For those who occurred to develop up within the Midwest like I did, you’re most likely all too conversant in basic mayo-and-bacon-filled broccoli salads. Oh yeah, those your loved ones members delivered to summer season BBQs that, as a child, chances are you’ll or could not have been afraid of.
A couple of years again I made it my mission to create a recent, scrumptious, lightened up tackle conventional broccoli salad with out mayo and all of that additional *glop*. This lovely wholesome broccoli salad was all the things I may dream of and extra. It’s crunchy, a lil’ candy, a lil’ savory, and it occurs to be vegan (AKA no mayo concerned).
Abra and I snacked on this broccoli salad all day lengthy after perfecting it as a result of it was SO flavorful and satisfying. With fiber and wholesome fat, that is the right lunch to maintain you full throughout the week, and it’s assured to impress family and friends at your subsequent summer season BBQ.
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Conventional broccoli salad simply received a makeover
That’s proper, this wholesome broccoli salad takes the mayo-filled one you grew up on and turns it into the tremendous recent salad of your desires. Conventional broccoli salad usually has bacon, raisins, some form of nut or seed, and a dressing made with mayonnaise, vinegar, and sugar. We’re skipping the mayo and added sugar and filling this gentle and simple broccoli salad with recent blueberries, crunchy nuts, and a creamy, tahini-based dressing. Belief me, chances are you’ll by no means return to the outdated model!
Components on this wholesome broccoli salad
This wholesome broccoli salad is loaded with recent fruits and veggies that make it good for summer season. It’s tossed in a brilliant gentle, flavorful dressing that you simply’ll actually need to drizzle on all the things. Significantly, I add it to grain bowls, quinoa salads, wraps, and all the things in between. Listed below are the primary substances we’re working with:
- For the produce: we’re utilizing broccoli (in fact), blueberries, carrots, pink onion, cilantro & parsley.
- For the mix-ins: some toasted, sliced almonds, dried apricots and roasted sunflower seeds add crunch, pure sweetness and a bit saltiness.
- For the dressing: you’ll want pure, drippy tahini (we love this one — use the code ‘ambitiouskitchen’ for 10% off your order!), garlic, lemon juice, pure maple syrup, a bit water and loads of salt & pepper. Mayo, who?!
Easy ingredient swaps
Out of some issues? Right here’s what I can suggest for substituting on this straightforward broccoli salad recipe:
- Strive a brand new veggie: I feel this salad would even be scrumptious with shredded brussels sprouts and even kale.
- Select your mix-ins: be at liberty to swap in any nuts or seeds you’d like, in addition to dried cranberries, cherries or chopped Medjool dates for the apricots.
- Regulate the dressing: for those who don’t have any tahini, pure cashew butter could be an important swap for holding the dressing creamy.
Wanting so as to add a lift of protein?
There are tons of scrumptious methods so as to add protein to this wholesome broccoli salad! Strive including:
- 1 can of chickpeas or 1 cup of cooked quinoa to maintain it plant-based
- Grilled rooster
- Grilled shrimp or salmon
- Crispy bacon would even be scrumptious, identical to in conventional broccoli salads!
Do I must prepare dinner the broccoli?
Nope! This wholesome broccoli salad makes use of uncooked broccoli and is scrumptious eaten that method because the dressing marinates it properly. For those who’re delicate to uncooked veggies like broccoli, be at liberty to blanch it first.
Find out how to toast almonds for this broccoli salad
- Place sliced almonds in a nonstick pan over medium warmth.
- Use a wood spoon to persistently stir the almonds till they get good and golden. This could take 3-6 minutes.
- As soon as performed, take away from warmth and switch to a plate to chill, then add the almonds to your salad!
A couple of suggestions for making this wholesome broccoli salad
- Chop your veggies small. Make sure you chop your broccoli and cube your pink onion tremendous finely so that you simply get bursts of taste in each chunk. Having all the things finely chopped can even assist the dressing to coat each piece.
- Sweeten the dressing as you go. The dressing will be tailored to be as candy as you’d like. We suggest 1/2 tablespoon of maple syrup for this broccoli salad, however style as you go and alter as wanted.
- Meal prep it or feed a crowd. Be at liberty to double and even triple this recipe to feed a crowd or to take pleasure in for lunches all week lengthy!
Retailer it for later
The most effective half about this salad is that it will get even higher over time because it marinates within the scrumptious tahini dressing. Retailer it in an hermetic container (or a couple of meal prep containers like these) within the fridge for as much as 5 days and revel in all of it week lengthy! It’s fantastic for each events and meal prep, and it’s nice for making the evening earlier than.
Extra wholesome salads to attempt
Get all of our scrumptious salad recipes right here!
I hope you like this wholesome broccoli salad recipe! For those who make it you should definitely depart a remark and a ranking so I understand how you preferred it. Take pleasure in, xo!
Wholesome Summer season Broccoli Salad

Wholesome broccoli salad recipe made with easy substances like recent blueberries, carrots, candy dried apricots, toasted almonds and crunchy sunflower seeds. This straightforward, vegan and dairy free broccoli salad is made with out mayo, is tossed in a light-weight tahini dressing, and is ideal for summer season events or meal prep!
Components
- For the salad:
-
5-6
cups
recent broccoli florets (from 1 head of broccoli), VERY finely chopped -
1 ¼
cups
recent blueberries -
1
cup
shredded or matchstick reduce carrots -
½
cup
chopped dried turkish apricots (search for no sulfur added) or sub dried cherries/cranberries -
1/3
cup
finely diced pink onion -
½
cup
finely chopped recent cilantro -
¼
cup
finely chopped flat leaf parsley -
½
cup
toasted sliced almonds* -
¼
cup
roasted sunflower seeds - For the dressing:
-
3
tablespoons
drippy tahini -
½
lemon, juiced (about 2 tablespoons recent lemon juice) -
2-3
tablespoons
heat water, to skinny dressing -
½
tablespoon
pure maple syrup -
1
garlic clove, minced -
¼
teaspoon
salt, plus extra to style - Freshly floor black pepper
Directions
-
In a big bowl, add finely chopped broccoli, blueberries, carrots, diced apricots, pink onion, cilantro, parsley, toasted almonds and sunflower seeds. Put aside.
-
Make the dressing by whisking collectively the next substances in a small bowl: tahini, lemon juice, water, maple syrup, garlic and salt and pepper. Instantly drizzle over salad and toss to mix. Garnish with additional toasted almonds and cilantro. Serve instantly or place within the fridge for later. Salad will preserve effectively as much as 5 days and is nice when made forward of time.
Recipe Notes
To toast your personal almonds: Place sliced almonds in a nonstick pan over medium warmth. Use a wood spoon to persistently stir the almonds till they get good and golden. This could take 3-6 minutes. As soon as performed, take away from warmth and switch to a plate to chill.
To retailer: retailer it in an hermetic container (or a couple of meal prep containers like these) for as much as 5 days and revel in all week lengthy! It is fantastic for each events and meal prep, and it is nice for making the evening earlier than.
See the total put up for suggestions, tips, and simple methods to customise this salad.
Diet
Servings: 4 servings
Serving dimension: 1 serving (primarily based on 4)
Energy: 329kcal
Fats: 18.5g
Saturated fats: 2.1g
Carbohydrates: 37g
Fiber: 11.1g
Sugar: 19.3g
Protein: 11.7g
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Bold Kitchen | Images by: Eat Love Eats
This put up was initially revealed on June 18th, 2019, and republished on Might twenty first, 2023.