Raw Broccoli Salad – A zesty and fresh side dish
Most people eat broccoli cooked, baked or stir fried, but it’s sometimes forgotten that broccoli is actually delicious in its raw state! In this broccoli salad recipe, the broccoli is dressed with an lemon and olive oil marinade, which will tenderise the broccoli slightly and keep it fresh and crunchy.
How to make Raw Broccoli Salad
The recipe is pretty straight forward. Break the broccoli head into to smaller florets. And don’t forget the stem! The broccoli stem is often thrown away but it’s fully edible and it tastes delicious! Simply slice the stem finely and mix it with the broccoli florets . Make the dressing and massage it into the broccoli. The most pivotal part of making this salad is to massage the dressing well into the broccoli, so each floret is covered with the marinade.
Leave it to marinade for a minimum of 30 minutes so the broccoli has time to soften. Ideally is to leave it for 1-2 hours.
How long does raw broccoli salad keep in the fridge?
This salad will stay fresh for at least 3 days when kept in an airtight container. This broccoli salad is great for meal prep and is a great side salad to fish or a bolognese, or you can make it a stand alone dish by adding a handful of cooked grains, beans and an avocado.
Raw Broccoli Salad – Nutrition Breakdown
- Glucosinolates – Broccoli belong to the brassica oleceracea family which contains a compound called glucosinolates. This compound has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties. They can also induce phase II enzymes in the liver and support the breakdown of xenobiotics in the body.
- Oleocanthal – Extra virgin olive oil is rich in a phenolic compound called oleocanthal, which has been shown to have a similar anti-inflammatory characteristics as NSAID drugs e.g Ibuprofen. Many of the health benefits of consuming olive oil is believed to be linked to its high content of oleocanthal.
- Vitamin C: This water-soluble vitamin is essential for cartilage and connective tissue production and aids in the uptake of iron (which broccoli is also a good source of!). Also works and an antioxidant in the body and prevents your cells from oxidative stress.
Looking for more side dishes?
If you make this raw broccoli salad, please comment and rate it! And don’t forget to take a picture and @nutritionistmeetschef on Instagram!
Raw Broccoli Salad
Ingredients
- 200 g broccoli
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp champagne vinegar (or lemon juice)
- Zest of half a lemon
- 0.5 tsp flake salt.
- Pinch of pepper
Instructions
- Wash and pat the broccoli dry. Break the florets into smaller pieces and finely sliced the stem.
- Combine olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and zest (keep a little bit of zest for serving)
- Pour all over the broccoli and massage it well into the broccoli, making sure that every piece if fully covered with marinade. Leave to marinade for a minimum 30 minutes.
- Garnish with lemon zest before serving.
Notes
- Stays fresh in the fridge when kept in an airtight container up to 3 days.