Crunchy Broccoli Salad with Lemon Dijon Dressing

Fresh, crunchy, colourful, and full of texture, this broccoli salad skips the traditional creamy dressing in favour of a bright lemon-Dijon olive oil vinaigrette. Broccoli, purple cabbage, carrots, peppers, fresh herbs, pumpkin seeds, and just a few tart cranberries make this an easy way to add more plants, fibre, and goodness to your plate.

Serves: 4–6

Prep time: 15 minutes

Chill time: 20–30 minutes

Ingredients

• 5 cups broccoli florets, chopped small

• ½ cup shredded carrots

• ½ cup finely shredded purple cabbage

• ½ cup finely chopped red bell pepper

• ⅓ cup finely chopped red onion

• ¼ cup unsweetened dried cranberries

• ⅓ cup pumpkin seeds

• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Lemon Dijon Dressing

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 2 tsp Dijon mustard

• 1 tsp pure maple syrup

• ½ tsp sea salt

• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Chop the broccoli into small, bite-sized pieces. Keeping the pieces relatively small helps them absorb the dressing and makes the salad much easier to eat.

2. Add the broccoli, carrots, purple cabbage, red bell pepper, red onion, cranberries, pumpkin seeds, and parsley to a large bowl.

3. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, sea salt, and black pepper until well combined.

4. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss thoroughly, making sure all of the vegetables are lightly coated.

5. Refrigerate for 20–30 minutes before serving. This gives the dressing time to work its way into the broccoli and soften it slightly while still keeping plenty of crunch.

6. Toss again before serving and adjust the lemon, salt, or pepper to taste.

Add More Goodness

This is exactly the kind of side dish I love because we're not relying on just one vegetable.

Broccoli, purple cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, red onion, and parsley bring different colours, textures, nutrients, and plant compounds to the bowl. Pumpkin seeds add healthy fats, plant protein, magnesium, and zinc, while the unsweetened cranberries add little bursts of tartness without making the salad overly sweet.

Pair it with grilled chicken, salmon, steak, burgers, or your favourite protein for a simple, vegetable-forward meal.

For an even more substantial salad, you can also add ½ cup chickpeas or white beans.

Approximate Nutrition

Per serving, based on 6 servings:

• Calories: ~175–185

• Protein: ~5 g

• Carbohydrates: ~16–18 g

• Fibre: ~4–5 g

• Fat: ~12–13 g

Nutrition is approximate and will vary depending on the specific ingredients, brands, and serving size.

Why I Love This

This salad is a perfect example of looking at a meal and asking:

What else can I add?

More vegetables. More colour. More fibre. More plant diversity. More texture.

Healthy eating doesn't always need to be about removing foods from your plate. Sometimes the biggest opportunity is simply finding delicious ways to add more goodness.

Small changes. Big outcomes.

Your partner in health and longevity,

Stacie Mylonas, RHN