Broccoli Crunch Salad (Printable Version)

Crunchy blend of broccoli, cabbage, edamame with zesty Asian-inspired dressing and toasted sesame seeds.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 cups broccoli florets, chopped into bite-sized pieces
02 - 1 cup purple cabbage, shredded
03 - 1 cup carrots, shredded
04 - 1 cup edamame, shelled
05 - 1/2 cup green onions, sliced
06 - 1/4 cup bell pepper, thinly sliced

→ Toppings

07 - 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

→ Dressing

08 - 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
09 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
10 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
11 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
12 - 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
13 - 1 teaspoon ginger, freshly grated

# Directions:

01 - Chop broccoli florets into bite-sized pieces. Finely shred purple cabbage and carrots. Thinly slice bell pepper and green onions.
02 - If using frozen edamame, cook according to package instructions, then cool and shell.
03 - In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast sesame seeds for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant. Set aside.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey or maple syrup, garlic, and ginger until smooth.
05 - In a large mixing bowl, combine broccoli, cabbage, carrots, edamame, green onions, and bell pepper. Pour dressing over vegetables and toss until evenly coated.
06 - Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the salad. Toss gently and serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to 2 days for enhanced flavor.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It stays crisp and delicious for days in the fridge, which means you can meal prep on Sunday and actually look forward to lunch on Thursday.
  • The sesame-ginger dressing is tangy enough to make you feel like you're eating something fancy, but it comes together while your water boils.
  • Every bite has different textures—crunch, chew, creamy from the edamame—so your taste buds never get bored.
02 -
  • Don't dress the salad more than an hour before serving unless you're specifically making it for the next day—the broccoli will start to soften and lose its snap, and that crunch is everything.
  • Toasting those sesame seeds is non-negotiable; it's the difference between a nice salad and one that tastes like you actually know what you're doing.
03 -
  • If your sesame seeds taste harsh or bitter, you overtoasted them—start over with a lower heat next time and watch them closely because they go from perfect to scorched in about thirty seconds.
  • Fresh ginger is worth the tiny bit of effort to grate; the flavor difference is the thing that makes people ask for your recipe.
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