I like my Broccoli Salad with slightly softened bite rather than a hard raw crunch, and plenty of dressing that’s not excessively mayo-heavy. The dressing is still creamy, but it’s a lightened up mayo based dressing with fantastic flavourings – and there’s plenty of it!
For an even healthier option, try this Broccoli Salad with a mayo-free Creamy Lemon Dressing or Ranch Dressing, or this Broccoli Salad with Sour Cream dressing!
The mere mention of Broccoli Salad conjures up visions of giant bowls of broccoli swimming in oily mayo dressing that’s often too sweet. Just the thought makes my thighs start expanding.
Yet I cannot deny that I’m a sucker for a good Broccoli Salad with a creamy dressing.
So today, I’m sharing mine. Plenty of dressing. Lots of add ins to make the salad interesting. And marinated broccoli with a softened crisp bite, rather than hard raw crunch.
A BETTER RAW BROCCOLI
I know some people have a hard no! stance on raw broccoli. I’m pro raw broccoli in salads – as long as it’s had time to “marinate” and soften slightly. It’s not so much the stems that bothers me – I actually like the crisp freshness of the stems. It’s the florets. They’re just kind of dry and crumbly when raw.
Solution:
a) give the salad time to marinate in the creamy lemon dressing which slightly tenderises the broccoli. Both the acid and the oil in the dressing helps here; and
b) slicing the florets thickly rather than leaving them whole. More surface area = better marinating effect to take the hard raw edge off the broccoli.
PLENTY OF LIGHTER MAYO DRESSING
This dressing is made with a combination of mayonnaise, sour cream or yoghurt, lemon and milk, plus flavourings. The sour cream or yoghurt act as a thickener with a touch of acidity and the milk thins out the dressing, making it pourable for better coverage and so the florets soak up the dressing like a sponge. Plenty of dressing flavourings compensate for using less mayonnaise.
PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE I STRUGGLE WITH
This is one of those salads that is best made the day before – or at the very least 2 hours before serving.
I don’t deal with this well. I pick at it constantly straight after making it – and am always disappointed with how it tastes, and I fret that it’s not going to taste great.
Have patience my friends. Let time work its magic, let those flavours meld together, let the dressing marinate the broccoli. It’s so worth it! – Nagi x
PS If you’re in a rush, I’d recommend steaming the broccoli. Steam, rather than boil – you want to avoid water soaked florets. It will ruin the creamy dressing experience.
MORE SALADS TO TAKE TO GATHERINGS
Here are some more of those salads that are terrific to make in vast volumes to take to gatherings because they’re actually even better the next day!
Mrs Brodie’s Famous Potato Salad
Coleslaw
Italian Pasta Salad
Pasta Salad with Sun Dried Tomatoes
Macaroni Salad
MORE BROCCOLI RECIPES – And if you’re overstocked on broccoli, have a browse of all my broccoli recipes -> Broccoli Recipes.
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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Broccoli Salad with Lighter Creamy Dressing
Ingredients
Broccoli Salad:
- 500 g/1 lb broccoli florets (2 large heads, 22cm/9″ diameter)
- 150 g/5oz bacon , chopped then cooked until golden
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries (or raisins, sultanas or blueberries)
- 1/2 cup almond slivers
- 1/2 red onion , finely sliced
Dressing:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 3/4 cup Greek yoghurt or sour cream
- 1/4 cup / 65ml milk , low fat
- 1/4 cup / 65ml lemon juice (or cider vinegar)
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 tsp each onion powder , garlic powder, mustard powder
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp dried dill
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp finely ground pepper
Instructions
- Cut the florets into slices no thicker than 0.7 cm / 1/4″ thick.
- Place in a bowl with remaining Salad ingredients.
- Mix Dressing well in a large bowl – use a whisk to ensure it’s all well incorporated. It will be thin and pourable – see video for consistency.
- Pour all over Salad, toss well.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight (minimum 2 hours). Remove from fridge and bring to room temperature before serving.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
He can inhale a hunk of cheese in 1 chomp. And yet, he nibbles on a single broccoli floret for almost a minute, crumbling it into pieces before progressively and very deliberately eating each tiny piece. ?
OH, wow again, Nagi — this broccoli salad looks great! We love broccoli salad as well, but oddly enough, for some reason — one little unexpected variation and the traditional version comes out inexplicably too heavy — almost as if it would go with a cup of “Stone Soup” — So, I’m really happy to see your recipe — and will try it. You are always thinking of the nuances, aren’t you! Thank you so much!
Dozer’s looking wonderful — so cute inspecting his broccoli — my cat Ginger was doing the same thing last night!
I have to confess, sometimes I post recipes because I wanted to “fix” the things I don’t like about typical recipes. I know it makes me sound a bit snobby but the thing is, I LOVE broccoli salads but am frequently disappointed by them! I was reminded of this on my last trip to the states 🙂 broccoli salads aren’t that big over here in Australia! N x
Nagi it’s winter Salads brrrrr.
How so? Over where I live, good fresh broccoli is available in the summer (it’s crazy expensive during the other times of the year)
But Rhonda! Did you see the Broccoli GRATIN I also shared yesterday?? 🙂 One summer salad, one winter dish!! N xx