Most broccoli salads I have tried use a good amount of mayo, making it heavy on the stomach and difficult to take to potlucks or keep out in the summers. This broccoli salad which I came across on Cookie and Kate is light, crunchy and perfect for the summers! This salad is best paired with a tangy honey mustard dressing that doesn’t over power the flavor and crunch of the broccoli.
Broccoli Salad
A crunchy and healthy flavorful salad perfect for any season!
Ingredients
- For the Salad
- 6 cups chopped broccoli
– 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
– 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
– 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
– 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
– 1/3 cup dried cranberries
For the honey mustard vinaigrette - 1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
– 2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
– 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
– 1 Tbsp Honey
– 1 or 2 cloves of garlic minced
– 1/4 tsp sea salt
Directions
Remove the stalks and chop the broccoli into a small dice. I find that if I chop it finely my kids will eat the broccoli too! I use raw broccoli but if you would like to blanch it then you can.
Toast the sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds in a skillet over low to medium heat for about 5 minutes. Stir frequently, otherwise they will burn!
In a large serving bowl, combine the broccoli, onion, cheese, cranberries and toasted seeds.
Prepare the dressing by mixing together the apple cider vinegar, mustard, honey, garlic and salt in a bowl. Whisk in the olive oil in a steady stream until the dressing is emulsified.
Pour the dressing over the broccoli salad. This tastes best when marinated in the dressing for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Credit: Cookie & Kate
If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, you can substitute it with white vinegar. Both work equally well.
You can make it vegan by omitting the cheese and substituting honey for maple syrup
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