Superfood Broccolini Salad

Loaded with juicy blueberries, crunchy broccolini, nutty sunflower seeds and more, this Superfood Salad is a healthy side dish you’ll want to make a million times and then some. It’s tossed with a light and tangy yogurt dressing to tie it all together!

This Creamy Broccolini Salad is Mighty Healthy!

I think I could eat this broccolini salad every single day for the rest of my life. And it’s so healthy, I just might! Each bite has the perfect balance of crunchy, crispy, tender, juicy, creamy—it’s simply heaven in a salad. Plus, it takes just a few minutes to throw together.

It’s hard to put a salad as flavorful as this one into any given category. It’s got a little something from every camp. You have the sweet-tart dried cherries, the sharp red onions, the tangy Dijon mustard and so much more. You’ll barely believe that the salad and dressing combined use less than 10 ingredients!

What is Broccolini?

Invented in Japan during the early 90s, broccolini is a hybrid vegetable (not a GMO) that combines common broccoli and Chinese broccoli. It has the long, lean stalks you’ll find in Chinese broccoli with the classic florets of common broccoli, only smaller.

Its flavor is mellow, earthy and slightly sweet, leaning more toward the Chinese broccoli side. You can eat it cooked or raw – either way, it’s delicious. Raw vegetables actually retain more of their nutrients, so whipping up this healthy salad is a great way to get the most out of your broccolini.

Speaking of nutrients, broccolini is chock-full of them. It has an even higher concentration of bone-strengthening minerals than classic broccoli, and it boasts nearly 4 times as much vitamin A! Needless to say, there’s a reason it’s considered a superfood.

Recipe Ingredients

The simplicity of this salad is a breath of fresh air. Just collect the ingredients below and you’ll be ready to start!

For the Yogurt Dressing

• Greek Yogurt: Be sure to use the plain-flavored kind.
• Dijon Mustard: For the lightly spicy tanginess that makes this dressing shine.
• Honey: This adds a nice hint of sweetness.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: This fruity vinegar is not only added for flavor, but also for its impressive nutritional profile. It’s a win-win!

For the Broccolini Salad

• Broccolini: Stems included.
• Blueberries: This antioxidant-rich berry is great for your body.
• Red Onion: Diced.
• Sunflower Seeds: Unsalted.
• Dried Cherries: You could also use craisins or raisins if you’d prefer.

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How to Pick the Freshest Broccolini

Broccolini may have been difficult to find a decade ago, but it’s become a supermarket staple in recent years. Look for bright green broccolini with sturdy stems and tight-looking florets. Avoid veggies with soft spots or dry bases, and definitely steer clear of anything that appears to be flowering.

How to Make Healthy Broccolini Salad

Let me walk you through the process of making the dressing, preparing the salad and putting it all together. This has to be one of the easiest side dishes ever!

Make the Dressing

Combine Ingredients: Add the greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, honey and apple cider vinegar to a small bowl. Stir until everything is well combined.

Set Aside: Set the dressing aside while you prepare the salad.

Make the Salad

Remove Florets & Set Aside: Cut the florets off the top of the broccolini and add them to a large bowl. You should have roughly 2-3 cups of florets.

Chop Stems: Add the broccolini stems to a small food processor. Pulse 4-5 times, or until the stems are roughly chopped and almost look like a slaw.

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Combine Ingredients: Add the stems to the bowl with the broccolini florets along with the blueberries, red onion, sunflower seeds and dried cherries.

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Add Dressing: Pour your dressing over the salad and toss everything together until well combined.

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Enjoy! Serve immediately.

Tips for Success

Make sure your salad is up to snuff by remembering the handy tips and tricks below. Let’s do this!

• Use Fresh Ingredients: As is the case with any salad, you’re going to get the best results when you use the freshest ingredients. I don’t recommend making this salad with frozen and thawed blueberries or sunflower seeds that have been sitting in your pantry for 6 months.
• Soak the Onions to Soften Their Flavor: Raw red onions can taste rather pungent, which may not be everyone’s cup of tea. If you’d like to mellow out the flavor of your diced onion, simply soak it in cold water for 5-10 minutes before adding it to the salad. And don’t forget to dry it off well.
• Chill the Salad if You’re Not Serving it Right Away: Unless you’re serving your salad as soon as it’s done, refrigerate it in an airtight container until you’re ready to dig in. This helps it stay nice and fresh.

Serving Suggestions

So many different entrees will make a splash on the table next to this healthy salad. Try pairing yours with one of the mouthwatering main dishes below!

• Add your Favorite Protein: For a simple and light meal I’d highly recommend this Grilled Chicken with Spice Rub or my Honey Mustard Salmon.
• Pair with Hot Buffalo Wings: I need a cool and creamy side salad like this one to balance out these spicy Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings. I can’t think of a more tempting meal!
• Serve with Beefy Zucchini Boats: Filled with ground beef, red chili sauce and melty cheddar cheese, you’re going to gobble up these Zucchini Boats like there’s no tomorrow! They taste amazing alongside this broccolini salad.

Storage Instructions

This salad is best fresh, but leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. I suggest storing the dressing separately from the salad if you’d like to make it in advance.

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More Simple Salads to Try

Need another healthy and satisfying salad? I have tons to choose from!

• Refreshing Watermelon Feta Salad
• Tabbouleh Quinoa Salad
• Mediterranean Orzo Salad
• Strawberry Spinach Salad
• Marinated Tomato Salad
• Creamy Cucumber Salad Recipe

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