Healthy Broccoli Salad Recipe

Fresh broccoli may not be the first thing you think of when it comes to whipping up a lunchtime salad, but the cruciferous veggie actually makes an excellent, fiber-filled base for a hearty dish. This broccoli salad features sunflower seeds, raisins, and feta cheese, all of which allow it to pose as a side salad or a light meal all on its own. But the MVP to this broccoli salad isn't the broccoli or the toppings, but rather the lemon juice. It's doing much more than adding some acidity, explains recipe developer Sher Castellano. "Massaging vegetables in acid allow their cellulose structures to break down, allowing for easier digestion, and better texture and flavor." 

The simple, 2-minute process of massaging the broccoli is what makes Castellano such a fan of this dish. "I love that it is raw, but doesn't taste raw. Massaging broccoli, like [raw] kale, allows it to become more tender and easier to digest." So with a few simple ingredients and just 10 minutes, you can have this recipe on the table, ready to enjoy.

The ingredients for this healthy broccoli salad are quite simple. In fact, you might have quite a few of them in your fridge and pantry already. All you need are fresh broccoli florets, fresh lemon juice, olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced shallot, golden raisins, unsalted sunflower seeds, and feta cheese crumbles.

And of course, if you don't have all these (or if you're just not a fan of some of them), you can make substitutions as needed. "Feta could be substituted with goat cheese crumbles, and regular red raisins or unsweetened dried cherries could be substituted for the golden raisins," Castellano suggests. 

Go ahead and wash and dry the broccoli florets, then cut them into bite-sized pieces. "When in doubt, smaller is better," Castellano advises. Then place the florets in a medium-sized mixing bowl with the lemon juice, some olive oil, and salt. Work the ingredients together with your hands, gently massaging the broccoli for 2 minutes. Set the bowl aside. 

Now you'll want to whip up the dressing. In a separate small bowl, whisk together some more olive oil and salt, along with the pepper, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and shallot. The dressing has a light, tart, and tangy flavor that adds some "zip" to the broccoli and other toppings. The tang is especially nice against the slight sweetness of the raisins. 

Toss the broccoli with the dressing, then add the raisins, sunflower seeds, and feta cheese crumbles. Mix all the ingredients together with a spoon until they're well combined. 

Your salad is now ready to serve! "It can be served right away, [but] gets better as it sits," Castellano says, although she adds that it should be consumed within 48 hours. Enjoy it alone or paired alongside your favorite lean protein, like a tofu burger or grilled salmon.