The BEST Broccoli Salad

The best Healthy Broccoli Salad Recipe with a tangy creamy dressing, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds and red onion. This light yet comforting and flavorful recipe is a healthier take on classic broccoli salad and is the perfect side dish to any meal.

For those times you’re avoiding cooking in the heat and are craving cooling foods, this broccoli salad checks all the boxes.

It is easy to prepare, loaded with creamy, tangy, sweet flavors and all sorts of fresh crunchy textures. 

The way I see it, broccoli salad is the perfect sidekick to any summer entrée. It goes great with Grilled Chicken Thighs, BBQ Tri Tip, Smoked Brisket, Perfect Grilled Steak, Grilled Salmon, and more!

Classic broccoli salad that you’ll find in the deli section of grocery stores or at restaurants closely resemble this recipe. 

Traditional recipes include a mayo-based creamy dressing and typically red onion, raisins (or other dried fruit), sunflower seeds (or other types of nuts), and sometimes bacon.

This recipe is a lighter healthy broccoli salad using less mayonnaise for a dressing that is still luscious and creamy, but lower in calories and fat.

Let’s dive into the ingredients and whip up this easy broccoli salad recipe!

Broccoli Salad Ingredients:

For the Creamy Broccoli Salad Dressing: Mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, pure maple syrup, rice vinegar, and sea salt is all we need for the dressing ingredients.

This combination makes a creamy, sweet, tangy dressing that is just perfect for broccoli salad.

The pure maple syrup can be replaced with cane sugar, and the rice vinegar can be replaced with apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, or lemon juice. You can also omit the creamy Greek yogurt and add more mayonnaise if you prefer.

For a mayo-free broccoli salad, use Homemade Italian Dressing for a tangy herby vinaigrette instead of the creamy mayo-based dressing.

For the Salad: Fresh broccoli, red onion, sunflower seeds, bacon, and dried cranberries. 

Omit the bacon to make the recipe vegetarian and substitute raisins for the dried cranberries if desired. 

You can also change up the broccoli salad ingredients by adding grated or chopped sharp cheddar cheese, gorgonzola cheese, goat cheese, pumpkin seeds, red bell peppers, roasted or candied walnuts, pecans or crunchy almonds, etc.

For the best results, be sure to measure out the broccoli florets to ensure the proportions of the other ingredients is accurate relative to the raw broccoli. You can use the broccoli stalk by finely chopping it if you’d like (the broccoli stem is completely edible!), although I prefer sticking with the florets and I save the stem for sautéed veggies.

Now that we’re experts on the ingredients for broccoli salad, let’s make this easy side dish recipe!

How to Make Broccoli Salad:

Cut florets off of the heats of broccoli, either saving the stems for later use or chopping them to add to this healthy broccoli salad recipe.

In a large bowl, add the chopped broccoli, red onion, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, and cooked chopped bacon.

Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl until creamy and well combined.

Pour the dressing over the broccoli salad and toss until everything is well-coated in dressing. At first it may seem like there is too much dressing, but the broccoli will absorb the dressing as it sits.

For the best results, refrigerate the broccoli salad for at least one hour before serving it with your main dish and other side dishes. 

Store any leftover broccoli salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. 

Broccoli salad becomes more flavorful the longer it sits! For this reason, I recommend making it ahead of time (several hours to two days) so that it has a chance to marinate in all its flavors for the perfect summer salad.

Should I Blanch the Broccoli?:

While some people blanch broccoli before adding it to broccoli salad, I leave mine raw the majority of the time.

It saves time and ensures the broccoli is nice and snappy. Plus, you don’t have to wait for the broccoli to cool off before serving it.

That said, you can blanch the broccoli in boiling water for 30 seconds to 1 minute and then transfer it immediately to an ice water bath then pat it dry with paper towels or spinning with a salad spinner to remove the water before proceeding with the salad. 

For some people, blanched broccoli has a more desirable texture because it’s softer and it can also be easier for people to digest.

Also try my Broccoli Salad Recipe with Honey-Toasted Walnuts for a unique, great addition to your summer gatherings.

If you love fresh, healthy side dishes, also check out these tasty side dishes, which are perfect for summer bbqs and picnics.

More Summer Salad Recipes:

• Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
• Creamy Chicken Pasta Salad
• Fruit Salad with Lemon Whipped Cream
• Black Bean Corn Salad 
• Mayo-Free Macaroni Salad 
• Greek Potato Salad 

Enjoy the best broccoli salad as a classic side dish the next time the occasion arises for a great salad!

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