient notes
Ingredients
1 pound broccoli crowns 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons mayonnaise 1½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey 1 garlic clove, minced ¼ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to tast
Before You Cook
Constraints, controls, and warnings to review before starting.
Decisions before cookingDetails1
Reviewed comparisons and tradeoffs that affect the path before the first active step.
A Broccoli Salad Recipe That’s Good for You
Broccoli salad is a standard cookout side dish, but the typical classic broccoli salad recipe is loaded up with sugar, ample mayo, bacon, and sharp cheddar cheese.
My version is a fresher, healthier twist—I nix the sugar, meat, and cheese altogether. The result is a crisp, refreshing salad that’ll be the star of your cookouts all summer long!
Method Overview
Structured method notes that are separate from the step timeline.
How to Make Broccoli Salad
The first step in this recipe is chopping the broccoli.
Make sure to cut the florets into bite-sized pieces and to finely dice the stems. The small pieces will soften more and soak up the dressing better than larger pieces will. Next, you’ll mix up the homemade broccoli salad dressing. Instead of using the typical 1 cup mayo: 2 tablespoons vinegar ratio for my broccoli salad dressing, I replace some of the mayo with olive oil and up the proportion of vinegar. I also add a few teaspoons of Dijon mustard and a little honey to the mix, making for a light, super tangy dressing with a delectable sweet/salty flavor. Add the broccoli, red onion, and dried cranberries to the creamy dressing, and stir to coat. Now for the best part: the smoky toasted nuts and seeds! Tamari almonds and sunflower seeds or pepitas add wonderful crunch to the salad and bring richness and smoky flavor.
Method Timeline
Prep
ActivePrep
10 min
Prep time from the source recipe card.
Cook
ActiveCook
15 min
Cook time from the source recipe card.
Total
PassiveTotal
25 min
Total time from the source recipe card.
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2
Chop the broccoli florets into ½-inch pieces and any remaining stems into a ¼-inch dice. Peel any woody or coarse parts from the stem first.
Step 3
In the bottom of a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, mayo, apple cider vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, garlic, and salt. Add the broccoli, onions, and cranberries and toss to coat.
Image detailsBroccoli salad dressingLove And Lemons · Best Broccoli SaladDev reference 
Image detailsAdding florets to bowl of creamy dressingLove And Lemons · Best Broccoli SaladDev reference Inputs and tools9
Uses
- ⅓ cup diced red onion
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt (plus more to taste)
- 1 garlic clove (minced)
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon maple syrup
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
Step 4
Place the almonds and sunflower seeds on the baking sheet, toss with the tamari, maple syrup, and smoked paprika and spread into a thin layer. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes (they’ll get crispier as they sit).
Image detailsHands tossing almonds and pepitas with seasonings on a baking sheetLove And Lemons · Best Broccoli SaladDev reference Visual cue
until golden brown.
Checks3
Visual cueInfoVisualuntil golden brown.
Expected state: until golden brown.
TimingInfoTimingfor 10 to 14 minutes
Target: 10-14 minute
Expected state: Bake for 10 to 14 minutes, or until golden brown.
HoldingMain recipeSource holding instruction
Place the almonds and sunflower seeds on the baking sheet, toss with the tamari, maple syrup, and smoked paprika and spread into a thin layer. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes (they’ll get crispier as they sit).
Inputs and tools4
Uses
- ½ cup almonds
- ½ cup sunflower seeds or pepitas
- 1 tablespoon tamari
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika (more to taste)
Why and source
This step has reviewed source-backed guidance.
- Source: Best Broccoli Salad
Step 5
Toss the nuts and seeds into the salad, reserving a few to sprinkle on top. Season to taste and serve.
Image detailsBest Broccoli Salad on a plateLove And Lemons · Best Broccoli SaladDev reference Checks1
ServiceMain recipeSource service instruction
Toss the nuts and seeds into the salad, reserving a few to sprinkle on top. Season to taste and serve.
Why and source
This step has reviewed source-backed guidance.
- Source: Best Broccoli Salad
Handling and Storage
Reviewed hold, storage, make-ahead, and service-timing guidance.
How to Store and Make Ahead
If you’re making this recipe ahead, wait to add the almonds and sunflower seeds or pepitas.
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Store the rest of the salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Add the nuts and seeds right before you eat. If you have leftover salad, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Learn More
Extra cooking notes, tests, and source details kept out of the step-by-step method.
Testing notes
Useful tests and side-by-side notes after the method is clear.
Best Broccoli Salad Recipe Tips
Want to make the best broccoli salad around?
Here are a few simple tips: Cut your broccoli small. Because this salad features raw broccoli, you want to make sure the pieces are small enough to become fully coated and soften in the dressing.
Recipe structure
Components and intermediate outputs created by the method.
Main recipe
Recipe card ingredients and steps.
6
Syrup
Source step 3 creates or uses syrup.
Extra useful notes
Short source-backed recommendations and facts that do not need a step.
*Note: Chop the florets into roughly ½-inch pieces.
*Note: Chop the florets into roughly ½-inch pieces. Dice the stem into smaller ¼-inch pieces.
Did you make the recipe? I want to see!
Did you make the recipe? I want to see!
Tag @loveandlemons on Instagram.
Tag @loveandlemons on Instagram.
rate this recipe (after making it)
rate this recipe (after making it)
rate this recipe (after making it)
rate this recipe (after making it)
Loved the taste!! It tasted so right. Perfect!
Loved the taste!! It tasted so right. Perfect! I’ll make it again. Thank you for sharing
I loved the taste! I use the vegannaise instead of mayo.
I loved the taste! I use the vegannaise instead of mayo. And, I use the sugar-free cranberries. It tasted so great! Yummy! And, healthy ! Thank you for sharing your recipe with us.
Love this! Even the kids loved it I have made a note to make the tamari nuts and seeds with cranberries as Christmas gifts (sorry for using the C word in May!!).
Love this! Even the kids loved it I have made a note to make the tamari nuts and seeds with cranberries as Christmas gifts (sorry for using the C word in May!!).
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Source and Origin
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Adapted from source
Imported from the love-and-lemons page for dev review.
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Best Broccoli Salad
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