Broccoli, Cashew and Cranberry Salad — The Make-Ahead Side Dish Worth Having in Rotation
- 37 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Raw broccoli florets, toasted cashews, dried cranberries, and red onion in a creamy dressing—the make-ahead salad that gets better as it sits and works for every table, from weeknight dinner to summer entertaining.
By: HF Kitchen
There is a category of salad that does not get enough credit—the one that improves with time rather than wilting under it, that travels well, holds overnight, and tastes better on day two than it did on day one. This broccoli, cashew, and cranberry salad belongs to that category entirely.
Raw broccoli is the foundation here—and it earns its place in a way that cooked broccoli cannot. It stays crisp, provides real textural contrast against the toasted cashews, and holds the creamy dressing without absorbing it into softness. The dried cranberries add sweetness and a slight chew that keeps the salad interesting across a full bowl. The red onion adds sharpness. The cashews—toasted in the oven until deeply golden—add the crunch and the nuttiness that make the whole thing more than the sum of its parts.
The dressing is a thinned mayonnaise. Simple, unapologetic, and exactly right for this salad. It coats everything evenly without weighing it down, and it develops further in flavour as the salad sits and the ingredients have time to acquaint themselves.
Make it the night before. It will be better for it.
A Few Notes Before You Begin
The cashew preparation is the step worth doing properly. Rinse the cashews in lightly salted water, shake off the excess, and roast in a 180°C (350°F) oven for 15 to 20 minutes until deeply golden and fragrant. Store-bought roasted cashews are a reasonable substitute, but the flavour is noticeably different — the oven roasting step produces a nuttiness that pre-roasted cashews rarely match.
Cut the broccoli into small, consistently sized florets—pieces that can be eaten in one or two bites without requiring a knife. The stem is worth using too: peeled and cut into thin batons, it adds a different texture and wastes nothing.
The dressing is intentionally loose—the hot water thins the mayonnaise to a consistency that coats rather than clumps. Add it a little at a time and stop when the dressing moves easily through the salad without pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
This salad keeps well refrigerated for up to two days. The cashews will soften slightly overnight—if you want to maintain maximum crunch, add them just before serving.
Servings: 4
INGREDIENTS
2 medium heads of broccoli, cut into small florets, stems peeled and sliced
150 grams raw cashews
1 apple, cored & diced
120 grams of dried cranberries
0.5 red onion, finely diced
120 grams of mayonnaise
60 milliliters of hot water
1 teaspoon sea salt
0.5 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
DIRECTIONS
Toast the cashews: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Rinse 150 grams of raw cashews in lightly salted water and shake off the excess. Spread on a baking tray and roast for 15–20 minutes until deeply golden and fragrant, stirring once halfway through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
Assemble the salad: Place 2 medium heads of broccoli, cut into small florets, stems peeled and sliced; 120 grams of dried cranberries, the diced apple and 0.5 red onion, finely diced, in a large salad bowl. Toss to combine.
Make the dressing: In a separate bowl, whisk together 120 grams mayonnaise, 60 millilitres hot water, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 0.5 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, and 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar until smooth and pourable. The dressing should move easily — add a little more hot water if needed to loosen.
Dress and rest: Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well to coat everything evenly. Add the toasted cashews and toss once more. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving—or overnight for the best flavour. Add the cashews just before serving if you want to maintain maximum crunch.
NOTES
The cashews are worth toasting properly—rinse in lightly salted water, shake off the excess, and roast at 180°C for 15–20 minutes until deeply golden. Pre-roasted cashews work, but the flavour is noticeably different. For maximum crunch, add the cashews just before serving rather than mixing them in ahead of time. The salad keeps well refrigerated for up to two days.
If You Make This
Tag us at @homefindss—we want to see your table. This salad works beautifully alongside a grilled chicken with cherry salsa and whipped feta, or as part of a summer entertaining spread with a shaved zucchini salad with lemon and parmesan.
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