Crunchy, refreshing, tangy broccoli salad! This is a salad for when you’re wanting something a bit different to add some bite to your plate.
This is a great side dish, or to make as a meal prep for your lunch. It’s full of healthy ingredients. With pickled red onion, apple cider vinegar, as well as caramelised crunchy almond and pumpkin seeds.
Health Fact: Broccoli is often praised as a nutritional powerhouse, and is the star ingredient in this salad. This salad is rich in vitamins (C, K, B), minerals (potassium and magnesium), and fibre. Broccoli is great for immune function, skin health, as well as aiding the body in absorbing iron.
Ingredients:
- Broccoli: in this salad the broccoli is going to be kept raw and chopped up very small. The majority of the stalk will be discarded due to its woodiness, but the upper part of the stem where it branches will also be used.
- Red Onion: before starting the salad, the first step will be to dice up the red onion and pickle it. These too are good for your body with antioxidants, such as quercetin which can help with high blood pressure and your heart.
- Garlic: this broccoli salad has raw garlic in it which gives it a nice zing. It also has antioxidant benefits and anti-inflammatory properties.
- Almonds: this recipe uses slivered almonds to give a nice texture that blends in well. They add a nice nuttiness to the salad, and are a great source of protein.
- Pumpkin Seeds: these are going to be combined with the almonds during caramelisation. Pumpkin seeds contain a good balance of healthy fats, as well as magnesium and zinc.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: well known in the health food community. It has many benefits including gut health and skin health. Used here for both pickling, and the salad dressing.
- Olive oil: another element to the dressing, olive oil is rich in healthy fats. If you wanted to take the extra step, you could use extra virgin olive oil which is full of antioxidants like vitamin E.
- Mayonnaise: used in a small quantity to help balance out the vinegar flavours.
- Wholegrain mustard: a great flavour enhancer in the dressing, add to the texture as well.
- Maple Syrup: probably the most unhealthy aspect to the recipe. Used as the combining agent when caramelising the almonds and pumpkin seeds. Also, used lightly in the dressing to aid the mayonnaise in balancing the vinegar flavours.
- Soy sauce: I used gluten free soy sauce, you could use regular, or substitute it with coconut aminos. This is used with the maple syrup when caramelising the almonds and pumpkin seed, it gives a nice light saltiness.
- Smoked Paprika: used to seasoning the almond and pumpkin seeds. To give them a slight smokiness, which adds some depth to the salad.
How to make this delicious broccoli salad:
Make the pickled onions.
Finely chop the red onion. In a small bowl add the red onion, along with two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and one tablespoon of sugar. Stir these then set aside to pickle slightly whilst preparing the rest of the salad.
Chop the broccoli.
For this broccoli salad recipe you will need to chop the broccoli into upper and lower halves. Discard the lower half, unfortunately this is too woody to eat raw. Cut the upper portion into small bite size florets. Thinly slice any broccoli stalk that remains.
Make the broccoli salad dressing.
To make the dressing for this broccoli salad combine the olive oil, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, crushed garlic, and salt to taste. Use a spoon or small whisk to mix until it is all combined.
Combine fresh ingredients.
To the bowl with the dressing add the chopped broccoli, and drained pickled red onion. Toss the broccoli and red onion to coat in the dressing.
Caramelise the almonds and pumpkin seeds.
In a small bowl, add the slivered almonds and pumpkin seeds. Coat these in the remaining two tablespoons of maple syrup, soy sauce, and smoked paprika. Mix until they are all completely coated. Add the bowls contents to a medium heat pan, and leave to caramelise. Leave until deep in colour – be careful not to burn them. After they have finished caramelising, set aside for a few minutes to cool.
Final touch to the broccoli salad.
To complete the salad, break up the cooled almonds and pumpkin seeds (the most likely have clumped together due to the maple syrup). Sprinkle these over top or mix into the salad.
Why you should make this broccoli salad:
- Delicious and nutrient rich: this broccoli salad is a great choice because it combines a variety of flavourful ingredients, whilst also nutritional.
- Unique flavours: unlike many broccoli salads, which are just doused in mayonnaise, this recipe has a unique combination of ingredients. Flavours such as wholegrain mustard, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, and soy sauce help to create its well balanced flavour profile. Both tangy, refreshing, and slightly smoky.
- Versatility: the beauty of this salad is its adaptability. Whether you’d like less sweetness or more smokiness, you can adjust the ingredients to suit your personal preference.
What else can I add to the broccoli salad?
If you feel like bulking the salad up a bit, you’re in luck because it is a great salad to customise. Additions could include dried cranberry, feta cheese, or bacon for additional textures.
Dietary Substitute:
While this salad is already gluten free, dairy free, and vegetarian, if you’re looking to make it vegan the only thing you will need to substitute is the mayonnaise. I’ve seen many egg-free and vegan mayonnaise options at the supermarket, or you could opt to increase the amount of olive oil in the dressing.
Storage:
The broccoli salad should be stored in an airtight container, or bowl in the fridge. If stored properly, it can last around 3-5 days. The longer you leave it in the fridge the less fresh it is going to taste. If you are reaching the 5 day mark, be sure to check for discolouration or any off smells.
More vegetarian recipes:
Alrighty, let’s make this delicious broccoli salad! For a side dish, meal prep, or just on its own, it’s perfect.
Broccoli Salad
Ingredients
- 2 heads broccoli
- 1 red onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp sugr
- 4 tsp maple syrup (split in half between dressing and caramelising)
- 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 70 grams slivered almonds
- 100 grams pumpkin seeds
- 1 tsp paprika
Instructions
- Finely chop the red onion. In a small bowl add the red onion, along with two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and one tablespoon of sugar. Stir these then set aside to pickle slightly whilst preparing the rest of the salad.
- Discard the lower half of the broccoli, unfortunately this is too woody to eat raw. Cut the upper portion into small bite size florets. Thinly slice any stalk that is left on the upper half.
- To make the dressing for this broccoli salad combine the olive oil, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, crushed garlic, and salt to taste. Use a spoon or small whisk to mix until it is all combined.
- To the bowl with the dressing add the chopped broccoli, and drained pickled red onion. Toss the broccoli and red onion to coat in the dressing.
- In a small bowl, add the slivered almonds and pumpkin seeds. Coat these in the remaining two tablespoons of maple syrup, soy sauce, and smoked paprika.
- Add the bowls contents to a medium heat pan, and leave to caramelise. Leave until deep in colour – be careful not to burn them. After they have finished caramelising, set aside for a few minutes to cool.
- To complete the salad, break up the cooled almonds and pumpkin seeds. Sprinkle these over top or mix into the salad.
