This easy, no cook broccoli salad is the stuff of dreams! It’s got a homemade creamy dressing and is made from 3 simple ingredients: fresh broccoli florets, roasted cashews, and dried cranberries. Mix it all together, refrigerate for at least an hour, then dig in and be surprised by the crunchy texture, the slightly sweet dressing, and your inability to stop going back for seconds!
It’s the perfect side dish or make ahead salad recipe to bring to potlucks and cookouts alike!
For more of our favorite summer side dishes, be sure to try our Greek Orzo Salad, Pecan Chicken Salad, Tuna Pasta Salad, and Coleslaw (Perfect For Pulled Pork) next!
Ingredients For Homemade Broccoli Salad Recipe
Our recipe for broccoli salad could not be any simpler! All you need are fresh broccoli florets (keep them bite size!), dried cranberries, and roasted, salted cashews.
If you don’t have dried cranberries, you can easily turn this into a broccoli raisin salad — you really just want some type of dried fruit in there for both sweetness and the chewy texture it adds!
For the Broccoli Salad Dressing, you’ll need mayo (Duke’s is our favorite, bar none!), white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar, and a tablespoon of granulated sugar. Simply combine in a small bowl, then whisk till smooth.
How To Make Broccoli Salad
Cut two medium crowns of broccoli into small florets. Cut the larger florets in half so they’re mostly uniform in size. Place the broccoli florets into a large bowl along with dried cranberries and roasted cashews. No need to chop, you can leave them whole!
Next, make the broccoli salad dressing! Place mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, and sugar in a small bowl, then whisk until smooth. Pour this on top of the broccoli mixture, then toss to evenly coat. Cover with plastic wrap, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour, but the taste is even better the next day!
This may be the only recipe on Well Seasoned that does not call for salt and pepper, but we recommend making the salad, refrigerating, and trying it before adding additional seasoning. There is plenty of flavor and tang from the mayo, cranberries, and vinegar!
Do I Need To Cook The Broccoli?
Nope! Do not boil, not even a quick blanch! Raw broccoli retains its crunchy texture, which we adore.
Tips For The Best Broccoli Salad
- Refrigerate at least 1 hour, but longer is better! Because the broccoli florets are raw, they need the time to absorb the salad dressing. Don’t worry, they remain crunchy!
- Use roasted salted nuts! Even if you use a nut other than cashews, use roasted and salted for extra flavor and to help season the broccoli salad.
FAQs
- How long will broccoli salad keep? Broccoli salad will keep for 4-5 days in a refrigerator, however, it’s best within the first 2 days! We do not recommend freezing, as the mayonnaise dressing will separate.
- What are some substitutions? We have a strong preference for cashews given their buttery texture, but you can replace them with sunflower seeds or slivered almonds, if needed.
- Can I add onion for crunch? Certainly! Red onion would a fine addition, but since many people are sensitive to raw red onion and the strong bite it has, we would opt for sliced scallions instead. You’ll get plenty of crunch from the broccoli and cashews.
- Can I substitute plain Greek yogurt for mayo? Sure! The flavor of the dressing will be tangier and thicker, but absolutely.
- Is broccoli salad healthy? Broccoli is a great source of fiber!This recipe is also naturally gluten-free.
What To Serve On The Side
This is one of those perfect potluck side dishes, when you want a veggie or something green, but don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.
You could serve this with your favorite grilled protein — cheeseburgers, hot dogs, sausages, bbq chicken, grilled salmon or shrimp, steak, pork, you name it! — and all your favorite summer cookout vegetable side dishes.
Our go to’s are always grilled corn, grilled zucchini and squash, or a light summer salad like Tomato And Onion Salad. This would also be fantastic with macaroni salad or potato salad!
Hands down, this is the best broccoli salad recipe you’ve ever tried! In fact, we love it so much that we often double it (yes, I know — that’s a lot!), but when a salad is this delicious and no cook, you gotta take advantage, ya know?!
If you make this Broccoli Salad recipe, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below!
More make ahead recipes to try!
- Antipasto Salad
- Couscous Salad with Tarragon Roasted Shrimp
- Tuna Pasta Salad
- Israeli Couscous Recipe
- Greek Orzo Salad
Broccoli Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the dressing
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 1 ½ Tbsp white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
For the salad
- 2 heads broccoli fresh, cut into bite size florets, about 5-6 cups
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup cashews roasted, salted
Instructions
- Make the broccoli salad dressing. Combine ¾ cup mayonnaise, 1 ½ Tbsp white wine vinegar, and 1 Tbsp sugar in a small bowl, then whisk until smooth.
- Combine salad ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine broccoli florets, ¼ cup dried cranberries, and ¼ cup cashews.
- Toss the salad. Pour the dressing on top, then toss to thoroughly coat. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, then serve.
Notes
- This broccoli salad recipe will keep for 4-5 days in a fridge, but is best within 2 days!
Let us know your thoughts!