We love this easy broccoli slaw recipe with crisp broccoli, crunchy sunflower seeds, and sweet raisins tossed with the best creamy slaw dressing. The perfect side dish!
Watch the video
⭐️ Try our delicious broccoli salad with bacon!
Why we love this broccoli slaw
The creamy dressing takes this broccoli slaw to a new level. It coats the raw broccoli and gets stuck in all the nooks and crannies. I love it so much. Neither of us can stop at just one bite. It is seriously good! Our broccoli slaw keeps in the fridge for days, making this perfect for keeping in the fridge for an easy side to meals later in the week.
Think of this broccoli slaw as a mixup between broccoli salad and coleslaw. Serve this easy slaw on the side or add it to sandwiches or burgers for some extra crunch. Use the packaged shredded broccoli found in most grocery stores or prepare the broccoli yourself.
Key ingredients
This recipe is a must-try if you love traditional coleslaw! I love swapping in broccoli for cabbage in coleslaw. Traditional cabbage coleslaw is delicious, but broccoli is extra crisp, and I love how pretty it looks in the bowl.
We use raw broccoli for this recipe. Here are a few tips for preparing broccoli for slaw:
- Buy broccoli with the stems. Some stores only sell broccoli crowns, but if you are lucky, you can find broccoli with the long stems still attached. I actually prefer broccoli stems to the florets!
- Cut the crown away from the stems and slice or tear into very small florets.
- Peel the tough outer layer of the broccoli stems. I use a vegetable peeler.
- Slice the stems into thin matchsticks or grate them using a hand grater or the grating attachment of a food processor. (In the photos, I did this by hand.)
If you are short on time, you might be able to find prepackaged bags of sliced broccoli at the store. The bag might have some other veggies mixed in, but that’s okay, it will still work in this recipe.
In addition to the broccoli, we toss in sliced green onion, parsley, sunflower seeds (or other seeds or nuts), and raisins. I love using golden raisins, but any dried fruit will work in this recipe. Consider dried cranberries, apricots, or dates.
Our creamy broccoli slaw dressing
The creamy dressing is what makes this broccoli slaw so delicious. It’s very simple. We love it so much that we use it when making cabbage coleslaw (I love it that much).
The base is mayonnaise, which can be store-bought or homemade (see our homemade mayonnaise here). I’ve also swapped the mayo for a vegan mayonnaise and was very happy. To make the dressing you will need:
- Mayonnaise
- Apple cider vinegar
- Dijon or coarse ground mustard
- Salt and pepper
- Toasted sesame oil, which is optional, but adds a toasty, almost crave-worthy flavor to the slaw
How to make broccoli slaw
To make our slaw, we toss our broccoli, green onions (scallions), parsley, sunflower seeds, and dried fruit into a big bowl. Then you will pour over our creamy dressing and toss well until everything is coated.
Make ahead tips
Just like other coleslaws, this broccoli slaw is perfect for making ahead of time. Make it, and then store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days (maybe more).
More simple salads
- Easy Broccoli Salad with Bacon
- Creamy Coleslaw
- Mayo-Free Cilantro Lime Coleslaw Salad
- Herby Cauliflower Salad with Chickpeas (dairy-free)
- Quick and Easy Pasta Salad
- Our Favorite Creamy Potato Salad
Broccoli Slaw (Best Dressing!)
- PREP
- TOTAL
Think of this broccoli slaw recipe as a mixup between broccoli salad and coleslaw. Serve this on the side or add it to sandwiches or burgers for some extra crunch.
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
1 pound broccoli with stems (2 to 3 small heads)
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
1 cup (150 grams) golden raisins, substitute any dried fruit
1 cup (150 grams) shelled sunflower seeds, substitute any nut or seed
1 cup (170 grams) mayonnaise, try our homemade mayo or vegan mayo
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or more to taste
2 tablespoons Dijon or coarse ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt or more to taste
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper or more to taste
2 to 3 dashes toasted sesame oil, optional, see notes
Directions
1Remove the broccoli florets from the larger stems and cut into smaller pieces. Remove the woodiest part of the stem — usually 1/2-inch from the bottom — and discard (or save for stock). Using a vegetable peeler, peel away the thick tough outer layer of the stems, and then grate or slice into small matchsticks. Place the broccoli in a very large bowl (you will have 6 to 8 cups).
2Add the sliced green onions, parsley, raisins, and sunflower seeds to the broccoli and toss to mix.
3In a separate bowl, stir the mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper together. Taste for acidity and seasoning then adjust as desired. For a little extra flavor, add two to three small dashes of toasted sesame oil (see notes). Pour two-thirds of the dressing over the slaw, and then mix well.
4If the broccoli slaw seems dry, add a little more of the dressing. Eat right away or let it sit in the refrigerator for about an hour to let the flavors mingle.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Broccoli stems: The end of the stem (about half an inch from the bottom) is probably too woody. Cut that off and discard. However, the rest of the stem is perfectly edible and delicious. To prepare it, you can run a vegetable peeler up and down the stem to remove the outer, sometimes tough, layer. Then, slice the stem into small matchsticks.
- Toasted sesame oil is completely optional, but it is an ingredient that Adam has started to add to dressings. Every time he does, I’m left asking him what he did differently because the dressing just tastes so good! You don’t need a lot at all (it’s a strong flavor), but if you are willing, give it a try.
- Vegetarian/Vegan adaptations: I’ve made this with a vegan mayonnaise with great success. You can also try tossing the slaw ingredients with this tahini sauce.
- Nutrition facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have used the USDA database to calculate approximate values. Full fat mayonnaise was used in the calculations.
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #inspiredtaste — We love to see your creations on Instagram and Facebook! Find us: @inspiredtaste
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This salad is the bomb!! I thought my sister and husband were going to kill each other over it! I did add a tiny bit of sugar to the dressing because I thought it was a little too tart but great great great! Thank you!
So glad you loved it! I can see why it was a hit. Thanks for the feedback about the dressing, and for sharing your delicious twist!
This was so easy and good. I made some changes, based on what I had, including pistachios instead of sunflower seeds. I used fresh lemon juice and a little honey instead of apple cider vinegar (not a fan). So yummy. Thanks!
The Inspired Taste IG video enticed me to try this broccoli slaw. I loved the variety of ingredients which I would have never thought to combine. The crunchiness and sweetness made for a great combination. I mixed a smaller amount of dressing which I regretted. I added the sesame oil which did provide the subtle smokey flavor–very nice. Delicious salad! I will definitely prepare this again and again.
Made this for Christmas Eve according to the recipe (except used dried cranberries instead of golden raisins). It was good, not great. No-one went back for seconds. Will not make again.
I have made this very similarly. I use dark raisins, but dried cranberries would be great too. The major ingredient I learned to add was fried, crisp bacon, how ever much your heart desires, but at least 6-8 strips. Men love it. Well, all bacon-lovers love it!!
Anyway to sub something else for the cup of mayo…too high in fat and calorie for me!
Hi Nancy, Some of our readers have had success with plain Greek yogurt. I often find Greek yogurt dressings a little too tart and often drizzle in a little olive oil to cut the tartness of the yogurt, but you can see for yourself.
Omg!!! I LOVE this! Supper yummy and easy to make. Thanks!!
We love when good ones are easy. So happy you loved it 🙂
Thank you for this recipe! It was so yummy! We definitely be making this again:)
This slaw is seriously delicious and easy to make! I cheated and used a bag of pre-cut broccoli and carrots. Next time I’ll make it with your Tahini recipe instead of Mayo. Thank you!
Great idea! Tahini would work really well with all of the flavors. So glad you enjoyed it 🙂