Light & Crunchy Broccoli Salad

I’ve been absolutely obsessed with the salad since i first had it at my favorite salad restaurant, Sweet Tomatoes.

I’ve tried every recipe possible in an attempt to mimic that incredibly delicious, crunchy, sweet, tangy and fresh broccoli and nut salad that i fell in love with. I’m honestly not joking about trying all recipes. I’ve attempted, forever to recreate this magical salad but nothing came even close. It either turned out too sweet, too tangy, or the sauce too thick. But guess what friends, i nailed this one finally after years of attempts. Many of the recipes that i’ve seen use many tbsp of sugar, but i noticed that you can substitute the sweetness with grapes and raisins and only need to use a tiny bit of sugar in your sauce! Also, the type of vinegar you use matters. I want to point this out because i used to be a “meh, i’ll just use some apple cider since it’s all i have” type of girl. I’ve learned through trial and error that different vinegars are great for different things. In this case, red wine vinegar is the clear winner. It’s tangy and acidic with grape notes and sweetness to offset the intense acid that a vinegar packs.

I especially love this salad because it can be made days ahead of time and it only gets better the longer it sits in the fridge. If you’ve read any of my other recipes you know that i’m a huge fan of any salad, dip or dish that develops a deeper, more sophisticated flavor in the fridge. Mostly because i’m a huge fan of prep AND having food on hand when you need it the next day (or the day after that). I also love that this salad is perfect for meal preps. I love that i can put this in individual containers and take it to work throughout the week. Also, a little pro-tip, you can add some pasta to this salad and make it a solid, filling meal! Just make sure to double the dressing recipe (depending on how much pasta you want to add!)

Give this recipe a try! Share your comments and some love. If you make this recipe and share it on social media, tag it with the hashtag #hungrilyhomemaderecipe

Total Time: 10 minutes, 15 minutes chill time

Yield: 4-5 servings

Ingredients:

for the salad

1. 3 1/2 cups broccoli florets cut into small pieces

2. 2/3 cup of raisins

3. 1/3 cup chopped celery

4. 1/2 cup sunflower kernels

5. 1/2 cup minced white onion

6. 1/2 cup slivered almonds

7. 1/2 cup red grapes, cut into thirds

for the dressing

1. 1/2 cup mayo (use your favorite mayo here- quality matters!)

2. 1/4 cup greek yogurt

3. 1/2 tbsp whole grain dijon mustard

4. 1 tbsp sugar

4. 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar

5. 1 tsp salt

6. 1 tsp ground black pepper

Method:

1. Prepare your dressing by whisking all of the ingredients together into a bowl. Ensure the dressing is creamy with no chunks.

2. Add all of your salad ingredients into a large mixing bowl and add your prepared dressing. Lightly toss together to ensure all of the ingredients are well coated.

3. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!