Vibrant broccoli, toasted sunflower seeds, crisp apples and fresh parsley are tossed with sweet and tangy honey mustard dressing for a delicious broccoli salad you’ll make year round!
What to do With Broccoli
It is so easy to eat healthy in the spring and summer, isn’t it? Whether you belong to a CSA, visit your local Farmer’s Market or even just peruse the produce section in your grocery store – vegetables and fruit are in abundance. Sometimes it can be a challenge not falling into the same way of making the vegetables over and over again.
Of course broccoli is so readily available year round, so it’s even trickier to come up with a new way to prepare broccoli.
My go to recipe for broccoli is just simply roasted. Broccoli is also a hearty contributor to a grain salad. This time I was in the mood for a light broccoli salad. Nothing to busy, something that really let the broccoli shine.
How to Make Broccoli Salad
Let’s talk about how to make this easy broccoli salad. I found this recipe in the first Sprouted Kitchen Cookbook. What I liked about it was the use of the broccoli stems for added crunch and the addition of apples and sunflower seeds. A simple honey mustard vinaigrette pulls it all together.
Step 1 – wash your broccoli and cut off leaves.
Step 2 – cut the florets into bite size pieces.
Step 3 – set up a steamer insert in a pan with about an inch of water on the bottom. Over high heat, bring the water to a boil. When you see the steam, add the broccoli florets and cover with a lid.Steam for about a minute, it will turn a gorgeous bright green.
Step 4 – drain and let the broccoli cool, while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Step 5 – peel stalks and cut them into matchstick size pieces – use a knife or I used a julienne peeler.
Step 6 – whisk together the dressing ingredients in a large bowl.
Step 7 – if your sunflower seeds aren’t already toasted, put them in a small skillet over medium high heat. Stir them and keep an eye on them as they go from brown to burnt quickly!
Step 8 – Combine all the ingredients in the bowl with the dressing and toss.
One of the Best Broccoli Salads!
This broccoli salad was everything I hoped it would be. The pairing of broccoli, apples and sunflower seeds is classic. The fresh parsley brightens it up and the honey mustard dressing is my new favorite.
I love that it takes honey and mustard and makes it into more of a vinaigrette rather than the the usual heavy and creamy treatment that honey mustard dressing get. I paired this with a simple lemon grilled chicken breast.
Looking for more Healthy Salad Recipes
Corn, Avocado and Black Bean Salad
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Honey Mustard Broccoli Salad
Ingredients
- 6 cups broccoli florets
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds toasted
- 1 apple cored and diced
- 1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley finely chopped
Honey Dijon Dressing
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- salt and fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cut the broccoli florets into bite size pieces. Heat a little water to boil in a pan with a steamer insert. Steam the broccoli for just about a minute (it will get bright green). Drain and cool.
- Using a julienne peeler, knife, or mandoline julienne the stems.
- Place the dressing ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until creamy. Add the broccoli, apple, sunflower seeds and parsley to the bowl. Toss to coat and refrigerate until serving. Serve cold.
Notes
Nutrition
Update note: This post was originally published in 2015 and has been updated in 2019.
caren gittleman says
July 21, 2017 at 12:17 pmYum!! Sounds delicious!! I still would maybe roast mine first and then add the dressing, I am sure either way it would be fantastic! Thanks for sharing!
Ann says
July 21, 2017 at 2:34 amI tried roasted broccoli for the first time a couple of weeks ago and it’s amazingly good. Definitely going to give this recipe a good work out.
Priya says
July 31, 2015 at 11:28 pmthe salad looks so healthy and delicious!
Chrissie (thebusybaker.ca) says
July 30, 2015 at 3:10 pmWhat a brilliant recipe! Broccoli is my favourite vegetable and I know my kids would love this dish!! Thanks for posting 🙂
MyCookingSerects.com Krystallia Giamouridou says
July 30, 2015 at 11:44 amSo simple and healthy at the same time! Thumbs up…
Miz Helen says
July 29, 2015 at 5:06 pmHope you are having a wonderful day and thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with Full Plate Thursday!
Miz Helen
Christina @ Juggling Real Food and Real Life says
July 28, 2015 at 3:10 pmHi there! I’m stopping over from Let’s Get Real today. I am sorry to hear about the passing of your mother. I agree that cooking is good therapy. Your recipe looks delicious. Apples and broccoli are an unexpected combination that sound great. This recipe is sure to be a hit at the next potluck I go to.
Diane says
July 26, 2015 at 5:37 pmThis broccoli salad has some of my favorite flavor combos in it! The mustard sauce is one of my favorite ways to eat fresh broccoli. Yum! thanks for sharing your recipe for this amazing salad!
Michelle @ Vitamin Sunshine says
July 25, 2015 at 6:03 amDressings like that are my fav– simple and light. I use mustard and honey in my dressings often.
This salad looks like the perfect combination– I’ve heard a lot about the Sprouted Kitchen cookbook. Maybe I’ll have to check it out for myself 🙂
Brian Jones says
July 25, 2015 at 4:28 amI love the combination of honey and mustard with brassicas, it works so well… Imagining this with a piece of roasted pork belly and feeling hungry 🙂
Cassandrea ~ Chews and Brews says
July 24, 2015 at 12:11 pmWhat, no mayo!? This salad looks delicious and I must try it… This weekend! 🙂 great post!
KC the Kitchen Chopper says
July 24, 2015 at 10:19 amThis dish is gorgeous. I love everything about it. Roasted Broccoli is one of our fave veggies. This dressing looks like a wonderful addition plus all the other extra goodies. YUM!
Kathryn Doherty says
July 24, 2015 at 6:03 amBroccoli may be my favorite vegetable and I’m a sucker for honey-mustard anything so this sounds particularly amazing! Pinning so I can add this to the regular side rotation at our house – yum!
Dawn @ Words Of Deliciousness says
July 23, 2015 at 10:58 pmI think that this broccoli salad sounds amazing. I love that you added diced apple to this dish.
I am sorry for the passing of your mother, I am sure it is a hard time for you.
Healing Tomato says
July 23, 2015 at 9:52 pmI find it so hard to make an appealing Broccoli salad recipe for those who don’t like it. Your recipe is so delicious looking. I don’t think anyone can resist eating it.
JessicaJ says
July 23, 2015 at 7:10 amI love the interesting additions of the apple and the sunflower seeds. Sounds yummy! 🙂
Sippitysup says
July 20, 2015 at 4:47 pmJoanne I agree with Joanne. Broccoli and I need to get reacquainted. GREG
Ginger Wroot says
July 20, 2015 at 2:02 pmSo, so glad to see you are back, and all my sympathies to you in this difficult time. Thanks for this post…broccoli is one of my go-to veggies, and I will be trying this one, for sure.
allie @ Through Her Looking Glass says
July 20, 2015 at 11:22 amHow delicious Pam! Love this flavor combo. The perfect meal anytime.
Christine from Cook the Story says
July 20, 2015 at 10:42 amI love that little bit of crunch you added with the sunflower seeds. This sounds delicious.
Bre says
July 20, 2015 at 9:58 amI love roasted broccoli and we eat it so much it would be nice to change it up a bit. Thanks for sharing, will be making this tonight!
Joanne says
July 20, 2015 at 7:29 amI’ve somehow fallen off the broccoli bandwagon, but need to hop back on with this salad!
veronica gantley says
July 20, 2015 at 7:06 amI love this broccoli salad. No goopy mayo to contend with. Not sure if my monkey girl will like the honey mustard, but I am sure the hubbie will love it. I am going to try and make it this weekend.