Creamy Broccoli Tomato Salad (Make Ahead Recipe!) (2024)

Are you looking for a fresh, delicious, and easy-to-make salad recipe? Look no further! This Broccoli Tomato Salad is the perfect mix of veggies with a creamy mix of homemade dressing for the tastiest side dish salad you've ever had! Plus, with delicious bacon bits, it truly is the most perfect combination of flavors you'll ever try!

Salads are one of the healthiest lunchtime staples; they’re light and packed with vitamins, minerals, and essential nutrients. However, it can be difficult to find tasty recipes that don't take too long to prepare.

Broccoli Tomato Salad is an ideal dish that celebrates natural ingredients while still being easy enough to whip up within minutes.

This succulent yet simple recipe is sure to be a hit at any dinner table - jam-packed with broccoli and tomatoes as the main ingredients, this salad also comes with added touches of red cabbage, cheddar cheese, and some creative flavors to make it truly unique.

It's perfect not just for the holidays, but any special occasion or dinner party at any time during the year. We also love making these for lunches and dinners at home, because it's truly a classic.

Want to learn how to make this delicious Broccoli Tomato Salad? Then keep on reading!

What is a Broccoli Tomato Salad?

Broccoli tomato salad is a delicious and nutritious side dish that combines fresh broccoli florets with juicy cherry tomatoes, crunchy red cabbage, and a creamy dressing. The salad can be served as a side dish or as a light main course for lunch.

It's perfect for potlucks, barbecues, or any other gathering. The combination of flavors makes it an ideal accompaniment to grilled meats or fish.

The salad can also be served as a light lunch or dinner. It's easy to make and can be customized with your favorite ingredients.

What Makes This Broccoli Tomato Salad Recipe Special?

This broccoli tomato salad is an excellent way to add more veggies to your diet. Not only is this dish easy to make, with few ingredients and simple instructions, but it’s also bursting with flavor from tomatoes, broccoli, red cabbage, cheddar cheese, a creamy dressing, and some bacon.

Salads are one of the best go-to dishes for those looking for a nutritious meal. Not only are they usually delicious, but they also provide us with essential vitamins and minerals. Plus, salads can be quite filling when prepared with the right ingredients!

The salad easily lands on my favorite list for several reasons. It is one that's easy to prepare and can be made ahead of time, which makes it perfect for holiday prep. One noteworthy tip is to soak the broccoli in freshly-squeezed lemon juice to boost flavor and crispness.

It will also keep the broccoli from losing its robust fresh, bright green color. The combination of all the attractive and tasty ingredients makes picky little eaters give broccoli another try, which is always a good thing.

Another great thing is that the leftovers do not water and the salad tastes just as tasty the next day. Refrigerate it covered with a lid or plastic food wrap and it can be used for a lunch box as well.

So, be sure to make this salad for the upcoming holiday get-together, and let's keep our health in mind during the holiday season and throughout this year!

What You Need to Make Broccoli Tomato Salad at Home

Making this delicious Broccoli Tomato Salad is easier than you think! What's best is that you only need simple, pantry-staples to make it at home. Let's look at what these are in more detail:

For the Salad:

• Broccoli: First of all, we'll need some broccoli to make this broccoli tomato salad! Broccoli is incredibly good for you and is high in many nutrients, including fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, iron, and potassium.
• Cherry tomatoes: Next, we'll need some cherry tomatoes since they add a delicious juicy flavor that's slightly acidic and balances out everything perfectly.
• Red cabbage: For an extra crunch in every bite, we'll also be adding some red cabbage to this salad. Trust me, it truly elevates the flavor of this delicious salad.
• Dried cranberries: To add a holiday touch and tart flavor that goes beautifully with the rest of the ingredients, we'll be adding some dried cranberries to this delicious salad.
• Almond slivers: We'll also need some almond slivers since they really enhance the flavor of this salad and add an elegant touch in terms of flavor and presentation.
• Cheddar cheese: This is my secret ingredient and makes a big difference! It adds to not only the flavor of this tomato broccoli salad recipe but also the overall texture and feel.
• Lemon: We'll also need some small lemon that'll boost the flavor and crispness of the broccoli florets.

• Bacon: To add more flavor and to make the salad more filling, we'll also be adding some broiled bacon to this delicious, tasty salad. Check out my post on How to Broil Bacon for full instructions.

For the Salad Dressing:

• Ranch dressing: The first ingredient we'll need some our salad dressing is some ranch dressing! I've used my homemade ranch recipe that I highly recommend you check out!
• Greek yogurt: To get the perfect creamy consistency and to add extra nutrition, we'll be adding some Greek yogurt to our dressing as well.
• Seasonings: In the end, we'll need some salt and black pepper to taste to perfectly season our dressing till it tastes just right!

How to Make Broccoli Tomato Salad (Step-by-Step)

This is one of the easiest salad recipes ever! Here's what you need to do to make it at home:

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 here.

Pour dressing over the salad.

Mix it all well and then season the salad with salt and pepper to taste.

Your salad is ready to be served!

How to Make Broccoli Tomato Salad Video

Watch the Video Below on How to Make Broccoli Tomato Salad.

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How to Store Leftover Broccoli Tomato Salad

You can store any leftovers you may have in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. But it's important to keep in mind that this salad will taste better when eaten right away or within a day of making it.

You can store ingredients separately and combine them with the dressing before serving for a make-ahead version.

Broccoli doesn't freeze well so I don't recommend freezing this salad.

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This recipe was originally posted onDecember 7, 2017(original picture below), and updated for a better user experience.The post may contain affiliate links. Read mydisclosure.