This cold Broccoli Salad with Tarragon Dressing has lots of fresh broccoli, golden raisins, marinated red onion and roasted pumpkin seeds all tossed in an amazingly tangy and delicious salad dressing. It’s even better the next day!
Broccoli Salad
I was first introduced to this salad from my mother-in-law several years ago and have since embellished upon it with a couple ingredients, but the initial salad of cold, uncooked broccoli was what I loved surprisingly. I had never had it before and the tangy dressing was fantastic.
Broccoli is great steamed with grated lemon zest, or with sharp cheddar cheese melted over the top, but there came a time when a cold, uncooked broccoli salad opened my eyes to another way to enjoy broccoli.
What’s in a Broccoli Salad?
Broccoli florets, marinated red onions, pumpkin seeds and golden raisins, The salad dressing is easy, too.
How to Make Tarragon Salad Dressing
In a mixing bowl add the mayonnaise, rice wine vinegar, honey, mustard, tarragon, salt and pepper, whisk thoroughly.
How to Make a Cold Broccoli Salad
Chop the broccoli into florets, trim and chop the stalks as well if you like into bite size pieces. Place in a mixing bowl and add the marinated red onions, pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and golden raisins. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix to completely coat the vegetables and chill for 20 minutes prior to serving.
I thought dried tarragon would be a nice herbal note and have used dried cranberries, but prefer the golden raisins. For a little other crunch I added roasted pumpkin seeds, a house favorite in salads.
One of this salad’s ingredients, the sliced red onion in rice wine vinegar, is treated to a quick pickle prior for the salad. I like to keep this mixture on hand in my refrigerator for different salads and as a garnish on Mexican dishes.
Thinly slice a red onion, cover it with rice wine vinegar and keep in your refrigerator. Allow the onions to marinate at least 30 minutes if you don’t have any on hand.
This broccoli salad is perfect as a side dish for outdoor parties, BBQs and potlucks.
It would be fantastic served with my Pineapple Five Spice Pork Ribs or a Perfect Rib Eye Steak seasoned with my Copycat Montreal Seasoning. Enjoy!
This cold broccoli salad recipe first appeared on Kevin Is Cooking in August 2015 and has been updated with new photos and video.
Cold Broccoli Salad
Ingredients
- For the dressing:
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 2 Tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp dry tarragon
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For the Salad:
- 4 cups crowns and stalks of broccoli
- 1/2 medium red onion , sliced thin
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup pepitas (toasted, salted pumpkin seeds)
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
Instructions
- In a bowl add the sliced red onions and 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar or enough to cover. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes or overnight.
- In a mixing bowl add the mayonnaise, rice wine vinegar, honey, mustard, tarragon, salt and pepper, whisk thoroughly.
- Chop the broccoli into florets and trim and chop the stalks as well if you like into bite size pieces. Place in a mixing bowl and add the marinated red onions, pepitas and golden raisins.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and mix to completely coat the vegetables and chill for 20 minutes prior to serving.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.
Nutrition
I have all of these ingredients! Love the dressing. Can’t wait to try it.
Good stuff indeed Sally! 🙂
You definitely loaded this broccoli salad with all the yummy goodies, Kevin! And that tarragon dressing sounds heavenly! Perfect for picnics and potlucks!! Pinned!
I love to even dunk French bread in that dressing! 🙂
Love the added pepitas and golden raisins Kevin. And that tarragon dressing is perfect!
One of my favorite, all-time salads Mary Ann. Thanks!
Great recipe thanks Kevin. I used dried cranberries instead of raisins plus added crispy bacon bits. Very delicious
Thanks so much Kevin. It’s a favorite of mine. 🙂
This looks delicious! Thanks Kevin!
You’re the best!
I always enjoy a good broccoli salad Kevin and this sounds so tangy! I love those marinated onions and the golden raisins for a little sweetness!
It has all the goodies and flavors going on Mary Ann!
This looks so full of flavor and so crunchy! I love the salty sweet combo you get by adding the raisins!
Thanks Kelly, I love this one anytime!
Ok…I came on today to get that oven baked..Copy Cat Kentucky Fried Chicken….but then, you recommended that yummy delicious potato salad to go with it…but THEN…I saw this crazy delicious looking Tarragon Broccoli Salad….this is my meal for tomorrow….as hubby is a lover of meat..and that chicken looks kicking good…and me, I’m a veggie gal…and the broccoli salad screamed…”fix me and eat me”….and, I mean, you can’t say no to food that calls you like that..it would just be rude..and hurt their feelings! Thanks for a wonderful new meal plan that I can add to our monthly rotation! Nothing boring… Read more »
Dee you make me smile! Thanks for the kind words and I hope you enjoy more recipes here. Cheers!
Love the combination of ingredients, the only thing I’d make different is the amount of mayo. I like adding a bit more to my salads, so think I’d go maybe 1/2.. ? Gotta try it to know better, but really, thanks for sharing this!
You’re so welcome Kelly, thanks for stopping by!