Broccoli Salad Recipe with Blueberries, Red Onion, Dried Cranberries and Honey-Toasted Walnuts is a beautiful side dish for any of your gatherings.

Healthier Broccoli Salad with Yogurt Dressing, blueberries, cranberries, bacon, and honey-toasted walnuts

You know those dreams you had when you were a kid about showing up to grade school in your underwear?

And no matter how hard you tried to pull your shirt down to cover your forgetfulness, the damage had already been doneโ€ฆbecause you already showed upโ€ฆin your underwear?  

This is kind of like that.

Only itโ€™s not you, itโ€™s me. And this is not a dream, itโ€™s real. But everyoneโ€™s fully clothed, and the underwearโ€™s the broccoli salad recipe. What?

Let’s put the car in R and back up.

Now that I have your attention…

This is not your mommaโ€™s broccoli salad recipe. I donโ€™t even know what that means, I just wanted to say it.

Healthier Broccoli Salad with Yogurt Dressing, blueberries, cranberries, bacon, and honey-toasted walnuts

Fact is, everyone who has been to a family reunion, picnic, or has spent time with large groups of people (read: everyone) has had broccoli salad. But this one is a little different.

Firsties: blueberries.

Seconds: honey-toasted walnuts.

Could this get any better?

Oh yes, dried cranberries.

Unless youโ€™re planning on letting your hair down and turning the walnuts into Rosemary Candied Walnuts, the answer is no.

But you should still make Rosemary Candied Walnuts at some point in your life.

Third and lastly: Remember the discussion we had on Monday about mayonnaise?

The down-with-mayo convo? Same applies here. I used plain yogurt instead of mayo, and added fresh lemon juice and zest to dress this chockablock-full-o-goodies salad.

Am I still talking about broccoli salad?

Recipe Adaptations:

  • Replace the fresh blueberries with dried blueberries and omit the dried cranberries.
  • Use raisins instead of dried cranberries.
  • Swap the walnuts for pecans or almonds.
  • Play with the portions of mayonnaise and Greek yogurt depending on your preference.
  • Use pure maple syrup instead of honey.
  • Add 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • Just add cooked bacon!

My cookbook, Paleo Power Bowls, is now available! CLICK HERE to check it out. Thank you for your support!

If you make this recipe, please feel free to share a photo and tag @The.Roasted.Root on Instagram!

Here’s the recipe:

Healthier Broccoli Salad with Yogurt Dressing, blueberries, cranberries, bacon, and honey-toasted walnuts

Broccoli Salad with Honey-Toasted Walnuts

4.50 from 2 votes
Broccoli salad with blueberries, honey-toasted walnuts and dried cranberries - an easy, delicious mayo-free broccoli salad recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 large crowns broccoli chopped into florets
  • ยผ red onion thinly sliced
  • 4.5 ounces fresh blueberries
  • ยฝ cup dried cranberries
  • 1/3 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
  • 3 Tbsp avocado oil mayonnaise
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the Honey-Toasted Walnuts:

  • 2/3 cup raw walnut halves
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1.5 tablespoons honey
  • ยฝ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

To Prepare the Honey Toasted Walnuts:

  • Add all ingredients for the walnuts to a small skillet and heat over medium. Cook 5 to 8 minutes until mixture is very bubbly and walnuts have caramelized and turned golden-brown. Set aside and allow to cool. Chop the walnuts when cool enough to handle.

To Prepare the Broccoli Salad:

  • Soak the broccoli in a large water bath for 10 minutes. Remove from the water and pat dry.
  • Chop the broccoli crowns into small florets, and chop the broccoli stems. Add stems and florets to a large serving bowl.
  • In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice, honey, and salt.
  • Pour this mixture over the broccoli and stir well to coat all of the broccoli with dressing.
  • Add the red onion, blueberries, dried cranberries, and toasted walnuts. Toss everything together and serve with your favorite entree.

Nutrition

Serving: 1of 6 ยท Calories: 134kcal ยท Carbohydrates: 26g ยท Protein: 3g ยท Fat: 3g ยท Fiber: 2g ยท Sugar: 18g
Author: Julia
Course: Salads
Cuisine: American
Keyword: broccoli salad, broccoli salad with blueberries, healthy broccoli salad recipe, healthy side dishes, no mayo broccoli salad, toasted walnuts, vegetarian side dishes
Did You Make This Recipe?I want to see it! Tag @the.roasted.root on social media!
More Delicious Recipes To Bring to Any Gathering:

Healthy Broccoli Salad Recipe with blueberries and honey-toasted walnuts - a unique spin on classic broccoli salad with a lighter Greek yogurt dressing

collage of two images of broccoli salad with blueberries and candied walnuts

 

 

Julia Mueller
Meet the Author

Julia Mueller

Julia Mueller is a recipe developer, cookbook author, and founder of The Roasted Root. She has authored three bestselling cookbooks, – Paleo Power Powers, Delicious Probiotic Drinks, and The Quintessential Kale Cookbook. Her recipes have been featured in several national publications such as BuzzFeed, Self, Tasty, Country Living, Brit.co, etc.

Read More About Julia

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4.50 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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Questions and Reviews

  1. Bring the greens to the shower!!! this is right up my alley! love it!! happy baby shower to Steph too! XO

    1. Can you imagine you and I attending the same baby shower? By the end of the shower, everyone’s vitamin levels would be completely maxed out ๐Ÿ˜‰

  2. Girl, we need these greens to balance out our current sugar intake at this virtual par-tay! I love everything we have going on here – perfect! Thanks a million billion for playing with us today ๐Ÿ™‚

  3. I’m glad SOMEONE brought some greens, because we were all going to be in hyperglycemic shock otherwise! And I so love a good salad at a baby shower, or just in life.

    1. Haha! You ladies all came up with the most creative and tasty treats! I wouldn’t mind going into a sugar coma while making the rounds through your recipes!

  4. I love all of the textures and flavors you threw into this broccoli salad. Someone has to bring something healthy and this is the perfect way to do it!

  5. Woah, that’s a cool flavor combo! Never thought of pairing fruit with broccoli. Then again, don’t knock it til you try it, right? ๐Ÿ™‚

  6. Down with mayo too girl! Also, somebody has to bring the salad!!! It will help balance out everybody’s blood sugar.

  7. I love you for bringing the greens, and I feel the exact same way about mayo. Soulmates? I think yes.

  8. Wow your Broccoli Salad looks amazing! Love the addition of blueberries and cranberries instead of the traditional raisins.

  9. I love broccoli salad and I LOVE that this one doesn’t include raisins. The addition of blueberries is genius!

  10. This looks so good! I love the addition of the blueberries. I can’t wait to make this – broccoli salad is one of my all time favorite summer salads!

  11. I SO love that you brought the greens to the shower to balance everything out — this is so you and I love it. And I love YOU — thank you so much, friend, for this wonderful surprise! T-Rex hugs right back atcha.