Broccoli Cranberry Salad
18
Last updated on Apr 05, 2025
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This broccoli cranberry salad combines fresh broccoli with roasted almonds, dried cranberries and red onion all tossed in a creamy, tangy Greek yogurt dressing.
If you couldn’t tell by now, I love broccoli salad! I have a classic broccoli salad and vegan broccoli salad recipe on the blog already, but in honor of the holiday season I wanted to make a version that was a bit more festive!
For this recipe I swapped raisins for dried cranberries which add a beautiful pop of color to this salad and I swapped sunflower seeds for roasted almonds. The combination of fresh broccoli, tart cranberries, crunchy roasted almonds and a tangy Greek yogurt dressing is a winning combination!
This salad would be a great addition to your Thanksgiving menu, but it’s also an easy side salad to pair with just about any dinner. However you serve it, this salad is sure to be a new family favorite!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Make-ahead friendly – This salad is super easy to prepare and can be made ahead of time, making it stress-free for busy days or holiday prep.
- Simple ingredients – You only need 9 wholesome ingredients to bring this dish together. No fuss, just straightforward and delicious!
- Lighter dressing – We’re swapping traditional mayo for Greek yogurt, giving the dressing a creamy texture with a tangy, healthier twist.
- Holiday-perfect – With its vibrant colors and festive flavors, this salad is the ultimate side dish for holiday gatherings.
Ingredients Needed
- broccoli – two large heads cut into florets. The best broccoli can be found by looking for heads that are dark green in color and firm to the touch. Avoid broccoli that has yellowing leaves or is limp.
- almonds – I prefer roasted and salted as it brings more flavor to the recipe. You can also use dry roasted or raw.
- dried cranberries – the perfect blend of sweet and tart while also adding a pop of color. I prefer to use dried cranberries that are fruit-sweetened instead of ones that are sweetened with cane sugar. My favorite brand is the Made in Nature dried cranberries.
- red onion – adds a nice crunch!
- Greek yogurt – I used full-fat Greek yogurt for the dressing instead of mayo that’s traditionally used in broccoli salad for some added protein. It’s rich and tangy and creates the perfect creamy dressing that pairs so well with this salad.
- apple cider vinegar – apple cider vinegar is my go-to vinegar for salad dressing because of its health benefits and I love the flavor it adds here.
- avocado oil – a mild flavor that will add body to the dressing. Olive oil is a great substitute.
- maple syrup – adds a touch of sweetness to the dressing and balances out the tangy yogurt really well. If you don’t need this salad to be vegan, honey is a good substitute.
- sea salt – an essential to bring all the flavors of the dressing together.
Customize Your Salad
- Add protein: I love the addition of bacon in my classic broccoli salad and I bet it’d also be delicious in this recipe. You can use pork or turkey bacon or to keep this salad vegetarian add tempeh bacon.
- Add leafy greens: Add some extra vitamins and minerals to your salad with a handful of raw leafy greens. Some good options include: kale, spinach, arugula or collard greens.
- Dairy-free version: Use a dairy-free Greek yogurt. I personally like using coconut milk yogurt when I need a dairy-free option. It’s thick like Greek yogurt and works great. You can also try this vegan broccoli salad instead.
- Add cheese: Some versions of broccoli salad include cheese. I think a really good option for this recipe would be crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese.
- Swap the cranberries: If you don’t like the taste of cranberries you can always change it with a different dried fruit like raisins or dates.
- Add more veggies: Bring some more vegetables to the mix. Some good options would be: diced cucumber, brussels sprouts, cabbage and bell pepper.
- Swap the almonds: You could substitute the almonds with another nut like walnuts, pecans or cashews. If you need this recipe to be nut-free sunflower seeds or pepitas would be good options!
How to Make
This salad comes together quickly and is so easy to make! Just follow these simple steps, and you’ll be serving up a delicious dish before you know it.
Step 1: Start by whisking together the yogurt, apple cider vinegar, oil, maple syrup and salt in a small bowl.
Step 2: Add broccoli florets, almonds, cranberries and red onion to a large mixing bowl.
Step 3: Drizzle the dressing and toss until everything is coated.
Step 4: Cover in a container and chill in the fridge for 3-4 hours before serving. Letting the salad sit overnight works great too as the salad tastes better after it has had time to sit.
Brittany’s Tips
- Chop it small: Make sure your broccoli florets are chopped into small, bite-sized pieces. Large chunks can be awkward to eat, and smaller pieces let the dressing evenly coat every bite.
What to Serve With Broccoli Cranberry Salad
This broccoli cranberry salad recipe is a great side for potlucks and holidays, but it also makes for a wonderful side salad with dinner or a light lunch option. Here are some ideas on what to serve with this salad:
- With protein: Serve it alongside your favorite protein for dinner or lunch. My top choices would be this apple cider vinegar chicken, balsamic salmon, maple balsamic tempeh or crispy baked tofu.
- As a side for the holidays: This broccoli cranberry salad makes for a great side option for the holidays. If I were serving it for Thanksgiving dinner I would serve it alongside my lentil loaf, roasted carrots, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole and pecan pie brownies.
- With soup: I always enjoy a comforting soup and salad combo! Serve alongside my slow cooker chicken wild rice soup for a warm, and filling meal.
How to Store Leftovers
This broccoli salad will last up to five days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You may notice that the dried cranberries absorb some of the liquid or the almonds soften but that’s okay! It will still be delicious.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Swap the Greek yogurt in the dressing for a plain, unsweetened non-dairy yogurt, like coconut or cashew yogurt.
No problem—white wine vinegar or lemon juice are great substitutes. They’ll give you that same tangy kick to balance the sweetness of the dressing.
Definitely! This salad actually tastes better after sitting in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. Just wait to add the almonds until right before serving to keep them nice and crunchy.
You can toast almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant. Alternatively, spread them on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 5-7 minutes. Just keep a close eye—they can burn quickly!
More Broccoli Recipes to Try
- Classic Broccoli Salad
- Vegan Broccoli Salad
- Broccoli Avocado Tuna Bowl
- Roasted Broccoli Quinoa Salad
- Cheesy Broccoli Quinoa Casserole
- Lightened Up Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Teriyaki Tempeh and Broccoli
More Salad Recipes to Try
- Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad
- Roasted Vegetable Salad
- Harvest Fall Salad
- Sweet Kale Salad
- Brussels Sprout Chopped Salad
- Christmas Salad
- Antipasto Salad
- Thanksgiving Salad
Be sure to check out the full collection of salad recipes on EBF.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Broccoli Cranberry Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 5 cups chopped broccoli florets, about 2 large heads
- ½ cup roasted and salted almonds, chopped
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup diced red onion
Dressing
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt, I used full-fat
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tablespoon avocado or olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk together yogurt, apple cider vinegar, oil, maple syrup and salt.
- Add broccoli, almonds, cranberries and red onion to a large bowl and stir to combine.
- Drizzle on dressing and toss until everything is coated.
- Cover container and chill in the fridge. Let sit for at least 3-4 hours before serving. Overnight works great too as this salad tastes better after it has had time to sit.
Notes
- Storage: This broccoli salad will last up to five days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You may notice that the dried cranberries absorb some of the liquid or the almonds soften but that’s okay! It will still be delicious.
- Dairy-free: To make this salad dairy free, swap out the Greek yogurt. I personally like using coconut milk yogurt when I need a dairy-free option. It’s thick like Greek yogurt and works great. You can also try this vegan broccoli salad instead.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This salad was outstanding!!! I will be making it again! Plus my husband enjoyed it too. Thank you for providing delicious and healthy recipes.
WOO! I am excited to hear this recipe is a hit, Heidi. Thanks so much for taking the time to share your review + star rating, I truly appreciate it!
This recipe looked great and I just finished making it for our Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. I had to put this into a container and snap the lid on quickly because it was so good that I could not stop eating. Big Fat Yum! Thank you for this recipe. I will definitely make again. I substituted chopped walnuts for the almonds and I also made a little extra dressing.
Ahh this is so great, Lisa. I am so glad you are loving this recipe and I hope it is a big hit tomorrow too. Thanks for sharing your review + star rating, I really appreciate it!
Love all the flavors, and the greek yogurt is perfectly rich! I did blanch the broccoli though– just to take the bite out. I didn’t have quite enough cranberries so tossed in some golden raisins as well.
Amazing! I am so glad you found this salad and it turned out amazing for you. Thank you for sharing your review & star rating, it means so much to me!
Love this salad. I did nt have almonds so I used pecans . another keeper. thank you
YUM! I am excited to hear that you are loving this salad, Terrie. Thank you for sharing your review & star rating, I really appreciate it!
I made this for Easter and my family loved it. We’re really enjoying your recipes!
Yay! I am so glad this recipe is a hit for you and your family, Jean. Thank you for coming back and sharing your review & star rating, I appreciate it!
I’m lactose intolerant, is there something else that can be used to replace the Greek yogurt? I’d really like to try this recipe, it looks delicious.
Hi Renae – You could try a dairy or lactose free greek yogurt, I know Kite Hill and Chobani has dairy/lactose free greek yogurts. Let me know how this turns out for you!
The Broccoli remains uncooked, correct? You might finde this a stupid question, gute werde I comes from ist is rather unusual….
Great question – Yes, the broccoli stays uncooked! Enjoy!
Just made this! I love the dressing! So yummy and I don’t feel guilty about adding a little more…I will be eating this all week! Thanks!
Ahhh yay!! Always love a guilt free meal that’s also delicious, Jessica. Thank you for your review & star rating, I so appreciate it!
This was so good! I decided to make this so my broccoli wouldn’t go bad, I almost had all of the ingredients in house. I didn’t have maple syrup or honey so I improvised with a little agave nectar. The crunch from the almonds and sweetness from the cranberries was tasty!!!! I definitely will make this again. You did it once again…… thanks- Steve
WOO! I am so glad that you are loving this recipe, Steve. Thank you so much for sharing your review + star rating, it means so much to me.