Broccoli Salad

Cool, creamy, and fresh, this crunchy broccoli salad is a wonderful little side dish to whip up and share for your next spread. Prepared with fresh, crisp broccoli florets, crunchy walnuts and sweet dried cherries, then tossed with a sweet-savory and creamy dressing, this recipe is the perfect pick during the sunnier months!

A sweet-savory and oh-so-crunchy salad

Part of the fun of the sunnier season is all the BBQs, picnics, and get-togethers that go on, which typically means lots and lots of good food!

It seems there's always a need for a delicious side dish or salad as the weather turns a bit warmer. And while we love the classic staples—my creamy macaroni salad, my French potato salad, or my pesto pasta salad—it can be fun to get a little creative and come up with something new and fresh.

Enter this savory-sweet and wonderfully crunchy broccoli salad, a mighty tasty option!

Because broccoli is so hearty and healthy, and maintains its wonderful crunch even when tossed in a creamy dressing, it's the perfect veg to create a cool and flavorful salad.

So whether you're like my hubby and me, and crave a sweet-savory salad to stash in the fridge as a healthy afternoon snack to munch on, or you're hungry for a mouthwatering and easy side dish as part of a bigger spread, then this broccoli salad recipe is for you!

My recipe for broccoli salad

For a chopped, hearty salad like this, I gravitate towards adding some tasty bells and whistles into the mix...

Of course, seeing as broccoli is the star of this salad, I use broccoli florets. I chop them into even smaller, bite-size pieces so that they mingle well with the dressing and other morsels.

For the additional morsels, I go with crunchy and heart-healthy walnuts and almonds. I also add a sprinkle of plump dried cherries for chewy texture and sweetness.

When it comes to the dressing for my broccoli salad, I really like to go in the direction of a little bit sweet and a little bit savory. It's slightly similar to a coleslaw dressing. I opt to use a combination of mayonnaise and sour cream, along with a pinch of sugar, some salt and pepper, a sprinkle of dried herbs, and a splash of apple cider vinegar. This dressing is rich and creamy without being overly heavy, which I love.

When all of these simple ingredients are combined, they come together for a really delicious broccoli salad with some color and crunch, plus sweet-savory and creamy flavor!

Here's a sneak peek at my recipe for broccoli salad:

(or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. To get started, I whisk together my ingredients for my creamy dressing to have ready to dress my salad in.
2. Next, I add my broccoli salad ingredients to a large bowl and toss to combine.
3. Then, I drizzle in as much of my dressing as I'd like, and use a large spoon to toss until everything is well coated and combined.
4. I serve the broccoli salad immediately, or even cover and keep it chilled in the fridge until ready to enjoy. (This salad can also be prepped, assembled, and dressed just before serving).

Recipe

Broccoli Salad

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

This crunchy broccoli salad is filled with candied walnuts, sliced almonds, and dried cherries, then tossed with a cool, creamy dressing!

Category: Salad
Cuisine: American

Yield: Serves 8

Nutrition info: 297 calories (per serving)

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 0 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes

Broccoli Salad Ingredients:

• 2 (12 ounce) bags organic broccoli florets, chopped into very small pieces
• ½ cup candied walnuts, chopped
• ½ cup sliced almonds
• 1 cup dried cherries

Dressing Ingredients:

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ½ cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Preparation:

1. Begin by gathering and prepping all of the dressing ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
2. To prepare the dressing, add all of the ingredients to a bowl, and whisk together until smooth. Cover and chill until ready to dress the salad.
3. Then, gather and prep all of your broccoli salad ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
4. To prep the salad, add all of the ingredients to a bowl, and give things a little toss. Then, drizzle in as much of the dressing as you'd like, and toss together with a large spoon until everything is well coated and combined.
5. Serve immediately, or cover and keep chilled in the fridge until ready to enjoy.

Tips & Tidbits for broccoli salad recipe:

• Broccoli florets for ease: I like to use bags of pre-washed broccoli florets for this recipe, as they're easy to chop up nice and small, with little mess.
• Apple cider vinegar for sweet tang: Apple cider vinegar added into this creamy dressing is terrific because the flavor is amazing, and it already has a mild hint of sweetness to it. But you could also substitute white vinegar or even rice vinegar in a pinch, if you prefer.
• Other add-ins for texture and flavor: You can substitute dried cranberries for the cherries, or candied pecans for the candied walnuts. You can even serve some blue cheese on the side for folks to crumble into the salad for some savory, tangy, and creamy bite.
• Prepare this broccoli salad recipe ahead: You can chop your broccoli florets and add in your candied walnuts, sliced almonds, and cherries and keep these in a bowl in your fridge. You can also whisk up the dressing and keep it in a covered container in the fridge as well. When you're ready to serve, just toss everything together. Preparing the salad ahead in that way will help keep it extra fresh and crunchy.

Craving more delicious recipes like this one? Check out my recipe for Antipasto Salad, Vegan Chickpea Salad, Panzanella Salad, Italian Chickpea Salad, Cucumber Salad, or even my recipe for White Bean Salad!

Cook's Note: This recipe was originally published in 2018, and has been updated with even more love!