Fresh, five-ingredient straightforward chopped broccoli salad with cilantro, lime and tahini. Loaded with flavor, it is oil-free, gluten-free, vegan, and a reliable side dish.
“To make a good salad is to be a brilliant diplomatist — the problem is entirely the same in both cases. To know exactly how much oil one must put with one’s vinegar.” —Oscar Wilde
Straightforward Oil-Free Vegan Side Salad
Tired of eating the same old chopped romaine with a squirt of low-calorie Italian dressing? Then don’t. It is time to re-think side-salads as dinner stars, not sad associates.
I love a good side salad. I owe it all to my mother, who made all varieties of accompanying salads for most every meal of my youth, for reasons of good taste and nutrition, sure, but also to stretch her budget.
Here is another reason for adding plenty of side salads to your regular menus: they make the rest of the meal a no-brainer. When I am stumped for dinner ideas, I find that, if I figure out a flavorful side salad, the rest of the meal comes together far more easily (insert meatless burger, pasta with lemon & chickpeas, etc.).
This plain broccoli salad is just the sort of side salad that makes my day. Or rather, dinner! It is bright with fresh lime and cilantro (wonderful on a wet and gloomy spring day), and cinch to assemble.
Recipe Benefits
- Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
- Oil-free
- Gluten-free
- Frugal
- Fast & straightforward
- Middle-of-winter friendly
Ingredients for the Chopped Broccoli Salad
The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post.Toggle betweenUS Customary(volume) andMetric(weights) for preferred measurement option.
- Broccoli crowns
- Green onions
- Tahini
- Fresh lemon juice
- Cilantro
How to Make the Salad
- Steam the broccoli in a steamer for 1 to 2 minutes until slightly tender and bright green. It only takes a minute or two of steaming to transform chewy texture of raw broccoli into crunchy-crispness.
- Transfer the broccoli a medium bowl and cool in the refrigerator.
- Meanwhile, grate 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of lime zest from the limes and squeeze 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of lime juice.
- Add the tahini, lime zest and lime juice to cooled broccoli; toss to coat and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Toss in the cilantro and green onions.
It is so plain, but so good!
How Should I Store the Salad?
Store any leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
How Can I Make this Salad a Main Dish?
If you want to make the salad a main dish, just toss in a drained, rinsed can of black beans (or the beans of your choice). Straightforward & satisfying!
Happy eating, everyone!
Straightforward Chopped Broccoli Salad (V, Oil-Free, 5 ingredients)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 minutes
- Total Time: 12 minutes
- Servings: 4 side-dish servings
Ingredients
- 4 medium broccoli crowns about 1.25 lbs cut into small florets and small tender stem pieces
- 2 medium limes
- 2 tablespoons well-stirred tahini
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- 2 green onions very thinly sliced crosswise (green and white parts)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Method
- Steam the broccoli in a steamer for 1 to 2 minutes until slightly tender and bright green. Transfer to a medium bowl and cool in the refrigerator.
- Meanwhile, grate 1-1/2 teaspoons of lime zest from the limes and squeeze 2 tablespoons of lime juice.
- Add the tahini, lime zest and lime juice to cooled broccoli; toss to coat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss in the cilantro and green onions.
Notes
Storage: Store any leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Variation: Add a 15 ounce (425 g) can of drained, rinsed black beans (or the beans of your choice) to the salad to make it maindish-worthy.
