Broccoli salad combines small raw florets and peeled stem pieces with cranberries, sun-dried tomatoes, almonds, and sunflower seeds. A mayonnaise-and-Greek-yogurt dressing coats the vegetables, with vinegar and maple syrup balancing the salty ingredients. This version keeps the original six-side-portion yield and a short refrigerator rest.
Dry the rinsed broccoli well before dressing it. Broccoli salad can taste diluted when rinse water remains trapped in the florets. Chop the onion by the measured half cup, rather than assuming half an onion always provides the same amount, and let toasted nuts cool before mixing with the dairy dressing.
On This Page
Why This Recipe Works
The salad has a combination of fresh crunch, chewy cranberries, and savory tomatoes. Toasting the nuts and seeds adds aroma, while the creamy dressing distributes their flavor through the bowl. Broccoli salad uses raw broccoli, so the florets need to be small enough to eat comfortably.
This formula differs from the site’s strawberry and feta broccoli salad. It contains sun-dried tomatoes and toasted seeds, and its dressing has cider vinegar rather than lemon and poppy seeds. That makes the ingredient balance worth keeping explicit.
Ingredients for Broccoli Salad
Use two medium broccoli heads totaling around 1½ pounds before trimming. Peel fibrous stem skin and dice the usable interior; discard woody ends. Drain loose packing oil from the sun-dried tomatoes before measuring the packed half cup and chopping them.
The dressing uses half a cup each commercial mayonnaise and plain Greek yogurt, two tablespoons cider vinegar, and one tablespoon maple syrup. Broccoli salad contains dairy and almonds in this written version. Choosing vegan mayonnaise alone does not make the whole salad vegan or remove the yogurt.
Salad
- 2 medium heads broccoli (About 1½ pounds before trimming; small florets and peeled diced stems)
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (Drain excess oil, chop, and measure packed)
- ½ cup finely chopped red onion
- ¼ cup chopped almonds (Toast and cool)
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds (Toast and cool)
Dressing
- ½ cup commercial mayonnaise
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon salt (Taste before adding more)
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
How to Make Broccoli Salad
Rinse, dry, and chop broccoli into small florets and stem pieces. Toast chopped almonds and sunflower seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for two to four minutes, stirring until fragrant, then cool on a plate about five minutes.
Whisk mayonnaise, yogurt, vinegar, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Combine broccoli with measured onion, cranberries, chopped tomatoes, and cooled nuts and seeds. Toss thoroughly with all the dressing, cover, and refrigerate about thirty minutes. Stir broccoli salad before serving so dressing that settles at the bottom is shared across the portions. Taste before adding more salt because the tomatoes and mayonnaise already contribute it.
How to Serve
Serve broccoli salad cold as six sides with chicken, fish, or another main. Keep the serving bowl chilled at gatherings and put out smaller quantities instead of leaving the full batch on a warm table.
If you want the nut crunch at its freshest, keep part of the toasted mixture separate and add that measured portion at serving. It still belongs to the original quarter-cup amounts, not an unlisted extra handful. The salad is complete without bacon, cheese, or fruit added from another recipe.
Storage
Store broccoli salad covered at 40°F or below and use within three days or an earlier dairy limit. Refrigerate within two hours, or one hour above 90°F. Use a clean spoon each time and stir gently before portioning.
Freezing is not recommended because raw broccoli and the creamy dressing change texture after thawing. For make-ahead preparation, keep toasted nuts separate until mixing or serving, and respect the same overall storage window.
The cranberry, tomato, and toasted-nut combination and dressing method follow Nico Pallotta’s Broccoli Salad at The Plant Based School.
The FDA safe food handling guidance explains prompt refrigeration and temperature checks for perishable foods.
Tips and Variations
Smaller florets catch dressing and are easier to eat than large raw branches. Drying matters as much as chopping. Broccoli salad can use edible stems when their tough exterior is removed, rather than throwing away all the stem by default.
Watch the dry skillet closely: chopped nuts can scorch rapidly. Cool them away from the hot pan before they meet yogurt. Avoid treating every mayonnaise or yogurt substitution as a tested nutrition improvement; use the clear written ingredients.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the broccoli cooked?
No. Broccoli salad uses small, thoroughly washed and dried raw pieces.
Can I use the stem?
Peel away the fibrous skin and finely dice the tender interior.
Is the onion half an onion or half a cup?
Measure ½ cup finely chopped onion; onion sizes vary.
Does vegan mayonnaise make this dairy-free?
No. This broccoli salad also contains Greek yogurt.
How long should it rest?
About 30 minutes refrigerated after mixing, with nuts cooled before they are added.
More Recipes to Try
- Greek Pasta Salad
- Southwest Quinoa Salad
- Chickpea Cucumber Salad with Yogurt Dressing
- Balsamic Baked Chicken Breast with Mozzarella
Broccoli Salad with Cranberries and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Ingredients
Salad
- 2 medium heads broccoli About 1½ pounds before trimming; small florets and peeled diced stems
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes Drain excess oil, chop, and measure packed
- ½ cup finely chopped red onion
- ¼ cup chopped almonds Toast and cool
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds Toast and cool
Dressing
- ½ cup commercial mayonnaise
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon salt Taste before adding more
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare small florets and finely diced peeled stems from the washed, dried broccoli. Measure chopped onion and drained, chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
- Use a dry skillet to toast the almonds together with sunflower seeds for 2–4 minutes, stirring and watching for scorching. Spread onto a plate and cool about 5 minutes.
- Blend mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, cider vinegar, maple syrup, salt, and pepper until uniform.
- Combine broccoli, onion, cranberries, tomatoes, and cooled nuts and seeds. Mix with all dressing, cover, and chill 30 minutes. Stir before serving six sides.
