Broccoli Slaw

Creamy and colorful, this easy broccoli slaw recipe is a delicious side dish. Pack it up for a picnic, or serve it for dinner with whatever you're grilling!

Broccoli slaw

Jack is obsessed with this broccoli slaw recipe. Don’t get me wrong, I love it too, but I haven’t heard him rave about a salad this much since…I don’t know when. His favorite part is the dried cranberries, and how their sweet-tart flavor contrasts with the crisp veggies and creamy, tangy dressing. I made it as a side dish with dinner the other night, and he hasn’t stopped talking about it since!

Luckily for him, this broccoli slaw recipe is exactly the sort of thing I like to make in the summer. It’s light and refreshing, and it keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days, making it a great choice for picnics and cookouts. I’m planning to have it on repeat all season long, and I hope you will too.

Hands cutting broccoli stem on a cutting board

Broccoli Slaw Recipe Ingredients

Another great thing about this broccoli slaw recipe? It uses an entire head of broccoli, stalk and all! Here’s how I prepare it:

  • First, slice the broccoli florets off the stalk. You want really small florets for this recipe, so cut away as much of the stalk as you can. Use your hands to break the florets into little pieces, and measure 2 cups.
  • Next, trim off any tough, woody parts of the stalk. I slice off the bottom 1/4-inch of the stalk with a knife and use a vegetable peeler to peel away any thick skin.
  • Then, slice the stalk into thin planks, like the ones pictured above. Cut the planks into 1 1/2-inch matchsticks. Or, if you have a julienne peeler, leave the stalk intact and use the peeler to slice it into thin strips. Work until you have 3 cups julienned broccoli stems, from 1 very large or 2 medium heads of broccoli.

When your broccoli’s ready, prep the remaining ingredients:

Broccoli slaw recipe ingredients

  • Sliced cabbage and julienned carrots – They add vivid color to this broccoli slaw recipe.
  • Red onion – For sharp depth of flavor.
  • Dried cranberries – They add sweet-tart flavor and delicious chewy texture.
  • Sliced almonds – For a yummy nutty crunch.
  • And coleslaw dressing – Nope, not the kind from the grocery store! I make my own with good-quality mayo, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and maple syrup. I mix in celery seeds when I make traditional coleslaw, but I omit them in this broccoli slaw recipe. And heads up – you won’t need all the dressing. Start with 3/4 of it and add more to taste.

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Shredded veggies in a large glass bowl

Once you slice the veggies, this broccoli slaw recipe is SO simple to make! Just whisk together the dressing ingredients, measure the almonds and cranberries…

Pouring creamy dressing over shredded vegetables

and toss!

Hands tossing bowl of broccoli slaw with wooden spoons

Broccoli Slaw Recipe Tips and Variations

  • Let it marinate. This slaw is tasty right away, but I like it best when the flavors have a chance to meld in the fridge. If you can, make it a few hours or up to a day before you plan to serve it.
  • Save some almonds and cranberries for garnish, especially if you’re making the broccoli slaw ahead of time. The almonds and cranberries soften as they sit in the dressing, so they’ll have the best texture if you add them right before you eat. They’re a pretty finishing touch for the salad, too!
  • Make it vegan. Use vegan mayo in the dressing. I like Sir Kensington’s or this homemade kind.
  • Make it nut-free. Replace the almonds with toasted sunflower seeds.
  • Take a shortcut. Instead of slicing your own veggies, use a bag of store bought broccoli slaw mix. The amount of dressing you need will vary based on the size of your bag. I recommend starting with half the dressing for a 12-ounce bag of slaw mix and with 3/4 of the dressing for a 1-pound bag. From there, add more to your liking.

Creamy broccoli slaw

Broccoli Slaw Serving Suggestions

This broccoli slaw would be a perfect side dish for barbecues, cookouts, and potlucks. It pairs well with other summer sides like grilled corn on the cob, grilled veggies, fruit salad, and pasta salad. And for a main course, you can’t go wrong with one of these:

For a simpler meal, serve this broccoli slaw as a side with your favorite protein. We also love packing it up for picnics with these Caprese Sandwiches or these Chickpea Salad Sandwiches. Enjoy!

Broccoli slaw recipe

More Favorite Summer Salads

If you love this broccoli slaw recipe, try one of these summer salads next:

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Broccoli Slaw

rate this recipe:
5 from 22 votes
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Serves 4
This easy broccoli slaw recipe is a delicious side dish! We love packing it up for picnics and serving it at summer cookouts. To get 3 cups of julienned broccoli stems, you'll need 1 very large or 2 medium heads of broccoli.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups julienned broccoli stems
  • 2 cups small broccoli florets
  • 1 cup julienned carrots
  • 1 cup sliced red cabbage
  • ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
  • ½ cup toasted sliced almonds, reserve some for garnish
  • cup dried cranberries, reserve some for garnish
  • Coleslaw Dressing, omit the celery seed

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine the broccoli stems, florets, carrots, cabbage, onion, almonds, and cranberries.
  • Drizzle with about ¾ of the dressing and toss to coat. Add more dressing, if desired. Garnish with the reserved almonds and cranberries and serve.

Notes

Note: for a shortcut, you can use a 12- to 16-ounce bag of store-bought broccoli slaw in place of the broccoli stem, florets, carrot, and cabbage. Adjust the amount of dressing to your liking.

31 comments

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Rate this recipe (after making it)




  1. Pam Sheehan
    11.02.2023

    Good day. Can I presume that the all the vegetables are eaten raw – not even a slight steaming? Thank you. Regards Pam

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      11.06.2023

      Hi Pam, yes, they’re raw here. They soften as they sit in the dressing.

  2. Susan
    11.01.2023

    5 stars
    My husband said it was the best coleslaw he ever tasted, I will be putting it in my rotation. Made some for a sick friend I hope she enjoys it too.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      11.06.2023

      Hi Susan, I’m so glad it was a hit!

  3. Jennifer
    07.22.2023

    5 stars
    Best salad of the year. Everyone loves it.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.24.2023

      I’m so happy to hear!

  4. Cecily
    07.05.2023

    5 stars
    Colorful and deliciously nutritious! I par cooked the broccoli beforehand.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.06.2023

      I’m so glad you loved it!

    • JJ Avinger-Jacques
      08.14.2023

      5 stars
      How long did you par cook? I don’t care for raw broccoli!

  5. Christy
    05.24.2023

    5 stars
    I love this is taste so fresh and the dressing is amazing .
    I add a little feta cheese to it

  6. Louise B
    12.11.2022

    5 stars
    I made the slaw and dressing last night to serve with pizza. It was delicious and a great way to utilize those broccoli stems!! I was worried that the julienned stems would be too hard, but the dressing softens everything. I followed the recommended directions for the dressing, but used 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice instead of the 2 tablespoons of cider vinegar. Some of my family are unable to tolerate high acidity vinegars in the dressing. They loved it! Thank-you for sharing!

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      12.16.2022

      Hi Louise, I’m so glad the slaw was a hit!

  7. Collette
    07.07.2022

    5 stars
    Amazing!! LOVED it!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.08.2022

      I’m so glad you loved it!

  8. Melissa
    07.05.2022

    Made this for a last minute holiday lunch and everybody enjoyed it! I didn’t have enough stems so I just subbed whatever remainder with florets and it turned out great. Used your accompanying slaw dressing and it did not disappoint as well. Thank you for sharing your recipes. =]

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.07.2022

      I’m so glad you loved it!

  9. Mizz P
    04.04.2022

    5 stars
    I just made this with a bag of pre-cut broccoli slaw and it turned out great. Talk about EASY! This will be great for potlucks. Mix it up and use pumpkin seeds or chopped walnuts, dried apricots or raisins. Bookmarked!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      04.05.2022

      I’m so glad you loved it!

  10. Lina
    03.20.2022

    Can you freee the brocoli and cabbage and usecwhen needed.?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      03.21.2022

      Hi Lina, no I think frozen broccoli would make this slaw too wet.

  11. Tina
    11.24.2021

    Will this keep well if made the day before I plan to serve?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      11.24.2021

      yep! It’s great on the second day.

    • Kerrie
      06.05.2023

      Can you give me the nutritional breakdown for fats, protein and carbs?

      • Jeanine Donofrio
        06.06.2023

        Hi Kerrie, I’m sorry, we don’t calculate nutrition facts, but you can plug the ingredients into a site like my fitness pal.

  12. Samantha
    09.06.2021

    Is there an easy kitchen tool to make the julienned stems? That in itself was the most time consuming project. I wont short cut. If it’s homemade…I want to not use prepared veggies.
    Haven’t served yet so can’t comment on how it went over with the family.

  13. L V
    08.29.2021

    Hi! Why does this recipe say omit celery seed from the dressing?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      08.30.2021

      Hi Lauren, we just preferred this particular slaw, with the dried fruit, without the celery seed flavor (but we love it with regular coleslaw). If you want to add it, you totally could.

  14. Frances O.
    06.24.2021

    5 stars
    I made this last week as the recipe is written. My husband enjoyed it but mom absolutely loved it. I never really enjoy Mayo based slaw that much. The texture and flavor of the veggies themselves was spectacular but I couldn’t get past the Mayo to eat the leftovers (which my mom gladly took off my hands). I decided to try it again today but replaced the slaw dressing with your Asian dressing recipe. SOOOOO GOOD! This is going to be my go-to Summer side salad!

    • Tina
      11.24.2021

      5 stars
      I feel the same way about mayo based slaw. I used vegenaise instead of traditional mayo and it was delightful.

  15. 5 stars
    This is a fresh and delicious recipe for summer! Thank you for sharing!

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.