Broccoli Tomato Salad (Quick & Easy - Video Tutorial)
This Broccoli Tomato Salad combines fresh, crisp veggies with a creamy homemade dressing, making it the ultimate flavorful side dish.
Ingredients
- 3 broccoli heads
- 10 oz. cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup shredded red cabbage
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup slivered Almonds (toasted)
- 4 oz. cheddar cheese
- Juice of small lemon
- 6 strips - broiled bacon
Salad Dressing and Seasoning Ingredients
- ½ cup ranch dressing (I used a homemade ranch recipe)
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
How to Prep Ingredients for Broccoli Tomato Salad
- Start by broiling bacon and then it set aside and let it cool. Check out the full instructions on How to Make Perfect Quick and Easy Oven Broiled Bacon.
- Next, rinse all vegetables and the lemon. Cut broccoli florets into bite-size pieces and squeeze the juice of one small lemon over the broccoli florets (see instructions here), and set aside to let it absorb.
- Shred one cup of red cabbage, place it into a small bowl, pour ice-cold water over it, and let the cabbage sit in the cold water while you're preparing the rest of the salad. This will remove most of the color and prevent the purple cabbage color from dyeing the salad dressing.
- When ready to add purple cabbage to the salad drain the water from a bowl and place the cabbage in a dry bowl lined with a paper towel for the excess water to drain and dry the cabbage as much as possible.
- Slice cherry tomatoes in half, cut cheddar cheese into ¼” square cubes and cut broiled bacon into small pieces as well.
- Add all the ingredients: soaked in lemon juice broccoli florets, halved cherry tomatoes, red cabbage, cubed cheddar cheese, toasted slivered almonds, dried cranberries, and bacon into a large bowl.
- If you're not ready to serve the salad cover it with a food plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
How to Make Salad Dressing for Broccoli Tomato Salad
- Combine and whisk together ranch and Greek yogurt with a small hand whisker. I've used my homemade ranch recipe.
- Pour dressing over the salad.
- Mix it all well and then season the salad with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Notes
- Fresh is best: Use crisp broccoli, ripe tomatoes, and fresh cabbage for the best texture and flavor.
- Boost broccoli flavor: Soak florets in lemon juice to keep them bright, crisp, and flavorful.
- Uniform pieces: Cut veggies and cheese evenly for balanced bites.
- Add texture: Mix crunchy ingredients like almonds and cabbage with soft cheese for contrast.
- Creamy dressing: Combine ranch with Greek yogurt for a rich, light dressing.
- Season gradually: Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- Make-ahead tips: Store ingredients separately and toss with dressing just before serving.
- Leftovers: Keeps 2–3 days in the fridge, but broccoli doesn’t freeze well.