It’s the simple things in life that make it into my regular rotation and this raw broccoli salad is one of those things. Yes, one of THOSE things. This easy recipe for broccoli is 10/10 in every way—easy to make in just 10 minutes, uses just broccoli and cabbage, but then dresses it all up with a sprinkling of scallions, almonds and dried cherries….but it’s the miso dressing that pulls it together in the most delicious way. Bonus: this is one of those dishes that gets better as it sits, making day 2 and day 3 even yummier.
I’m not an alarmist, but when I go to a gathering and the only nutritious choice is laden with mayo, the alarm bells go off in my head. The mayo-laden broccoli salad is from my mother’s generation….same with the one that uses the ramen noodles and the msg-laden seasoning packet. Nope. No. Not for me.
I do love a good broccoli salad….but I also like my veggies fresh, crisp and adorned with something less inflammatory, thank you very much. Enter this beauty of a pot-luck salad…one of those “it” dishes you can take anywhere, and for good reasons: vibrant, crunchy, sweet, tangy, crisp, creamy, stunning and delicious.
Try it this weekend, before your next outing–it’s the perfect side to an awesome veggie burger and sweet potato fries–and then bring it everywhere you go all summer…passing along the link to the recipe when asked….I know you’re a people pleaser, just like me!
Ingredients and Tips
- Broccoli: Buy crowns and see my photos for expert tips on trimming into small, bite-sized florets. If you’re short on time, go to the salad bar and see if they’ve already done the trimming for you. You can even buy a bag of broccoli slaw if you want an easy dump the ingredients salad recipe. However, don’t sub with frozen broccoli….it will not taste crisp and vibrant, which is what this salad is all about.
- Dried cherries: if you can’t find unsweetened and unsulfured, then choose a different fruit. Raisins, dried cranberries….whatever you can find that doesn’t have added sugars or oils….just dried fruit. Nothing else.
Make the Miso Dressing
I find an immersion blender to be the best (and easiest) tool to create a smooth and creamy dressing. You could also use a whisk, a small blender or food processor.
Gather miso, mustard, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup and olive oil in a tall sided jar.
Blend well. Pour in 2 tablespoons water. Blend again, until uniform in pourable, creamy consistency.
Make the salad
Cut thin slices through the stems of the broccoli.
Cut those discs into smaller pieces and then separate the crown into small, bite sized florets with a sharp knife.
Thinly slice the cabbage into strips or shred it with a vegetable peeler. You’ll get about 1.5 cups shredded out of ¼ head, depending on the size of the cabbage and how compact it is.
Thinly slice the white and green parts of the green onions.
Place the prepped veggies plus the nuts and dried fruit into a large salad bowl. Pour half the dressing onto the salad.
Mix well, so that all ingredients have some dressing.
Add half the remaining dressing and mix again. Continue with the rest of the dressing, mixing to thoroughly combine.
Debra’s Pro Tips
- Don’t overthink the cutting of the veggies. Grab them already done on the salad bar, or do it yourself…..think bite sized pieces….it’s all good!
- Save time: buy already toasted, sliced almonds or sunflower seeds…look for dry toasted with no oils.
- Save money: toast raw nuts in a dry fry pan, shaking vigorously so they don’t burn…it will take 3 minutes. Use your fave nut or seed…doesn’t matter, they’ll all be toasty/crunchy and create the vibe we’re going for.
- Prep and let sit in the dressing for a few hours before serving to give everything a chance to soften and soak up the flavors.
- This will stay good in the fridge all week, in an airtight container….perfect for those WFH days when you just have no time to make lunch, but don’t want to head into the afternoon zoom hangry.
Did you know commenting and rating recipes is one of the best ways to support your favorite food bloggers? If you made this recipe, please consider a five star rating below and leave a comment. Also, please share your photos on instagram by tagging me @dkhealthcoach and using the hashtag #debraklein
📖 Recipe
Raw Broccoli Salad with Miso Dressing
Equipment
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 lb. broccoli about 5 cups florets
- 1 cup chopped cabbage
- 3 scallions thinly sliced
- ½ cup sliced almonds toasted
- ¼ cup unsweetened dried cherries
Dressing:
- ¼ cup white Miso
- 3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
- ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
- 2 Tablespoons water
Instructions
- Make Dressing: Combine all ingredients, except water with immersion blender, or vigorous whisking, until well mixed. Gradually add water, 1 Tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency. Thicker is better for the broccoli salad, but thinner is better if you have extra and want to use as an everyday salad dressing.
- Prepare the veggies: Trim broccoli and cut into bite sized florets, chopping stems into discs. (There is a lot of nutrition in the stems, so don’t just toss them. Trim off the woody part and what remains can be sliced into thin discs). Thinly slice the cabbage and scallions.
- Place veggies in a large bowl, and add the sliced almonds and dried cherries. Pour half the dressing over and toss well. Then add remaining dressing and mix again. Keep mixing until everything is coated and dressing is evenly dispersed.
- Store in airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Notes
Nutrition
Note
The nutrition calculations were done using online tools. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients you used. You are ultimately responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information is accurate, complete and useful.
Gloria
Love the colours and crunch in the healthy and nutritious salad. The dressing sounds amazing, and brings all the flavours together nicely. This would be great for lunch, or as a side to a dinner….like with a burger instead of fries.
Debra Klein
I could totally see this on the side of a burger. Besides being healthier than fries, it packs a bigger flavor punch…and it’s crunchy too!
Melissa
This salad sounds perfect for picnics! I may have to bring this as a side to every one I go to from now on. Miso dressing is so good, I love that this salad has miso dressing instead of the usual dressing.
Debra Klein
Not such a difficult swap, and it makes a HUGE health difference. Perfect for a picnic.
jo
I am always looking for healthy fun recipes and this tops my search. so glad i found this and broccoli is my fave power food too. thanks for sharing and those pictures make me wanna dig in now.
Debra Klein
Thank you, and I agree that broccoli is a great food for energy.
Leanne
This salad dressing sounds so versatile and love that you make it with healthy ingredients. Gonna give it a try!
Debra Klein
Healthy is the name of the game, and so is versatility. Enjoy.
Lisa | Garlic & Zest
Now this is my kind of salad — perfect with grilled chicken or fish. Heck, I’d eat this one on its own for lunch. I’ve always avoided broccoli salad BECAUSE of the mayonnaise-based gloopy dressing, but your miso dressing sounds really light and flavorful. I love that miso flavor, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen it in the store. Where do you buy your miso — because now I’m on a quest to find it.
Debra Klein
Most grocery stores carry Miso. Usually you can find it in the refrigerated section of the produce area. If you don’t see it, ask a store clerk because you shouldn’t have to shop around to find some.
Carmy
Your miso dressing sounds divine! I love a good broccoli dish (it was literally one of the few greens I would eat when I was a child!) and never thought to pair it up with miso! I can’t wait to give this recipe a try.
Debra Klein
I make a batch of that dressing every week. We put it on all our salads and it’s an awesome dipping sauce for raw veggies as well.
Tina - Monday is Meatloaf
This salad really is the healthy dish I’m always thinking is good for me at the office potluck, but isn’t. I think the addition of the sun-dried tomatoes if really interesting, and should be pretty tasty. This will be a great part of my meal prep this week!
Debra Klein
You are in good company! The sun dried tomatoes, and the miso dressing instead of Mayo are both nutritious and delicious. Enjoy.
Sarah
My husband LOOOOVES broccoli salad!! I’ve tried a few different recipes for him, but they were never quite right. I love that this has miso in it– it sounds like the perfect flavor punch! And so much healthier than the mayo versions!
Debra Klein
A man after my own heart! Hope this is the one for him!
Dana
I love how colorful this salad is! And I absolutely love the idea of miso dressing. Miso is so flavor packed. I think this would be a total hit at Friendsgiving this year!
Debra Klein
Friendsgiving is a perfect opportunity to make this salad….and you’re so right about the miso. Delish. Have fun!
Marisa Franca
The colors are gorgeous as well as the variety of textures. Just because a dish is nutritious doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be boring. This salad screams excitement — after all we feast on a dish first with our eyes. The dressing is definitely a compliment to the scrumptious salad.
Debra Klein
YES!!! Totally agree with all that you’ve said. Thank you.
Amanda
That miso dressing sounds absolutely divine! I love how you’ve balanced the sweet and savory with the addition of the maple syrup and the cranberries or cherries. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve found myself gravitating away from mayonnaise based salads. This kind of broccoli salad would be right up my alley!
Debra Klein
This broccoli salad is right up everyone’s alley…..good for you for recognizing all the goodness here in nutrition and taste.
Jules
Loved this dressing. I will be making this one regularly now I’ve tried it. As for the salad, I love the variety and I added cauliflower, carrot, radish and capsicum (for more colour and vitamins).
Thanks so much for sharing this.
Debra Klein
Those additions sound good….and I’m with you on loving the dressing…it’s a winner!
Rita
Delicious, crunchy salad. I used half broccoli, half cauliflower, and raisins. (I’ve never had luck finding unsweetened cherries.) I didn’t need all the dressing, so I’ll save it to use in another salad. Thank you for sharing!
Debra Klein
You’re welcome. I find the unsweetened dried cherries at Trader Joe’s. Also, if you loved this raw broccoli salad, you’ll adore the raw cauliflower salad too.
Tina
thank you!
Debra Klein
You’re welcome Tina…enjoy!