Description
A vibrant and tangy broccoli salad featuring crisp broccoli florets, sweet carrot ribbons, tart dried cranberries, and crunchy toasted cashews. This refreshing dish is dressed with a zesty pickled onion vinaigrette made from cider vinegar, maple syrup, and fresh lemon, providing a perfect balance of flavors and textures ideal for a light lunch or a healthy side.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 300g broccoli florets, broken into small pieces
- 2 carrots, peeled lengthways into large ribbons
- 50g dried cranberries
- 50g cashews, toasted, roughly chopped
- 1 red onion, finely sliced
Pickling & Dressing Ingredients
- 80ml cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- ¼ tsp sea salt flakes
- 50ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 2 tbsp cold water (for dressing)
Instructions
- Make the Pickled Onions: In a small pan, combine the cider vinegar, caster sugar, and sea salt flakes. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute until the sugar dissolves completely. Add the finely sliced red onion to the pan and simmer gently for 1 minute to soften and infuse flavor. Remove the pan from heat, cover it, and allow the pickled onions to cool completely to develop their tangy flavor.
- Prepare the Salad Base: In a large mixing bowl, combine the broccoli florets, carrot ribbons, dried cranberries, and toasted chopped cashews. These ingredients provide a balance of crispness, sweetness, and nuttiness that forms the heart of the salad.
- Combine and Dress the Salad: Add the cooled pickled onions to the vegetable mix, saving the pickling liquid. In a separate bowl, whisk together the reserved pickling liquid, extra virgin olive oil, maple syrup, lemon zest, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of cold water to create a flavorful dressing. Pour this dressing over the salad ingredients and gently toss until everything is evenly coated with the tangy and sweet vinaigrette.
Notes
- To toast cashews, heat a dry skillet over medium heat and stir the nuts frequently until golden and fragrant, about 3-5 minutes. Let cool before chopping.
- Make the pickled onions ahead of time for enhanced flavor—they can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance and kept refrigerated.
- Adjust sweetness and acidity by varying the amount of maple syrup and lemon juice to your taste preferences.
- This salad is best enjoyed fresh but can be refrigerated for up to 2 days; stir before serving as the dressing may settle.
- For a nut-free version, omit cashews or substitute with pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: broccoli salad, pickled onions, healthy salad, vegetarian salad, broccoli carrot salad, cranberry cashew salad, no-cook salad
