Ready in 30 minutes, you'll be bringing my broccoli crunch salad to every BBQ this summer. It's full of color, flavour and hearty veggies!
You're probably used to having broccoli roasted in the air fryer or in a simple sheet pan dinner, but it actually makes an amazing base in my broccoli crunch salad. I love an arugula salad just as much as you, however sometimes it's nice to switch it up from the leafy greens.
Broccoli is a powerhouse cruciferous veggie, with tons of fibre, vitamin C and vitamin K. It's even a veggie that's a touch higher in protein, although I wouldn't recommend relying on it to meet protein needs (HELLO stomachache). There is so much to love about broccoli, especially with a simple honey mustard dressing!
Why This Dietitian Loves This Recipe
This broccoli crunch salad is such a winner and here's why:
- It doesn't get soggy. Broccoli is way sturdier than other salad greens, so it's a great option for packed lunches or potlucks.
- Packed with plants. It's easy to "eat the rainbow" with over 5 different plants in this salad! Eating a diverse range of plant foods helps provide a wide range of color, nutrients and antioxidants.
- Versatile. You can enjoy this broccoli crunch salad on its on, as a side, or in a wrap.
Ingredients
- Broccoli
- Shredded carrot
- Roasted chickpeas
- Red bell pepper
- Cheddar cheese
- Red onion
- Cucumber
- Almonds
Optional:
- Dried cranberries
- Bacon
- Greek yogurt
- Dijon mustard
- Apple cider vinegar
- Salt and pepper
- Water
- Olive oil
Instructions
Loosely chop your broccoli, discarding the bottom 2 inches of the stem. Wash thoroughly.
Add chopped broccoli to a food processor and pulse until your broccoli is evenly sized.
In a large bowl, combine pulsed broccoli, carrot, roasted chickpeas, bell pepper, cheese, onion, cucumber, chopped almonds, bacon and dried cranberries (if using).
Whisk together all dressing ingredients, adding water by the tablespoon to thin if desired.
Pour dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
Substitutions and Variations
To make gluten-free: This recipe is naturally gluten-free.
To make dairy-free: Swap the Greek yogurt for mayonnaise and use a dairy-free cheese.
To make vegan: Use a dairy-free cheese and vegan mayonnaise or yogurt in the dressing. Omit the bacon or use a vegan substitute like tempeh.
To make nut-free: Swap the chopped almonds for pumpkin seeds for a seed-based crunch.
Missing an ingredient? Try these:
- Chickpeas: Leave it out or swap with edamame. Roasting is optional, but recommended for the best crunch!
- Cheddar cheese: White or orange cheddars both work. For a saltier option, go for crumbled feta cheese.
- Chopped almonds: Swap for any chopped nut (walnuts, pecans, peanuts, etc.) or pumpkin seeds.
- Greek yogurt: For a creamier texture you can substitute the greek yogurt for mayonnaise or use 2 tablespoon of yogurt and 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise.
Looking to make it more balanced?
This salad has tons of fiber and some healthy fats, but let's see how we can make it more balanced and filling:
- For protein: Try adding edamame, chopped chicken or crumbled tempeh.
- For carbohydrates: Serve with rice, pita or toasted bread.
Equipment
Storage
This broccoli crunch salad can stay fresh in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Since there's no leafy greens, it won't get soggy.
Top Tip
This salad is best eaten after it sits for several hours in the fridge prior to serving. This allows the dressing to soak into the broccoli, creating a more flavourful salad.
To help with prep: make your chickpeas and bacon beforehand! You can also purchase pre-cooked bacon crumbles and crispy chickpeas!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! I personally find broccoli salad is the most enjoyable when all of the ingredients can seamlessly mesh together. This is best if the broccoli is cut into fairly small pieces. If you don’t have a food processor don’t worry- you can easily use a knife to finely chop your broccoli!
I decided to leave them as optional in this recipe as I like to make my recipes as accessible as possible. As neither of these ingredients are necessary and they are such small quantities, I don’t want you to have to purchase them just for one recipe! However if you do have them on hand or feel like purchasing them they both add some extra flavour.
It's a delicious alongside my lemon chicken pasta or spinach sausage pasta bake.
More Salad Recipes
Salads should taste good. Try these recipes next:
PS. I love seeing my recipes in action! If you decide to make these broccoli crunch salad, don't forget to snap a photo and tag me on Instagram- @nourishedbynic or leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked it!
đź“– Recipe
Honey Mustard Broccoli Crunch Salad
Ingredients
- 1 large head of broccoli including the stems (about 6 cups)
- 1 cup shredded carrot
- 1 batch of roasted chickpeas
- 1 red bell pepper diced (about ¾ cup)
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup red onion diced
- ½ a large english cucumber diced (about ¾ cup)
- ½ cup chopped almonds
Optional toppings:
- ¼ cup crumbled bacon
- ½ cup dried cranberries
Honey mustard dressing:
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1.5 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt*
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Water to thin as needed
Instructions
- Loosely chop your broccoli, discarding the bottom 2 inches of the stem. Wash thoroughly.
- Add chopped broccoli to a food processor and pulse until your broccoli is evenly sized.
- In a large bowl, combine pulsed broccoli, carrot, roasted chick[eas, bell pepper, cheese, onion, cucumber, chopped almonds, bacon and dried cranberries (if using).
- Whisk together all dressing ingredients, adding water by the tablespoon to thin if desired.
- Pour dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
Julia Van Loy
Made this salad yesterday and it's almost gone today! So good, nutritious and makes a great side to any meal - or as a salad for lunch. Definitely will be trying other recipes 🙂
Nicole Addison
Hi Julia,
I am so happy you enjoyed! Thank you for the comment!
Nicole
Nicole
Where do you get roasted chickpeas or do you do it yourself and how?
Nicole Addison
Most grocery stores or bulk food stores have then in the “natural foods section”! I also have a roasted chickpea recipe on my site HERE🙂
Bailey
Love this take on a broccoli salad, fresh and packed with lots of flavor. Plus it's been really easy to switch it up with all the different substitutions.
Tried a version with some homemade candied pecans and it was also delicious.
Nicole Addison
Hi Bailey,
Thank you so much for your comment! I am so happy you enjoyed this recipe. Hopefully it becomes a new staple in your summer rotation!
Nicole
Mo Sleiman
Where is the measurement for the dressing?
Nicole Addison
Hi Mo!
The measurements are included in the recipe card above 🙂
Nicole
Mo Sleiman
Lol nevermind couldn’t see it on my phone
Ashley
So good! I forgot to soak my chickpeas, but it was just as good without! I doubled the broccoli to make up for the lack of chickpeas and halved the olive oil. This is going to be my go To summer salad.
Suzanne
The more plants, the more I enjoy preparation! This salad is a winner! 🥇
J
Delicious! This is really good plain or as a filling in a wrap