Broccoli Salad with Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing Recipe
For sunny lunches or breezy dinners, Broccoli Salad with Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing is crisp, creamy, and lightly sweet from dried fruit, with a clean citrus finish—ready in 15 minutes.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 297kcal
Ingredients
- 2 heads broccoli trimmed into bite-size pieces
- 4 slices bacon cooked, crumbled
- 1/4 cup red onion chopped
- 1/4 cup dried cherries OR dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup almonds sliced, toasted
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds salted and roasted
- 4 oz medium cheddar cheese OR sharp cheddar, cut into small cubes
For the Lemon Poppyseed Dressing
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt We like Stonyfield Whole Milk Plain Greek OR Regular Yogurt OR olive oil mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp red wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
- 1 lemon zested
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Add the clean, dry broccoli pieces into a large mixing bowl. Add the bacon, onions, cherries, almonds, sunflower seeds, and cheese.
- To make the homemade poppy seed dressing, in a small mixing bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, poppy seeds, lemon zest, and salt until combined. Pour the desired amount of dressing over the salad, toss to combine, and serve immediately.
Notes
-If raw broccoli isn’t your thing, boil a large pot of water, cook the florets for 45 seconds, then transfer to an ice bath. I’ve made this both ways and honestly prefer it raw, but the blanched version is great too!
-Double the recipe to serve a crowd.
-Add 2 cups of washed greens like kale, spinach, or spring mix—or stir in 1 cup of cooked quinoa for extra texture.
STORE this Broccoli Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep it in an airtight container and give it a quick stir before serving. If you're making it ahead, wait to add the bacon and sunflower seeds until right before serving so they stay crisp.
This salad doesn’t freeze well due to the fresh produce and yogurt-based dressing. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Nutrition
Serving: 4serving | Calories: 297kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 218mg | Potassium: 238mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 568IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 286mg | Iron: 1mg
