Broccoli salad with cranberries and smoky nuts

Broccoli Salad

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 15 mins

Total Time: 25 mins

Serves 4 to 6

This was love and lemons July 2022 'cooking club' recipe - where everyone made the same recipe and then sends a photo.  She then randomly chooses a winner  - a $200 gift card to Williams Sonoma.  I could make good use of that! I would make this salad a day ahead.  The next day, the broccoli is still fairly firm, but has absorbed more of the dressing.  Nice to get just a touch of sweet with the tangy dressing. The nuts were a bit of trouble, but would be difficult to fit in the toaster oven.  Might be worth pan toasting them to avoid heating the oven/kitchen for so little.  

This broccoli salad recipe is the perfect easy cookout side dish! Tangy, refreshing, and full of yummy sweet/salty flavor, it's a lighter version of the classic recipe, made with less mayo and no sugar, meat, or dairy.

Ingredients

• 1 pound broccoli crowns
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons mayo, I like Sir Kensington's or vegan mayo
• 1½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
• ⅓ cup diced red onions
• ⅓ cup dried cranberries

Smoky tamari almonds

• ½ cup almonds
• ½ cup pepitas
• 1 tablespoon tamari
• ½ teaspoon maple syrup
• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika, more to taste

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Chop the broccoli florets into ½-inch pieces and any remaining stems into ¼-inch dice. Peel any woody or course parts from the stem first.
• In the bottom of a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, mayo, apple cider vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, garlic, and salt. Add the broccoli, onions, and cranberries and toss to coat.
• Place the almonds and pepitas on the baking sheet, toss with the tamari, maple syrup, and smoked paprika and spread into a thin layer. Bake 10 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes (they’ll get crispier as they sit).
• Toss the almonds and pepitas into the salad, reserving a few to sprinkle on top. Season to taste and serve.

Notes

*Note: Chop the florets into roughly ½-inch pieces. Dice the stem into smaller ¼-inch pieces.