Spinach Broccoli Salad

Mother's Day 2026. The annual tradition continues in this kitchen that has held every holiday since I started cooking through cancer and came out the other side with a cast iron skillet and a refusal to stop. I am 43 and Mother's Day means what it has always meant: too much food, the right people, and the gratitude spoken aloud because life taught me that gratitude unspoken is gratitude wasted.

The table is full. Mason (15) and Lily (13) are here, growing taller and more themselves with each passing year. Tom is here, beside me, where he has been since the day he showed up with wildflowers and patience and the quiet understanding that love is not a grand gesture but a daily one.

Brett is here — always here, every holiday, every Wednesday, the constant brother in the wheelchair who has been my anchor since we were children on a ranch that no longer exists. Kyle calls from wherever the Army has him, and his voice on the phone is the voice of the brother who left and came back and left again, and the leaving and returning is the rhythm of this family.

I made grilled salmon this week, because Mother's Day demands the food that says: I am here, you are here, we are together, and together is the only word that matters. The recipe is the same as last year and the year before and all the years stretching back to the ranch kitchen where Diane stood at 6 AM making cinnamon rolls for a family that ate them without knowing they were eating love. I know now. I've always known. And I make the food and serve it and watch my family eat and think: this. This is why I survived. For this table. For this food. For these people. For this.

The salmon always gets the attention — and it should — but after years of cooking this meal for Mother’s Day, I can tell you that what keeps people coming back to the table is this salad. It’s the green beside the pink, the crisp beside the smoky, and it has sat next to the salmon at every one of these celebrations long enough to have earned a permanent place. I make it the way I make everything now: without shortcuts, without apology, and with the full knowledge that the people eating it deserve the best version I can give them.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 0 min | Total Time: 15 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

6 cups fresh baby spinach, washed and dried
2 cups broccoli florets, cut small
1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup sunflower seeds or sliced almonds
1/4 cup crumbled bacon (about 4 strips, cooked and cooled)
1/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper until smooth and fully combined. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to use.
Prep the vegetables. Place the baby spinach in a large serving bowl. Add the broccoli florets and sliced red onion. If the broccoli florets are large, cut them into bite-sized pieces so they distribute evenly through the salad.
Add the toppings. Scatter the dried cranberries, sunflower seeds (or almonds), crumbled bacon, and shredded cheddar cheese over the spinach and broccoli.
Dress and toss. Pour the dressing over the salad just before serving. Toss gently but thoroughly to coat all of the greens and vegetables. Do not overdress — start with half the dressing and add more as needed.
Serve immediately. This salad is best served right after dressing. If making ahead, keep the dressing separate and toss together at the table.

Nutrition (per serving)

Spinach Broccoli Salad — The Side Dish That Has Earned Its Place at Every Mother’s Day Table