Light & Easy Broccoli Salad
This lightened up broccoli salad is easy, refreshing, and tasty! Made with fresh broccoli, raisins, nuts, and a creamy dairy-free dressing.
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Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 head broccoli cut into florets, about 4 cups chopped
- ¼ cup red onion thinly sliced
- 1 small carrot julienned or shredded
- ¼ cup nuts or seeds
- ¼ cup raisins
- ¼ cup chopped vegan bacon or
vegan feta optional
Dressing
- ¼ cup vegan mayo1
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tsp mustard
- ½ tsp dried parsley or 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- ½ tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Par-cook broccoli (optional): Add broccoli to a microwave-safe dish with about a tablespoon of water. Cover and microwave for 1½-2 minutes until crisp-tender, not soft. You want it to retain some crunch! OR you can blanch the broccoli in boiling water for 60 seconds. Drain, rinse in cold water, and set aside to cool in a colander for about 10 minutes.Tip: You can skip this step if you prefer raw broccoli. The dressing should soften the broccoli a bit, but it will be crunchier than par-cooked broccoli.
- Make dressing: Whisk all dressing ingredients together. Add a splash of dairy-free milk or water if needed to thin the dressing.
- Soak red onions: Add red onions to the dressing and let soak for about 10 minutes while the broccoli cools. This will help remove the raw bite of the onions. You can also soak them in some lemon juice or cold water if you prefer.
- Mix: Dry the broccoli with a towel then add to a large bowl along with the carrots, nuts/seeds, raisins, and vegan bacon or feta (if using). Pour the dressing with the onions over and toss well to combine. Taste and add more salt, pepper, or lemon juice as desired.
Notes
1) Vegan Mayo: Try my Japanese mayo or cashew mayo, or use an equal amount of dairy-free yogurt like cashew yogurt. You can also use half the amount of tahini, and thin the dressing with a tablespoon or two of water as needed.