Broccoli tomato salad with easy balsamic dressing is a healthy side salad or meal. Made with fresh, crisp broccoli florets, tomato and toasted walnuts then drizzled with a tangy homemade balsamic dressing.
Looking for ways to simplify dinner? We are too…and didn’t get past the salad course before throwing together this healthy bowl of broccoli tomato walnut salad goodness. It was so delish, just like our easy chop salad and cold noodle broccoli spinach salad, that we HAD to share it NOW!
Broccoli, tomatoes, carrots, cheese, nuts….just handfuls of each and your salad is ready. A quick balsamic dressing softens the veggies and adds AMAZING flavor. Let the dressing sit on the salad for 10 minutes then toss again for marinated broccoli tomato salad.
?If you don’t want or can’t have the nuts, crunchy chow mien noodles, crispy onions or even goldfish crackers are great substitutes.
To make this salad a full meal, throw in cooked chicken or beef strips. Proteins like boiled eggs and shrimp are light and make a tasty cold summer salad.
Ingredients needed for this broccoli tomato walnut salad
- Broccoli florets – we love to make it easy by buying a bag of cut florets rather than cutting them from a head of broccoli.
- Cherry tomatoes – round cherry tomatoes are what we used for this salad, but grape tomatoes are perfect too!
- Carrots – again, keep it simple and buy a bag of shredded carrots at the grocery. OR shred your own!
- Mozzarella cheese – pre-shredded, shred your own from a block or cut fresh mozzarella into cubes.
- Walnuts – walnuts can be purchased already toasted or toast them lightly in a skillet and cool before adding to the salad.
- Olive oil – we used a light extra virgin olive oil for our dressing.
- Balsamic vinegar – be sure to use a good quality balsamic for the best dressing.
- Honey – clover honey adds perfect sweetness to the dressing.
- Dijon mustard
- Minced garlic
Broccoli tomato salad with balsamic dressing
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 4 cups broccoli florets bite-size pieces
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup toasted walnuts
For the Dressing
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp honey plus extra to taste
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard plus extra to taste
- 1 clove minced garlic
- 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, toss all of the salad ingredients until well blended.
- Place all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Pour dressing over salad and toss. Let sit 5 minutes to lightly marinade salad before serving.
- Refrigerate remaining salad in a covered container for up to 3 days.
Nutrition Facts
© Copyright Christine Mello for Must Love Home. We would love for you to share a link to this recipe but please do not copy/paste the recipe instructions to websites or social media. We are happy for you to share a photo with a link back to this website instead.
