Broccoli & Carrot Salad is a quick and easy salad to prepare with fresh vegetables, nuts, and seeds tossed with a savory mustard dressing.  It is the perfect accompaniment to your next luncheon or picnic.

This is one of those salads you will come back to since it only takes about 20 minutes to make and very simple to prepare.  

Broccoli & Carrot Salad is ideal for a picnic, potluck or even to have for lunch during the week.  It keeps well and gets better and better as it sits.

This is Not Your Traditional Broccoli Salad.

The classic Broccoli Salad has, of course broccoli, but also usually has onion, dried fruit (raisins or cranberries), bacon and nuts in a sweet, creamy dressing.  This Broccoli Salad is good but I wanted to bring the traditional broccoli salad up a notch.  

There isn’t any dried fruit, onions or bacon.  Instead I added an extra vegetable by putting shredded carrots in it.  If it wasn’t crunching enough, it is now.  

I added honey roasted pecans to this dish because I feel it brings a slight sweetness without overpowering the whole salad.  Honey roasted pecans are easy to make and by using honey instead of sugar, I feel like it makes it a little healthier.

I love sunflower seeds and it already compliments the salad.  I make sure I get the sunflower seeds that are roasted because it adds depth to the taste of the seeds.

And last but not least, at all, is the creamy mustard dressing.  I really believe this dressing brings the Broccoli & Carrot Salad together with the perfect flavors.  I love the texture and taste of stone ground dijon mustard but if you cannot find it at your local grocery store, you can substitute it with Dijon mustard.

So Is Broccoli Really That Good for You?

Short Answer:  Yes!

Broccoli is a good source of calcium which is what we need to maintain strong bones.  It also contains Vitamin K, also for good bone health.  

Broccoli is low in calories (approx.  30 calories in a cup of chopped broccoli) and high in fiber.  Perfect for controlling weight because it is filling.

It is also considered one of the most nutrient-dense vegetables.  

And Carrots?

Not only are carrots delicious to eat raw or cooked, they are full of healthy benefits.

Of course, most of us know they are good for our eyes but carrots can also help with weight management, lower your risk for cancer, help with blood sugar and blood pressure, reduce heart disease and boost brain health.  It seems to me that we should all be eating more carrots.

Why Should I Make Broccoli & Carrot Salad?

I’ve pretty much stated most of the reasons why you should make this salad but I will reiterate it once more.

1.  It is a very easy salad to prepare and only takes about 20 minutes.
2. By using fresh vegetables, nuts and sunflower seeds, you are getting much needed nutrients.
3. The mustard dressing is the bomb!  There are only 2 ingredients plus seasonings but full of flavor.
4. It is delicious!!!!!

What Do I Need to Make Broccoli and Carrot Salad?

You will need mixing bowls, measuring cups and spoons, cutting board, knife, mixing spoons, small baking sheet, parchment paper, small saucepan, (a grater) and the following ingredients:

Mama Fawn’s Tips. . .

•  Watch the pecans carefully when roasting because it only takes seconds for them to burn.
• Because the honey roasted pecans cool quickly, you will want to work fast in separating the pecans.
• The grocery store (with the salad dressings) sells bagged Honey Roasted Pecans and they are very good.  You can replace the bagged for the homemade and the salad will be just as good but they are quite expensive and making your own has no additives or questionable ingredients.  😂
• If you like a sweeter dressing, feel free to use a salad dressing; aka Miracle Whip.
• If you cannot find stone ground dijon mustard, you can substitute it for regular dijon mustard.
• I use the already shredded carrots for this salad because I like the thickness but you can definitely shred them yourselves.
• To change up the salad, you can substitute raw cauliflower for the broccoli.
• Although this salad is fine to serve right away, I feel it gets better if it’s made ahead of time.