Olive Oil Broccoli Salad

Tasty and healthy broccoli salad is made with olive oil dressing. It’s a wonderful alternative to the ubiquitous broccoli-raisin-bacon salad.

This healthy broccoli salad is one of my favorite summertime side dishes (this tomato asparagus salad is another good one). It’s easy, tasty and healthy!

I must confess, I never liked the popular broccoli salad. You know – the one made with bacon and raisins (or cranberries) and dressed with a mayonnaise-based dressing.

I much prefer the taste of this fresh, light and healthy broccoli salad. It is made with no mayo, no bacon, and certainly no fruit.

The ingredients needed for this recipe

These are the ingredients you’ll need to make this tasty salad. Exact amounts are listed in the recipe card below.

1. Olive oil
2. White wine vinegar
3. Dijon mustard
4. Minced garlic
5. Salt and pepper
6. Crushed red pepper
7. Fresh broccoli florets

How do you make healthy broccoli salad?

These are the basic steps for making this salad:

1. You start by mixing all the ingredients except for the broccoli to make the tasty dressing.
2. Next, you add the broccoli florets and toss to coat.
3. Refrigerate for two hours, to allow the broccoli to slightly soften and the flavors to meld.
4. Toss again and serve.

The tasty dressing for this healthy broccoli salad is made with healthy extra virgin olive oil and white wine vinegar.

The type of olive oil you use makes a difference. It’s one of the main ingredients here, so you want to make sure it’s good. It’s best to use high-quality extra virgin olive oil.

As for the vinegar, it’s best to use white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar. I wouldn’t use distilled white vinegar in this recipe. I think it’s too harsh.

Is this a RAW broccoli salad?

Not exactly. Even though I don’t cook the broccoli at all, it’s not truly raw. Much like ceviche, the broccoli is marinated in the acidic dressing and gets slightly “cooked.”

So if you’re not a fan of eating raw broccoli, rest assured, this healthy broccoli salad will not feel like eating raw broccoli at all. The broccoli pieces WILL be crunchy, but I think that’s a good thing.

However, in order for this “cooking” method to work, it’s important to cut the broccoli into truly small florets or pieces and to allow it to marinate for the full two hours.

How long can you keep leftovers?

I don’t usually have leftovers when I make this salad. When I do, I try to use them up the next day or two. I wouldn’t try to keep this salad for longer than 2 days.

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4.86 from 54 votes

Broccoli Salad

A delicious and healthy alternative to the ubiquitous broccoli-raisin-bacon salad.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time2 hrs

Rest time2 hrs

Total Time2 hrs 15 mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: vegetables

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 190kcal

Author: Vered DeLeeuw

INGREDIENTS

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon minced garlic
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 lb. small fresh broccoli florets

INSTRUCTIONS

• In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes.
• Add the broccoli and toss to coat.
• Cover and refrigerate the broccoli salad for 2 hours. Remove from fridge 15 minutes before serving and toss again.

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NUTRITION INFO Nutrition info is approximate. It is calculated using the SparkPeople.com recipe calculator, and the carb count excludes sugar alcohols. Please read the disclaimers in our Terms of Use carefully before using any of our recipes.

Nutrition Facts

Broccoli Salad

Amount Per Serving

Calories 190 Calories from Fat 162

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 18g 28%

Saturated Fat 2g 10%

Sodium 195mg 8%

Total Carbohydrates 6g 2%

Dietary Fiber 3g 12%

Sugars 2g

Protein 3g 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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