Broccoli Salad with Thai Peanut Dressing (Vegan, Gluten Free)
This lettuce-free salad is still full of green goodness, thanks to one of my favorite vegetables. Broccoli is the crunchy base for this delicious salad, and it’s the perfect vehicle for a creamy Thai peanut dressing!
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – peanut sauce makes everything better. I’m always looking for new ways to add it to my meals. This salad was inspired by the Raw Broccoli salad I had at one I had at one of my favorite NYC restaurants, Emily. My sister and I dined there on one of my last nights living in the city and shared a meal. I left the restaurant equally as excited about their broccoli salad as I was their pizza!
This broccoli salad includes dried cherries and peanuts, just like at Emily. I also added edamame for an added boost of plant-based protein! Everything is coated in the creamiest blanket of peanut dressing. This dish is also a great meal prep recipe. It’s quick and easy to make, and it holds up well in the fridge for a few days.
Broccoli and Cruciferous Vegetables
Broccoli just might be my all-time favorite vegetable. One reason I love it is because it holds onto sauces and dressings so well. It also has so many health benefits! Broccoli is part of the cruciferous vegetable family, which also includes kale, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels sprouts. Cruciferous vegetables are rich in fiber, so they help keep us full. They are also excellent sources of many vitamins and minerals, including folate, and vitamins A, C, and K. Cruciferous vegetables also contain phytonutrients called glucosinolates. These compounds have antioxidant effects, lowering inflammation in our bodies. Glucosinolates have been associated with preventing certain types of cancer. I strive to include 1-2 cruciferous vegetables in my diet each week!
A Few Recipe Notes
- Blanching broccoli keeps it crunchy and crisp, while bringing out the vibrant green color we love to see.
- Dry your blanched broccoli very well so the sauce coats everything evenly – don’t skip this step!
- Other dried fruit, such as raisins, cranberries, or chopped dates, would work well to replace dried cherries.
Broccoli Salad with Thai Peanut Dressing (Vegan, Gluten Free)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Side Dishes
Description
A lettuce-free salad that still packs a nutritional punch, thanks to broccoli. Paired with the best peanut dressing, this salad is addicting!
Ingredients
- 2 heads broccoli, cut into florets
- 1 cup frozen edamame
- 2 scallions, sliced
- 1/3 cup dried cherries
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
Peanut Dressing
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 tbsp low sodium tamari
- 2 tbsp cold water
- Juice of half a lime
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1–2 tsp chili paste
- 1 tbsp mauka honey
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- ¼ cup creamy natural peanut butter
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the broccoli by boiling for 2 minutes, then immediately drain plunge it into an ice bath.
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add edamame and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- Whisk together all peanut dressing ingredients until smooth and well combined.
- Use a clean dish towel to dry broccoli as much as possible.
- Mix together broccoli, edamame, scallions, dried cherries and sesame seeds. Add 2/3 of the peanut dressing and toss to coat evenly (save remaining dressing for another dish).
If you love this recipe, you may also like
- Tofu Summer Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce
- Peanut Tofu Vermicelli Rice Noodle Bowls with Quick Pickled Veggies
- Butternut Squash and Cauliflower Chana Masala
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