Summary
This broccoli salad leaves the bacon and cheese on the shelf and offers something more interesting: two dressings from a single base.
What’s on Your Plate
Two dressings, one base, zero bacon. The vinaigrette is vegan, the yogurt dressing is low cholesterol, and neither one will wilt your leftovers if you store them separately.
Broccoli salad has a reputation problem. For decades it has meant one thing at every potluck from Pasadena to Pensacola: raw broccoli drowning in mayonnaise, bacon, shredded cheddar, and enough sugar to qualify as a side of dessert. Nobody is here to argue with a classic. But when you want a salad that’s as good on day three as it was on day one — and that works for the vegan at the table and the person watching their cholesterol without making either one feel like an afterthought — you need a different approach. This one starts with a balsamic honey mustard base and goes two directions at once.
A Brief History of Broccoli and the Salad It Became
Broccoli itself is ancient. A cultivated descendant of wild cabbage developed in the northern Mediterranean as far back as the sixth century BCE, it was eaten enthusiastically by the Romans — Pliny the Elder wrote about it in the first century AD. It arrived in the United States in the early twentieth century, carried over by Italian immigrants, and didn’t reach mainstream popularity until the 1970s, when health-conscious eating pushed cruciferous vegetables into the national conversation.
The creamy, sweet, bacon-laden broccoli salad that became an American potluck fixture is largely a product of the 1980s and 1990s — a way to make a slightly bitter vegetable approachable by coating it in something rich and sweet. This recipe respects that impulse while redirecting it. The bitterness of the broccoli is balanced with local honey and the deep sweetness of balsamic vinegar from Modena, a combination that earns its complexity. And broccoli earns its nutritional reputation as well: an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin K, and folate, it also contains sulforaphane, a compound extensively studied for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Using the entire head — florets and shredded stems — means nothing goes to waste and the texture range is considerably more interesting than floret-only versions.
How to Work with Broccoli Stems
We have all done this – tossed the hard woody stems. Don’t do that! Dogs love broccoli and it’s good for them. Those woody stems are treated like the best bone, holding it between their paws and demolishing it. From tiny to big, they all love them, and they are good for them, too.
For humans, the best thing to do with those stalks for salads is to peel them and shred them. The *Gocoffun Slicer attaches to your KitchenAid mixer and makes shredded stems in an instant! Read our review to see how to use it.
Why Healthy Broccoli Salad works
The two-dressing structure is both the teaching moment and the point. Both dressings begin with the same base: Colavita balsamic vinegar of Modena, local honey, Colman’s dry mustard, and True Orange. From there they diverge. Whisked with avocado oil, the base becomes a clean, bright vinaigrette with a monounsaturated fat profile that suits a health-conscious salad perfectly. Whisked instead with Mountain High low-fat plain yogurt, it becomes a creamy dressing with real body and no cholesterol to speak of.
Colman’s dry mustard does double duty here — it provides its characteristic clean heat and acts as an emulsifier, helping hold the dressing together. True Orange adds citrus brightness without the extra moisture that fresh juice would bring. The pepitas and dried cranberries provide crunch and sweetness in exactly the right proportion to keep the broccoli as the undisputed star.
Common Mistakes and Gotchas
A list of common mistakes and Gotchas
- Colman’s dry mustard is considerably hotter than prepared mustard. Measure with a light hand until you know your threshold.
- The balsamic vinegar of Modena has natural sweetness from its grape must base, so taste before adding honey or you may overshoot.
- When shredding the broccoli stems, peel the tough outer layer first or the texture will be stringy.
- True Orange is concentrated — one packet per batch is right; two will push the orange so far forward it competes with the balsamic. If you are making both dressings, add two, if only one, use one packet.
Serving and Storage
Serving
Serve both dressings on the side and let your guests choose — or take both. This is particularly useful when feeding a mixed table. The salad is also exceptionally good alongside a grilled cheese sandwich on ciabatta, where the richness of the melted cheese plays beautifully against the brightness of the balsamic. It works equally well as a side at a summer cookout or as a satisfying lunch on its own.
Storing
The most important rule for leftover broccoli salad is this: do not dress the salad before storing. Keep the dressings in separate covered containers in the refrigerator and dress only what you plan to eat immediately. Undressed, the salad will keep for up to three days in an airtight container with the vegetables staying crisp throughout. The dressings keep separately for up to one week. This also makes the salad an excellent traveler — pack the dressing in a jar and toss at the table.
FAQ
Can I use Greek yogurt instead of regular yogurt?
Yes, though the dressing will be noticeably thicker. Thin it with a small amount of additional balsamic vinegar or water if needed. Note that the only real difference between plain yogurt and Greek yogurt is that the Greek style has less whey.
Can I substitute prepared mustard for Colman’s?
You can but the dressing will be completely different. The main thing dry mustard does is emulsify oil and liquid and the small amount does not affect taste. Prepared mustard, however, does affect flavor as it has other ingredients that would fight with this dressing – vinegar, sugar, perhaps horseradish and herbs and spices. There is also the problem of prepared mustard adding too much liquid to the dressing. Be safe, stick with dry mustard.
Can I make this ahead?
Yes, and it benefits from an hour or two in the refrigerator for the flavors to develop. Keep the dressings separate until serving.
Is True Orange necessary?
It provides citrus brightness without thinning the dressing. Fresh orange zest is an excellent substitute. Fresh juice will dilute it.
Step by Step Photos
Healthy Broccoli Salad Recipe
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Healthy Broccoli Salad Two Ways
Equipment
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Ingredients
~~ — Salad — ~~
- 1 head Broccoli, about three cups chopped
- ¼ cup Pumpkin seeds
- ¼ cup Green onion, sliced
- ¼ cup Raisins
- ¼ cup Dried cranberries
~~ — Dressing Base — ~~
- ⅛ teaspoon *Dry mustard
- ¼ cup Balsamic Vinegar
- ¼ cup Honey
- 1 teaspoon True Orange, 2 packets
~~ — Creamy Dressing — ~~
- ½ cup Plain yogurt
~~ — Vinaigrette Dressing — ~~
- ⅓ cup Avocado oil
Instructions
- Gather ingredients
- 1 head BroccoliCut the tops of the broccoli and set the stems aside. Remove the woody part of the stems and give them to your dog. Peel the remaining parts of the stems. Attach the slicer attachment to the mixer and feed the stems in. You will probably not need all of the stems, do you can save the rest for later.
- Cut up the tops into small florets and put them in a large bowl with the stems.
- 1/4 cup Pumpkin seeds, 1/4 cup Green onion, 1/4 cup Raisins, 1/4 cup Dried cranberriesAdd the pumpkin seeds, green onion, raisins and dried cranberries and thoroughly toss.
- 1/8 teaspoon Dry mustard, 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar, 1/4 cup Honey, 1 teaspoon True OrangeIn a separate bowl, mix the dressing base. Taste it for seasoning. If it is too sweet, add more vinegar. If it is not sweet enough, add more honey
- To make both of the dressings, put half of the base in two separate bowls.
- 1/2 cup Plain yogurtFor the creamy version, add the yogurt..
- Mix until there a no white streaks or lumps. Set the dressing aside,
- 1/3 cup Avocado oilFor the vinaigrette, slowly add avocado oil all the while whisking until the dressing had thickened and emulsified. You may need more or less of the oil than called for. Do not add too much oil. Set the dressing aside,
- To serve, toss the salad again and serve the dressings on the side.
Video
Nutrition
Transcript of NAME OF RECIPE
Transcript
Good afternoon and welcome to the Good Plate’s Kitchen.
Today we are making healthy broccoli salad.
What does that mean healthy?
It means that this salad does not have any mayonnaise, cheese, or bacon.
So it is healthy.
We have two different dressings that you can put on it.
You can have the creamy one with yogurt in it and the one that is non creamy that has
avocado oil.
So this recipe could be vegan or non-vegan.
Let’s talk about the ingredients.
We have of course fresh broccoli, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries,
raisins, and then we’re going to be making the base for the dressing and the base
that will consist of balsamic vinegar, honey,
and crystallized orange powder and mustard.
Then for the creamy version, we’re using low fat yogurt and for the vinaigrette,
we’re using avocado oil.
And let me tell you, this is very, very delicious.
It’s also very easy.
You can just cut up the broccoli.
If you have a shredder, you can shred the broccoli
stems and then this comes up very, very nice.
And then you’re going to add the pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, and raisins.
If you want to add other dried fruit, you’re more than welcome, too.
And then we’re going to start making some of the dressing and that with that,
you’re going to put a little tiny bit of dry mustard and balsamic vinegar and honey
and the true orange crystallized orange juice.
Taste it for seasoning, it should be just sweet, but not too sweet.
Then, if you want to make the creamy version, you’re going to add your yogurt.
If you want to make the vegan vinaigrette version, just add avocado oil.
And you’re going to whisk it until the dressing thickens.
Frankly, when we had it, we liked the
vinaigrette better than we liked the yogurt.
The yogurt one is just delicious, too.
So if you want that creamy style broccoli salad, use to look the yogurt.
If you just want to plain vinaigrette, use the vinaigrette.
And thank you for watching.
See you next time on The Good Plate.
And remember, forever forward, for ever flavorful. Yum yum!
