Broccoli Slaw

Fresh, creamy, and oh-so crunchy, broccoli slaw is a summer staple at my house and a favorite side dish for outdoor barbecues, pool days, and potlucks! And since broccoli is my son’s favorite vegetable, there’s never a shortage of this edible, tree-like plant chilling in my refrigerator. This recipe uses both the broccoli stems and florets, giving you the most bang for your buck, even more crunch, and helping reduce unnecessary food waste. It’s tossed in a delicious mayo-buttermilk dressing that’s tangy, a little bit sweet, and creamy – but not heavy.

Broccoli slaw is more or less exactly what it sounds like: a crunchy coleslaw-like salad made with shredded or thinly sliced broccoli instead of traditional cabbage. It can be made from scratch using fresh broccoli stems and florets (a super simple process that I cover in more detail below), or with a pre-packaged bag of broccoli slaw mix for a quick shortcut.

Broccoli Slaw Recipe Ingredients

This recipe makes use of the whole broccoli crown, tender stems included, for extra crunch and less waste. Here is how I prepare it:

1. First, cut the broccoli florets from the stems. You want small, bite-sized florets for this recipe, so trim away as much of the thick stem as possible. Use your hands or a knife to break the florets into small pieces until you have about 2 cups.
2. Next, trim and peel the broccoli stems. Slice off any dry, tough, or woody ends, then use a vegetable peeler to remove the thick outer layer. The inside of the stem is tender and perfect for slaw.
3. Then, slice the stems into thin matchsticks. Cut the peeled stems into thin planks, stack the planks, and slice them into thin strips. You will need about 3 cups of sliced broccoli stems.

Once the broccoli is ready, prep the remaining slaw ingredients:

• Shredded carrots: Store-bought shredded carrots work great, or you can shred whole carrots yourself using a box grater or julienne peeler.
• Finely chopped red cabbage: Adds extra crunch and gives the slaw a pretty purple color.
• Thinly sliced green onions: Less sharp than red onion, I prefer adding green onions to this recipe. Chives or very thinly sliced red onion can be used instead.
• Dried cranberries: Sweet, chewy, and tart, dried cranberries balance the creamy dressing and crunchy vegetables. Raisins, golden raisins, dried cherries, or chopped dried apricots are all good substitutes.
• Sliced almonds: For the best crunch, reserve a few to sprinkle over the top just before serving. Sunflower seeds, pepitas, chopped walnuts, or pecans can be used instead.

Broccoli Slaw Dressing

Many broccoli slaw recipes are tossed with a super sweet, coleslaw-style dressing, but I prefer mine a little more balanced. This version is made with mayonnaise, buttermilk, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, kosher salt, and black pepper. It is creamy, tangy, lightly sweet, and flavorful without overpowering the fresh crunch of the broccoli.

For a lighter variation, replace half of the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt. The dressing will be a little tangier and less rich, but still creamy enough to coat the broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cranberries, and almonds. For a dairy-free version, skip the buttermilk and thin the dressing with a little extra apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, or water, as needed.

How to Make Broccoli Slaw

Once the broccoli is sliced and the remaining veggies are prepped, this broccoli slaw recipe is super easy to make. Just whisk together the creamy dressing, add everything to a large bowl, and toss until the broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cranberries, and almonds are evenly coated.

For the best flavor, cover and refrigerate the slaw for 30 minutes before serving. This gives the dressing time to soak into the broccoli and helps the flavors come together.

Broccoli Slaw Variations and Substitutions

• Use bagged broccoli slaw: For a quick shortcut, replace the broccoli stems, florets, carrots, and cabbage with one 12- to 16-ounce bag of broccoli slaw mix. Add the dressing gradually, since bagged mixes can vary in size and moisture.
• Make it nut-free: Replace the sliced almonds with sunflower seeds or pepitas. You will still get plenty of crunch without the nuts.
• Swap the cranberries: Dried cranberries add sweet-tart flavor, but raisins, golden raisins, dried cherries, or chopped dried apricots all work well.
• Make it lighter: Replace part of the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt. I like starting with half mayo and half Greek yogurt so the dressing stays creamy.
• Add apple: Chopped apple adds fresh sweetness and crunch, especially if you are serving this broccoli slaw in the fall or around the holidays. Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Granny Smith would all be good options.
• Add bacon: For more of a classic broccoli salad flavor, add cooked, crumbled bacon just before serving. It adds a salty, savory contrast to the creamy dressing, cranberries, and almonds.
• Make it dairy-free: Skip the buttermilk and thin the dressing with a little extra apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, water, or unsweetened dairy-free milk until it reaches a pourable consistency.

What to Serve with Broccoli Slaw

Broccoli slaw is one of my favorite side dishes to serve alongside grilled meats, sandwiches, and other summer sides and salads like Grilled Corn, Tortellini Pasta Salad, and Fruit Salad. It is especially delicious with smoky, grilled, or barbecue-style mains. Some of my favorite recipes to pair it with include:

• Grilled Chicken
• Hamburgers
• Grilled Veggie Skewers
• Pulled Pork
• Buttermilk Fried Chicken
• Oven-Baked BBQ Chicken
• Sweet Potato Cornbread
• Boston Baked Beans