The Roasted Root

Eat Well, Eat Often

Broccoli Salad with Honey-Toasted Walnuts

By [Julia Mueller]

Broccoli Salad with Blueberries and Honey-Toasted Walnuts. It’s like a dream.

Broccoli Salad with Blueberries and Honey-Toasted Walnuts

You know those dreams you had when you were a kid about showing up to grade school in your underwear? And no matter how hard you tried to pull your shirt down to cover your forgetfulness, the damage had already been done…because you already showed up…in your underwear?  This is kind of like that.

Only it’s not you, it’s me. And this is not a dream, it’s real. But everyone’s fully clothed, and the underwear’s the broccoli salad. What?

Let’s put the car in R and back up.

Today is a special day!  You didn’t realize it, but you walked right in to a baby shower!  My friend Stephanie over at Girl Versus Dough will be having a baby girl in just a few short weeks. To celebrate the new addition to her family, we’ve rounded up the blogger troops for a virtual baby shower.

Broccoli Salad with Blueberries and Honey-Toasted Walnuts

T-Rex hugs and congratulations, Stephanie! We all brought tasty treats to nom on as we hang out and measure each other’s bellies (men: this is what you do at baby showers. We won’t judge your use of measuring tape if you don’t judge ours).  As we gaze around the room at all the potlucky baby shower eats, we have to wonder who it was who brought the greens. Who done it? Whooooo brought the greens? Yeah, that was me. I’m pointing my own index finger at my own skull right now, just so you know.

Broccoli Salad with Blueberries and Honey-Toasted Walnuts

This is not your momma’s broccoli salad. I don’t even know what that means, I just wanted to say it.

Fact is, everyone who has been to a family reunion, picnic, or has spent time with large groups of people (read: everyone) has had broccoli salad. But this one is a little different. Firsties: blueberries. Seconds: honey-toasted walnuts. Could this get any better? Unless you’re planning on letting your hair down and turning the walnuts into Rosemary Candied Walnuts, the answer is no. But you should still make Rosemary Candied Walnuts at some point in your life.

Third and lastly: Remember the discussion we had on Monday about mayonnaise? The down-with-mayo convo? Same applies here. I used plain yogurt instead of mayo, and added fresh lemon juice and zest to dress this chockerblock-full-o-goodies salad. Am I still talking about broccoli salad?

Here’s the recipe:

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Broccoli Salad with Honey-Toasted Walnuts

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Yield: serves 6 to 8 people

Broccoli Salad with Honey-Toasted Walnuts

Ingredients

  • 2 crowns broccoli, chopped into florets (7 cups)
  • ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
  • 4.5 ounces fresh blueberries
  • ½ cup dried cranberries
  • 2/3 cup plain whole milk yogurt
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • For the Honey-Toasted Walnuts:
  • 2/3 cup raw walnut halves
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1.5 tablespoons honey
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

    To Prepare the Honey Toasted Walnuts:
  1. Add all ingredients for the walnuts to a small skillet and heat over medium. Cook 5 to 8 minutes until mixture is very bubbly and walnuts have caramelized and turned golden-brown. Set aside and allow to cool. Chop the walnuts when cool enough to handle.
    2. To Prepare the Broccoli Salad:
  2. Chop the broccoli crowns into small florets, and chop the broccoli stems. Add stems and florets to a large serving bowl.
  3. In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, lemon zest and juice, honey, and salt.
  4. Pour this mixture over the broccoli and stir well to coat all of the broccoli with dressing.
  5. Add the red onion, blueberries, dried cranberries, and toasted walnuts. Toss everything together and serve with your favorite entree.
http://www.theroastedroot.net/broccoli-salad-blueberries-honey-toasted-walnuts/

How about we shed some light on what other ladies brought! Take a looksy:

Mini Strawberry Cheesecakes from Sarcastic Cooking

Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake with Lemon Drizzle from Greens & Chocolate

Super Chewy M&M Blondies from The Realistic Nutritionist

Strawberry Cinnamon Twist Knots from A Kitchen Addiction

Lemon Shortbread with Salted Chocolate Drizzle from The Lemon Bowl

Chocolate Cherry Ice Cream from A Zesty Bite

Blackberry and Mango Curd Pie from Joanne Eats Well With Others

Pecan Sticky Buns from Warm Vanilla Sugar

Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins from Garnish with Lemon

Chocolate Chip and Banana Pancakes from Susie Freaking Homemaker

Super Simple Sugar Cookies from Espresso and Cream

Raspberry Acai Frozen Margarita from Nutmeg Nanny

Berry Coconut Frozen Yogurt from The Law Student’s Wife

Pretty in Pink Buttercream Cups from Keep it Sweet Desserts

Neapolitan Baked Doughnuts from Climbing Grier Mountain

Giant Pink M&M and Raisinette Cookies from Steph’s Bite by Bite

No-Bake Rhubarb Cheesecake Parfait Cups from Hungry Girl Por Vida

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp from A Cedar Spoon

Freckled Strawberry Rhubarb Lemonade from Take a Megabite

Vanilla Anise Cupcakes from Blahnik Baker

Mini Vanilla Bean Layer Cakes from The Baker Chick

Mini Blackberry Hazelnut Meringue Cakes from Eat Your Heart Out

Congratulations again, Stephanie! We can’t wait to see your beautiful baby girl!

Broccoli Salad with Blueberries, Dried Cranberries, and Honey-Toasted Walnuts

Comments

  1. I SO love that you brought the greens to the shower to balance everything out — this is so you and I love it. And I love YOU — thank you so much, friend, for this wonderful surprise! T-Rex hugs right back atcha.

  5. This looks so good! I love the addition of the blueberries. I can’t wait to make this – broccoli salad is one of my all time favorite summer salads!

  6. I love broccoli salad and I LOVE that this one doesn’t include raisins. The addition of blueberries is genius!

  11. Woah, that’s a cool flavor combo! Never thought of pairing fruit with broccoli. Then again, don’t knock it til you try it, right? 🙂

  13. I’m glad SOMEONE brought some greens, because we were all going to be in hyperglycemic shock otherwise! And I so love a good salad at a baby shower, or just in life.

    • Haha! You ladies all came up with the most creative and tasty treats! I wouldn’t mind going into a sugar coma while making the rounds through your recipes!

  14. Girl, we need these greens to balance out our current sugar intake at this virtual par-tay! I love everything we have going on here – perfect! Thanks a million billion for playing with us today 🙂

    • Can you imagine you and I attending the same baby shower? By the end of the shower, everyone’s vitamin levels would be completely maxed out 😉

    • Thanks, Cheri! Broccoli’s always a winner and I was very pleasantly surprised by how well the salad came together. Let me know if you try it! 🙂

    • Haha! Luckily, I give T-Rex hugs away liberally, so I reckon I have an extra to spare 😉 Glad you like the salad, m’lady!

  19. Oh, I am SO pinning this! 🙂 A friend shared her mom’s broccoli salad recipe with me years ago and I adore it, but the idea of adding fresh fruit and walnuts is just too much to resist. Fabulous!

    • Thanks, Meg! Let me know if you try it! I’m a huge fan of broccoli salads and there are so many ways to make it fun, healthy and tasty 😀

  20. This salad is fabulous. So glad you brought it to the party to keep us balanced 🙂 PS: Very happy to meet you!! I love your blog and have spent a few many minutes drooling over your amazing recipes (and photos!!!)

    • Yaaaaay! So glad to hear it, Debra!! I absolutely love the salad too 🙂 So simple and healthy, yet packed with flavor.

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