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Broccoli Salad with Creamy Lemon Dressing Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 3.9 from 56 reviews
  • Author: admin
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

A vibrant and crunchy broccoli salad featuring a creamy lemon dressing, toasted pecans or walnuts, fresh apple, carrot, and dried craisins or raisins. Perfect as a refreshing side dish with a delightful balance of sweet, tangy, and savory flavors.


Ingredients

Scale

Salad Ingredients

  • 2 medium broccoli heads (about 1 lb)
  • 1 large carrot (grated or julienned)
  • 1 apple (cored and chopped)
  • 1/2 small red onion (1/4 cup thinly sliced)
  • 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts (toasted)
  • 1/2 cup craisins or raisins

Dressing Ingredients

  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
  • ½ Tbsp sugar (or add to taste)
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper


Instructions

  1. Toast nuts: Toast the walnuts or pecans over medium-high heat in a skillet, tossing occasionally to prevent burning. This usually takes about 4-5 minutes. Once toasted, transfer to a cutting board and coarsely chop them.
  2. Prepare vegetables and fruits: Chop the broccoli into bite-sized pieces, grate or julienne the carrot, chop the apple, and thinly slice the red onion. Combine all these with the toasted nuts and dried craisins or raisins in a large salad bowl.
  3. Make the dressing: In a separate bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, freshly squeezed lemon juice, sugar to taste, sea salt, and black pepper until smooth and creamy.
  4. Toss the salad: Add the dressing to the salad bowl, either the full amount or to taste, and toss everything until well coated and evenly mixed. Serve chilled or immediately.

Notes

  • Toasting nuts enhances their flavor and adds crunch but can be skipped if short on time.
  • Adjust sugar in the dressing depending on your preferred sweetness level.
  • This salad can be made ahead and refrigerated for a few hours to let flavors meld.
  • For a lighter version, you can substitute some or all of the mayonnaise and sour cream with Greek yogurt.
  • Feel free to swap pecans for walnuts depending on your preference or what you have on hand.