• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Pith And Rind
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Substack
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Substack
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • About
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Substack
  • ×
    • creamy hummus in a blender
      Basic Hummus
    • lemon truffle dressing in mason jar with lemons in the background
      The Simplest Lemon Truffle Dressing You Can Put on Pretty Much Anything
    • roselle on black plate with decorative leaf and woven background
      Roselle and Eggplant Dish
    • matcha latte in blak cup on wood background
      The Double Matcha Latte I Drink Every Day
    • golden caramelized bananas in black pan
      Caramelized Bananas: A One-Ingredient Dessert
    • Crispy, Cheesy, Roasted Broccoli Rabe
    • honey buttermilk basil key limes and beets on white background
      Buttermilk Basil Beet Sorbet
    • two glasses of soursop juice champola de guanabana
      Vegan Soursop Juice (Champola de Guanábana)
    • peanut butter cookies on a white plate in the foreground and in the background
      Magically Disappearing No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookies
    • lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and peppers in creamy dressing
      A Simple Side Salad with Perfect Creamy Mustard Dressing
    • a slice of blueberry tart in front of the whole blueberry tart
      All-Blueberry Tart with Key Lime and Cardamom
    • baked sweet potatoes topped with pesto and cheese
      Baked Sweet Potatoes with Mesclun Greens Pesto
    Home » Recipes » Vegetarian

    Updated Broccoli Salad

    September 29, 2022 by Casey

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    Who says healthy food can’t taste good, too? This broccoli salad is here to prove that wrong.

    I know what usually comes to mind when we hear “broccoli salad.” Hardly healthy at all, the traditional salad features mayonnaise dressing, crumbled bacon, cheddar cheese, and fresh broccoli. My sister (and guest writer for Pith and Rind!) makes a mean version.

    But if you’re branching out, I highly recommend this updated version. No less filled with goodies, it’s lighter on the animal products. And since the broccoli is roasted, not raw, you don’t have to slather the veggie in dressing. A simple vinaigrette does the job.

    Step 1: roast the broccoli

    Water-roasting broccoli is one of the best-kept secrets. Simply wash your broccoli florets and put them straight onto the baking sheet without drying. Bake them in a 400-degree oven for 15 minutes.

    Not only does this method keep the broccoli crisp by preventing it from soaking in too much oil, but it also results in a charred surface and a “roasted” flavor. If I’m making broccoli in salad form, this is the method I use so I can be liberal with the dressing. No one loves an oil-drenched vegetable.

    Step 2: making the vinaigrette

    For this dressing, add a slightly zippier ratio of olive oil to vinegar: 4 tablespoons avocado oil, 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar. Complete the dressing with 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 clove grated garlic, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Whisk well to emulsify.

    Pro tip: keep red wine vinegar in your cabinet for posterity. It’s tangy but just sweet enough to bring out the flavor of a green vegetable like broccoli. And I love how it tastes with parmesan cheese.

    Step 3: put it together and what have you got?

    Bibbity… anyway….

    Once your broccoli has cooled to room temperature, throw it in a bowl and work on your fixings. Here’s where a little extra effort goes a long way.

    Roast your walnuts then coarsely chop them: That’s right. Just throw them in a dry skillet over medium, and wait until you smell something wonderful, or until their outsides are ever so slightly charred.

    Chop them and wait until they’re cool to throw them onto the salad.

    Shave ½ cup of parmesan cheese:

    You can use a block grater or a paring knife to scrape thin slices of cheese. I prefer this method because it produces a saltier, more intense bite than thinly grated cheese.

    Add ½ cup of golden raisins to your salad.

    Admittedly, I added WAY too many raisins on the first go-round–a whole cup! By the end of the salad, all the broccoli was gone, and I was eating trail-mix salad. So this time, I capped it at half a cup!

    Finely chop half a red onion and add it to the salad. Toss and dress to taste.

    I suggest adding half of the dressing and then get the lay of the land. You want a dressing that adheres nicely to the food without pooling at the bottom. Add an extra dash of kosher salt and/or pepper, and you’re ready to go!

    In sum, I love this version of broccoli salad, even next to the classic summer picnic version. It’s edible proof that, sometimes, you can improve on a good thing! I hope you enjoy this update as much as I did.

    Looking for a different salad to bring the flavor? Check out one of these:

    • Fresh corn salad with tomatillos, tomatoes, and ancho chili dressing
    • Squash blossom salad
    • Orange, fennel, and black olive salad
    • Watermelon salad with mint and watercress
    • The kale salad, deconstructed
    • Pesto couscous with roasted cherry tomatoes
    • Crispy tofu quinoa salad
    Print
    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
    close up broccoli onion golden raisins parmesan

    Updated Broccoli Salad

    ★★★★★ 5 from 1 review
    • Author: Casey
    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Cook Time: 15 minutes
    • Total Time: 30 minutes
    • Yield: 4 servings 1x
    • Category: salad
    • Method: roasting
    • Cuisine: California
    • Diet: Vegetarian
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    A healthier, veg-ier twist on a classic picnic salad, featuring red wine vinaigrette and roasted broccoli.


    Ingredients

    Scale

    For the Dressing

    • 4 tablespoons avocado oil, or another light oil*
    • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar**
    • 1 clove garlic, grated
    • 1 tablespoon honey
    • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

    For the Salad

    • 1 head broccoli
    • ½ cup raisins
    • ½ cup red onion, finely diced
    • ½ cup walnuts, lightly roasted and chopped
    • ½ cup Parmesan cheese, flaked

    Instructions

    For the dressing

    1. Whisk all ingredients together.

    For the salad:

    1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Chop the broccoli into bite-sized florets and wash under water.
    2. Don’t dry the broccoli. Simply add it to a baking tray and put it in the oven for 15 minutes, or until it’s charred on the underside.
    3. When the broccoli is at room temperature, add it to a medium bowl with the other ingredients.
    4. Whisk the vinaigrette and pour half over the salad. Taste the salad. If you’d like more vinaigrette, then add it to your liking.
    5. Season with extra pepper and chill until ready to serve. Eat the same day.

    Notes

    *I’ve been using avocado oil since I became more conscious of cholesterol-moderating foods! I love a great tasting health boost, as you probably can tell. 😉 You can also use another light oil as a substitute.

    **Champagne vinegar could be a great substitute here.

    Keywords: vegetarian, broccoli salad, roasted vegetables, California, salads, healthy, vinaigrette, broccoli, vegetarian comfort food

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @pithandrind on Instagram and hashtag it #pithandrind

    More Vegetarian

    • bulgur wheat cherries yogurt topped with apples and coconut
      Cherry Almond Overnight Bulgur: A Hearty Breakfast
    • blue moon milk
      Blue Moon Milk
    • strawberry moon milk rose petals on wood
      The Strawberry Moon Milk Recipe That Will Remind You of Childhood
    • Waldorf salad
      Grown-Up Wild Rice Waldorf with Arugula and Goji Berries

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Brenda

      September 29, 2022 at 6:27 pm

      Great recipe 👌

      ★★★★★

      • Casey

        October 01, 2022 at 7:43 pm

        Thanks, Brenda! 🙂

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Casey, the founder and creator of Pith and Rind! Welcome to your home for delicious recipes showcasing whole ingredients, ancient grains, rich fruits and vegetables, and so much more! You'll find recipes here that are naturally plant-based, often gluten free, mostly healthy, and always fresh.

    About me

    Popular

    • turkey meatballs and smoky yogurt sauce on plate
      Zucchini Turkey Meatballs with Smoky Yogurt Sauce

    • apple muffins
      100% Whole Grain Apple Muffins

    • vegetarian sushi
      Everyday Vegetarian Sushi

    • banana pudding
      Banana Pudding is Never Sweet Enough

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About Me

    Subscribe

    Contact

    Copyright © 2023 PITH AND RIND