Lemon Poppy Seed Broccoli Salad is a quick, tasty dish with broccoli, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, feta, almonds, and creamy lemon-poppy seed dressing.
Lemon Poppy Seed Broccoli Salad Recipe
Every summer, I look forward to BBQs, and if there’s a broccoli salad on the menu, my plate is always piled high with it. I live for summer salads, and broccoli salads have always been a favorite of mine. In fact, I don’t just wait for summer — they’ve become a year-round staple in my kitchen!
When I decided to tweak my favorite poppy seed dressing and add it to my traditional broccoli salad, I knew we had a winner! Instead of just adding mayo (like a lot of broccoli salads call for), the lemon poppy seed dressing brings a delicious flavor that really makes the whole salad. It doesn’t get much better than this!
Lemon Poppy Seed Broccoli Salad Ingredients
- Broccoli: Use fresh broccoli, not frozen. Chop it small.
- Sunflower seeds: Pick roasted and salted seeds for extra flavor.
- Dried cranberries: Go for soft, sweetened cranberries for a sweet touch. Dried tart cherries also work!
- Sliced almonds: Toast almonds in a pan over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes to bring out more flavor and keep them crunchy.
- Feta: Optional, but adds creaminess.
- Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing: Blend everything (except the poppy seeds), stir in the seeds, and you’re done!
Quick Tip
Be sure to add salt to taste—it makes all the difference between an underwhelming salad and a delicious one!
How To Make Lemon Poppy Seed Broccoli Salad
With no baking or cooking needed, this is truly the ultimate summer salad!
- Prep Broccoli: Remove stems and chop into small pieces for better mixing and faster softening.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix broccoli, cranberries, almonds, sunflower seeds, and feta. Use fresh ingredients for the best taste.
- Make Dressing: Blend dressing ingredients until smooth, then stir in poppy seeds. For a lighter version, swap some mayo for Greek yogurt.
- Dress Salad: Pour dressing over the salad and mix. Chill.
- Adjust Seasoning: After chilling, mix again and add salt if needed.
- Serve: Enjoy the salad the same day for the best flavor.
Does Broccoli Need To Be Cooked First?
No, raw broccoli is standard in broccoli salads. The dressing and chilling time soften it. Just make sure to finely chop the broccoli into small pieces.
If you don’t like raw broccoli, blanch it first. Here’s how: boil the broccoli in salted water for 30 seconds, then drain and transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking. Let it air dry or throw it in a salad spinner to make sure your lemon poppy seed broccoli salad doesn’t become soggy.
Lemon-Poppy Seed Broccoli Salad Tips
- Use good quality mayo. I love Hellman’s/Best Foods® for the best flavor. Its consistency, texture, and sweetness make a big difference in the salad.
- Use fresh ingredients. Fresh, good broccoli makes all the difference in this lemon poppy seed broccoli salad.
- Use a small grater to zest just the outer bright yellow part of the lemon. Avoid the bitter white part underneath.
- Chill before serving. Let the salad chill for 30 mins to 1 hour for the best flavor and texture.
Variation Ideas
- Add Fruit: Mix in diced apples, grapes, blueberries, or mandarin oranges for extra sweetness and flavor.
- Include Cheese: Try adding shredded cheddar, blue cheese crumbles, or goat cheese instead of feta in this lemon poppy seed broccoli salad.
- Add Veggies: Try adding in chopped bell peppers, red onions, or shredded carrots for added crunch and color.
- Use Different Nuts: Switch out sliced almonds with walnuts, pecans, or cashews for a different nutty flavor.
- Change the Dressing: Swap the lemon poppy seed dressing for a balsamic dressing or a ranch dressing.
Storage
Refrigerate Immediately: Store the salad in the fridge, covered or in an airtight container, right after making it. It’ll keep for up to 2 days.
Separate Dressing: For longer storage, keep the dressing separate from the salad and dress it right before eating.
More Potluck Salads
- EASY Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad with a buffalo ranch dressing
- Fresh and delicious Corn Salad
- Macaroni Coleslaw Salad summer BBQ mash-up salad
- Grape Salad dessert “salad” with creamy grapes and pecans
- Orzo Pasta Salad with a lemon dressing
Lemon Poppy Seed Broccoli Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 cups coarsely chopped broccoli 4 large florets
- 3/4 cup dried sweetened cranberries
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds see note 1
- 1/2 cup shelled, roasted, and salted sunflower seeds
- Feta cheese optional, add to preference
- 2/3 cup mayo full-fat
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 lemon for zest
- 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Remove stems from broccoli and finely chop into small pieces.
- In a large bowl, combine salad ingredients.
- Zest lemon to get 2 teaspoons lemon zest. In a small blender, add zest and all dressing ingredients except poppy seeds. Season to taste. Blend until smooth, then stir through poppy seeds.
- Pour dressing over salad ingredients and toss to combine. Cover and chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Toss again and adjust seasoning if needed. If flavors are underwhelming, add more salt.
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this today and it’s totally a pin(terest) win!
I made a couple small tweaks…I added 1/2 tsp lemon extract and toasted the almonds. Loved it!!
I’m so thrilled this salad was a hit for you Jess! Thanks for the comment 🙂
Made this last night for a small family get together, everyone loved it! My husband had thirds! And two people wanted the recipe. Also I was asked to bring it to our big family bbq next month. This recipe is definitely a keeper! Thanks!
Yay! That is so great to hear! I’m thrilled this has been a hit. Thanks Catie! 🙂
I absolutely despise mayonnaise, so instead I used plain yogurt for the dressing. Huge hit at my work potluck. I always consider it a successful dish when I don’t get to bring any home!
That’s great!! And so happy that there wasn’t any to bring home 🙂 Thanks for the comment Nicholas!
I just made this salad for a Father’s Day BBQ. I have to say, I have made a lot of variations of Broccoli Salad and this was by far the best. The lemon gives it such a refreshing flavor! The only change I made was adding about 10 strips of crumbled crispy bacon… because BACON! 😀 Thanks for such a great recipe!
Oh, this makes my day!! I’m so thrilled to hear this one was the best! 🙂 And YUM on the bacon addition! Thanks Diane!
I am definitely going to try this for my kids, very soon, this looks so yummy and so beautiful!
Thank you so much! I hope you all enjoy 🙂
Made this for the first time today. Easy and delicious! Definitely a keeper 🙂 Thank you! 🙂
So happy to hear that!! Thank you so much! 🙂
Made this last night and my grand daughter that HATES broccoli LOVED it! So DELICIOUS!
What a huge win!!! 🙂 I’m so, so happy to hear that! Thank you Vesta!
Can this be made the night before??
I’m hoping so, maybe I’ll chop everything and add the dressing in the morning.
Absolutely can be prepped ahead! Just make sure to add the dressing before serving and not too early 🙂
Oh my word, this looks absolutely delicious! I LOVE traditional broccoli salad, but I definitely need to give this a try! Maybe for Easter dinner? 🙂
Yes! That would be fantastic! Hope you love it 🙂
That salad looks like Spring! And I’m sure ready for Spring…this will be on my menu this week, for sure. Thank you.
P.S. I’m giving it 5 stars even though I have tasted it, yet. I just know it will be worthy.
Haha!! Thank you so much Cheryl! Hope you love it 🙂