By: Stacie HassingUpdated: 7/4/21
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Looking for an easy salad recipe that takes less than 10 minutes to make? You’ve come to the right place! This Ranch Broccoli Slaw Recipe is made with 5 simple ingredients, and is dairy-free, gluten-free, paleo and Whole30-friendly.
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5-Ingredient Broccoli Slaw is perfect for summer potlucks, picnics cookouts, a bbq, and holiday gatherings.
You can also serve this coleslaw-like recipe as a quick and easy side dish to go along with really any meal.
Stacie has been making this Broccoli Slaw Recipe well before The Real Food Dietitians blog existed. It’s a recipe she and her mom have been making for years, modified to be made with real, whole food ingredients. The salad is incredibly easy to make and always a favorite. Crisp broccoli slaw mix, toasted almonds, dried cranberries and a creamy dressing come together to create this crunchy, broccoli salad recipe.
Ingredients to make this Broccoli Slaw Salad
Only 5 ingredients are needed to make this recipe! if you choose to make a homemade dressing for this slaw then you’ll need a few more simple ingredients.
- Bag of broccoli slaw – typically found in the bagged produce section of the grocery store, it’s made with the broccoli stalks/broccoli stems that are cut into matchsticks with a food processor, julienned or shredded carrots, and red cabbage. You can also substitute coleslaw if broccoli slaw mix is not available at your grocery store.
- Dried cranberries – may substitute raisins, dried cherries, or chopped dates
- Almonds – chopped, sliced or slivered. Sunflower seeds also work great for a nut-free option
- Red onion – may substitute yellow or green onions
- Ranch dressing or dressing of choice – try our dairy-free ranch or healthy homemade ranch. May substitute with your favorite creamy dressing or vinaigrette
- Salt and black pepper
- Optional: sliced green onions and/or chopped fresh herbs to mix in or to garnish like parsley, cilantro, chives, or basil
What about the dressing ingredients? The great thing about this recipe is that you can use any slaw dressing or creamy dressing. Our favorite dressing to use in this recipe is our dairy-free ranch.
Try one of these dressings to toss the salad in:
- Dairy-free Ranch Dressing
- Healthy Homemade Ranch Dressing
- Citrus Vinaigrette with Thyme
- Ginger Sesame Vinaigrette
Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.
How to make broccoli slaw recipe
The prep time for this salad is just few minutes. Easy recipes like this one makes eating real food and healthful meals possible. This recipe comes together fast taking a total time of less than 10 minutes.
Simply combine all of the ingredients in a large bowls and toss to combine well. We like to let it sit for at least 15 minutes before serving to really allow the ingredients to soak up the creamy dressing. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
For serving size and the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below. All of our recipes include the nutrition analysis, listing calories (kcals), protein, carbohydrates/carb, fiber, sugar, sodium, cholesterol, and more per serving.
Our Favorite Meal Prep Containers
These are our favorite meal-prep containers that we’ve been using for many years to pack away lunches and dinners that are ready to go. We love the airtight glass storage that is freezer-, microwave-, and dishwasher-safe and has lock-in-place lids. They sell out often, so snag an 8-pack set for yourself when they’re available!
Simple swaps and substitutions
While the recipe is perfect as it is, it’s also very versatile in that you can make it your own with what you have on hand or what sounds best to you. This Creamy Ranch Broccoli Slaw recipe is a true winner and we have a feeling it will soon become a go-to recipe of yours, too after you give it a try! Here are a few simple swap suggestions:
- Swap cabbage or coleslaw for the broccoli slaw.
- Swap any nuts or seed of choice for the slivered almonds. Use sunflower seeds for nut-free.
- Swap raisins or chopped dates for the dried cranberries.
- Use your favorite store-bought slaw dressing or any creamy dressing of choice. We like Primal Kitchen store-bought and you can get 20% off with code REALFOOD20. Our favorite dressing to make this salad with is our popular Dairy-free Ranch Dressing
- Add additional veggies you have kickin’ around in your fridge.
- Add fresh herbs like cilantro, basil, chives, or parsley to change up the flavor profile.
- Add feta cheese or crumbled goat cheese.
- Don’t care for red onion, simply omit them.
- Add a tablespoon apple cider vinegar, dijon, or lemon juice for a little zip
Follow the recipe as is or you can be your own recipe developer and use the recipe as a guideline! If you do create your own, let us know in the comments below how you changed this recipe. We love hearing of new recipes our community comes up with!
Broccoli Slaw: what is it, what are the Nutrition benefits, how to use it? We answer all of those questions and more below
Frequently Asked Questions
What is broccoli slaw made from?
Broccoli slaw is similar to coleslaw. It’s made from the broccoli stems and stalks that are ran through a food processor to make thin, julienned strips or matchsticks. Carrots and red cabbage are also commonly included. You can find packaged broccoli slaw mix in most grocery stores in the same section as other bagged and pre-chopped vegetable.
What are the benefits of broccoli slaw?
So often broccoli florets are the only part of the vegetable used. Using the stems to make a slaw is a great way to reduce food waste and enjoy all that broccoli has to offer. Broccoli slaw is also versatile in that can be enjoyed raw or cooked. Not only is it great in coleslaw-like salads, it can also be sautéed and added to dishes like egg scrambles and stir fry. Try our Egg Roll in a Bowl or Veggie-Loaded Chicken Pad Thai recipe. We also recommend serving it with our Pulled Pork recipe, Healthy Sloppy Joes, Crock Pot Pork Roast, or serve spaghetti sauce over sautéed broccoli slaw in place of noodles for a lower carb option.
What vitamins are in broccoli slaw?
As registered dietitians, we are big fans of broccoli. It’s a great source of several nutrients, including fiber, vitamin C, Vitamin K, Iron, and potassium. Read more about the nutrition benefits of broccoli here.
What’s the difference between broccoli slaw and coleslaw?
Coleslaw is traditionally made with cabbage (red or green) along with shredded carrots. Some varieties of coleslaw contain other vegetables, too! Broccoli slaw is made with shredded broccoli stems that replace the cabbage. In the mix you’ll also find a little cabbage and carrots.
What is the calorie count of broccoli slaw?
The amount of kcals in broccoli slaw mix will vary depending on what else is included in the mix. But the standard mix of broccoli, carrots, and cabbage contains 30 calories in 1 cup (85g).
How many carbs are in broccoli slaw?
One cup (85g)of broccoli slaw mix contains 5 grams of carbs and 3 grams of fiber which makes net carbs 2 grams. A great option for those you prefer lower carb eating.
Make it Dairy-free
To make this broccoli slaw salad recipe dairy-free, be sure to use a dairy-free dressing.
Make it Nut-Free
To make this recipe nut-free. Use sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds in place of the almond.
More Recipes with Broccoli Slaw
Recipe
5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star5 from 5 reviews
5-Ingredient Broccoli Slaw Recipe
Crisp broccoli slaw, toasted almonds, dried cranberries and creamy ranch dressing come together to create a quick and easy, delicious Broccoli Slaw recipe. It’s perfect for potlucks and summer cookouts and also makes a great side for busy weeknight meals. We love this slaw served over top of Pulled Pork or Healthy Sloppy Joes.
Prep: 10 minutesTotal: 10 minutes
Pin for LaterRate recipe
Servings: 6 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 bag (12 oz.) broccoli slaw
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins
- 1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted*
- 1/3 cup diced red onion
- 1/2–3/4 cup ranch dressing of choice (try our dairy-free ranch or healthy homemade ranch)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: sliced green onion and/or chopped fresh herbs of choice
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients.
- Mix well. Serve or place in fridge until ready to serve.
- Add additional dressing for a creamier salad if desired.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
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Notes
*To toast almonds: Place a small pan over medium heat. Add the almonds and stir occasionally. Remove almonds once they start to turn a golden brown. You’ll want to watch them closely as they can burn pretty easily.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe (about 2/3 cup)
- Calories: 205
- Fat: 16 g
- Sodium: 160 mg
- Carbohydrate: 14 g
- (Fiber: 3 g
- Sugar: 8 g)
- Protein: 3 g
Dietary
© The Real Food Dietitians
Recipe By: Stacie Hassing
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Stacie Hassing
Stacie is a Licensed and Registered Dietitian from rural southern Minnesota where she, her husband and three children reside with their dog. She’s a co-founder of The Real Food RDs and content creator of simple and wholesome recipes. She loves all kinds of fitness and has a passion to inspire as many as she can live a healthier and happier life both in and out of the kitchen - the driving force behind the co-development of the The Real Food RDs brand.
Reader Interactions
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Ann Jones says
Sooooo good quick and easy to make. Can eat as a snack or a side.
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Stacie Hassing says
Thank you for this great feedback Ann! We appreciate the 5-star review!
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Taylor says
Made this for a party, one of our friends has multiple food allergies and this worked perfectly! I swapped sunflower seeds for the almonds and used Primal Kitchen plant-based ranch (egg free). It was a hit!
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Stacie Hassing says
We love to hear this Taylor! Thank you for sharing this feedback and 5-star review!
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