Are you tired of the same old boring salads? Looking for a fun and delicious way to incorporate more veggies into your diet? Look no further than this ultimate broccoli salad recipe! Bursting with flavour and made with a homemade mayonnaise or homemade yoghurt (if oil free), this salad is guaranteed to be a hit with everyone.
Another great broccoli salad idea is to make a broccoli slaw! Or if it's a delicious healthy salad side dish that you are after, then why not try this creamy vegan potato salad, this edamame salad recipe, or this creamy vegan coleslaw recipe!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Whether you're a broccoli lover or not, this recipe will change your mind. With the perfect combination of crisp broccoli florets, crunchy almonds, sweet dried dates, and a creamy dressing, every bite is a burst of deliciousness!
Broccoli Salad is Healthy AND Delicious!
This salad is not only a treat for your taste buds but also a powerhouse of nutrients. Broccoli is loaded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that promote overall health and wellbeing. So why settle for a boring salad when you can have a mouthwatering and nutritious creation that will impress even the pickiest eaters? Get ready to take your salad game to a whole new level with this ultimate broccoli salad recipe!
Step by Step Instructions For This Broccoli Salad Recipe
Gather The Ingredients
To make this healthy and deliciously creamy broccoli salad recipe, you will need the following:
- 1 broccoli head
- ½ red onion
- ¼ red cabbage
- ½ cup roasted almonds
To make the broccoli salad dressing you will need the following:
- 1 cup of homemade mayonnaise. I recommend that you use my 4 ingredient, 30 second mayonnaise recipe (it's seriously the best!). Alternatively, if you want an oil free broccoli salad, you can use yoghurt instead. I recommend that you use my homemade coconut yogurt recipe OR you can use any store-bought unsweetened yoghurt such as soy yogurt or greek yoghurt
- 3 tablespoon red wine vinegar (can be substituted for white vinegar or balsamic vinegar)
- ¼ cup of tahini (runny is best)
- ¼ cup date syrup (can be substituted for agave or maple syrup)
Step By Step Instructions For Broccoli Salad
To make this vegan broccoli salad:
- Wash the broccoli head and remove any rough pieces. Note that we are using the whole stalk so you don't want to remove too much. Usually the only part that requires removing is a small slither off the end of the stalk. The rest you want to keep!
- Slice the broccoli into large florets.
- Slice each floret into thin long pieces. Keep the broccoli heads on. Make sure any chunky pieces of the stems are sliced thinly. Some pieces will be stem only or broccoli head only, this is okay. Add all of the sliced broccoli to a large bowl.
- Slice the red onion lengthways, creating half rings.
- Slice the red cabbage lengthways and chop in half once. This is to achieve long skinny red cabbage pieces (refer to photo).
- Remove the pits from the dates and slice into tiny pieces.
- Add all ingredients to a bowl and pour salad dressing on top. Toss until well combined with the salad dressing.
To make the broccoli salad dressing:
- Add mayonnaise (or yoghurt if using oil free alternative), tahini, date syrup, and red wine vinegar to a bowl and mix untill well combined.
Expert Tips
- Leave a small amount of almonds, dates, and red cabbage for sprinkling on top. This makes the salad look a lot more appetising, which is important if its made for guests or for a BBQ!
Variations and Substitutions For The Recipe
- To make this an oil free broccoli salad, substitute the mayonnaise for a non sweetened yoghurt such as greek yoghurt, soy yoghurt, or coconut yoghurt. If using a sweetened yoghurt you can simply reduce the amount of date syrup used.
- Any type of nut can be used in this recipe. I love using almonds, but other great choices include pistachios, walnuts, pine nuts or even roasted cashews.
- Date syrup has a unique flavour, but the addition to this salad is really just for its sweetness. Therefore it can be substituted for agave syrup, maples syrup, or even honey.
- Prefer a less sweet salad? This salad tastes great with no date syrup added at all too. It really depends on your tastebuds. Reduce the amount as needed or completely remove if needed!
- Great substitutions for the dates includes dried cranberries or sultanas (although dates are definitely my favourite!)
Storing and Preserving Homemade Broccoli Salad
Remember to store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The salad will keep well for up to 2-3 days, but it is best enjoyed fresh. Before serving any leftover salad, give it a quick toss to redistribute the dressing and ensure that it is evenly coated.
I hope you enjoyed this broccoli salad recipe!
If you really loved it (or didn't!) then I'd love to know! Please leave me a review and ask me any questions below!
Broccoli Salad
Ingredients
- 1 broccoli head
- ½ red onion
- ¼ red cabbage
- ½ cup roasted almonds
- 20 small dates, pitted this is approx 10-15 Medjool dates
Salad Dressing
- 1 cup homemade vegan mayonnaise refer to blog notes for 30 second, 4 ingredient recipe
- 3 tablespoon red wine vinegar can also use white vinegar or balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup tahini runny tahini works best
- ¼ cup date syrup
Instructions
- Wash the broccoli head and remove any rough pieces. Note that we are using the whole stalk so you don't want to remove too much. Usually the only part that requires removing is a small slither off the end of the stalk. The rest you want to keep!
- Slice the broccoli into large florets.
- Slice each floret into thin long pieces. Keep the broccoli heads on. Make sure any chunky pieces of the stems are sliced thinly. Some pieces will be stem only or broccoli head only, this is okay. Add all of the sliced broccoli to a large bowl.
- Slice the red onion lengthways, creating half rings.
- Slice the red cabbage lengthways and chop in half once. This is to achieve long skinny red cabbage pieces (refer to photo).
- Remove the pits from the dates and slice into tiny pieces
- Add all ingredients to a bowl and pour salad dressing on top. Toss until well combined with the salad dressing.
Dressing
- Add mayonnaise (or yoghurt if using oil free alternative), tahini, date syrup, and red wine vinegar to a bowl and mix untill well combined.
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