My Roasted Broccoli Salad is made with crispy panko, cashews and drizzled with a healthy bang bang sauce. A crowdpleaser side and salad!
During fall and winter, roasted salads are my jam. I don't tend to crave many cold or fresh veggies, so the warm roasted vegetables make their appearance daily in my kitchen.
Think of this roasted broccoli salad as the winter twin of my honey mustard broccoli crunch salad! It's got spiced roasted broccoli, colourful raddichio, sweet shallots and some panko breadcrumbs and cashews for crunch. Once you toss it with my healthy homemade bang bang sauce, it comes together into a beautiful side to pair with sweet potato wedges and some Parmesan chicken thighs.
Why This Recipe Is Dietitian Approved
- Veggies that actually taste good. I'm all about teaching you yummy ways to enjoy veggies, so they're fun to eat! We pack a ton of nutrition into this salad and it's so delicious- give it a try, even if you don't like broccoli.
- Fibre and healthy fats. Broccoli and raddichio are amazing sources of fibre and healthy fats, which help keep us full and satisfied.
- Elegant side dish. This roasted broccoli salad is classy enough to serve as a side at a dinner party, yet easy enough to make for a weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Broccoli. For less waste, I use both the stems and the florets. Once the stems are finely diced and cooked, you'll barely notice them. It's a great way to reduce food waste!
Shallots. A bit sweeter than a red onion, with a slight garlic flavour once cooked. These are a must for flavour!
Olive oil. Look for an extra virgin olive oil stored in an opaque glass bottle.
Spices. Salt, black pepper and garlic powder are all you’ll need.
Panko breadcrumbs. These are essential for some crisp! You can buy them at the store or make homemade panko.
Radicchio. This may be a new one for you! Radicchio looks like lettuce or cabbage, but it’s actually from the chicory family. It has a strong burst of flavour and is less waxy than cabbage! Radicchio is super high in vitamin K and fibre.
Cashews. For a nice crunch and some healthy fats! I recommend looking for unsalted cashews if you have them available.
Lime. Lime helps reduce some of the bitterness commonly associated with broccoli. Fresh lime is best.
Sesame seeds. These add some healthy fats and a nice toasted nuttiness.
For the dressing:
Greek yogurt. 2% plain Greek yogurt is great in this recipe.
Mayonnaise. For a creamy taste and texture. Mayo also helps reduce some of the tanginess of the yogurt, however you can sub it for 5% Greek yogurt if you wish.
Sriracha sauce. Bang bang sauce isn't complete without some spice.
Honey. This pairs really nicely with the sriracha to balance heat with natural sweetness!
Sesame oil. I HIGHLY recommend that you do not skip this or replace it with any other oil. Sesame oil adds a nice toasted flavour to this bang bang sauce that really brings the dressing together.
Lime juice. Again, fresh is best!
The complete ingredient list with measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Instructions
Before you begin preheat oven to 425F.
On a parchment paper lined baking sheet or sheet pan add broccoli florets and shallots. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, black pepper and garlic powder and squeeze the juice of the lime. Toss to combine.
Once coated, arrange broccoli in a single layer on the pan. Bake for about 30 minutes, shaking the pan halfway to ensure both sides of the broccoli are getting roasted.
While the broccoli is cooking, prepare your bang bang dressing by whisking together greek yogurt, mayonnaise, sriracha, honey, lime juice and sesame oil.
Once the broccoli is done, allow it to cool slightly and add to a large salad bowl. Top with cashew, radicchio, bread crumbs and sesame seeds. Drizzle with the bang bang dressing and toss to combine.
Substitutions and Variations
To make gluten-free: Use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs or make your own at home from gluten-free bread.
To make dairy-free: Use a dairy free yogurt or mayonnaise option in the dressing. Depending on the substitute you use, this MAY result in a thinner dressing.
To make vegan: Follow dairy-free swaps and substitute honey for maple syrup.
To make nut-free: Skip the cashews or use pumpkin seeds instead.
An easy way to switch up this recipe is trying a new dressing! I love the bang bang sauce but also rotate between green goddess dressing, balsamic, creamy Caesar and toasted sesame dressing.
Equipment
Storage
This is a great salad for meal prep! The leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. Although the broccoli may not stay quite as crispy, it will still taste AMAZING!
Top Tip
For less waste, use the broccoli stems too. Too often, we discard the broccoli stems, but I find the stems actually help bulk up this salad and add a nice crunch. I usually dice up the broccoli stems (discarding only about the bottom 1 inch of the stems as that part is usually quite tough) and add them directly to my pan with the florets.
For crispy broccoli, ensure your broccoli is DRY prior to adding the oil and spices. If you are using frozen broccoli, this step is KEY to ensuring your broccoli gets crispy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Endive, romaine lettuce, red leaf lettuce or arugula all work!
Yes, and the shallots too! This will likely have to be done in batches depending on the size of your air fryer. I recommend spreading the seasoned broccoli to an air fryer liner in a single layer and cooking at 365 for about 12 minutes, shaking half way.
You can though I suggest defrosting the broccoli first, straining excess water and thoroughly patting it dry using a paper towel or towel.
This is a great source of vegetables and some fat (plus there’s even some carbohydrates from the breadcrumbs). If you are looking to make this a main dish, I would recommend pairing with a source of protein like thin sliced chicken breast, crispy tofu or even some steak. To get creative you could also add this to tacos or to a wrap!
The beauty of this salad is you can eat it either way you prefer! I love eating this one, warm right out of the oven but the leftovers also taste amazing cold! The choice is yours.
I personally think it has just the right amount of spice to feel the flavour without it overpowering the dressing. If you are sensitive to spice, start with 1 tablespoon of sriracha and go from there!
More Broccoli Recipes
Veggies that actually taste good? Try these!
- Lemon Parmesan Smashed Broccoli
- Cheesy Broccoli and Cauliflower Rice (One Pan)
- Easy Broccoli Cheddar Soup (Gluten Free)
- Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli (10 Minutes)
PS. I love seeing my recipes in action! If you decide to make this bang bang roasted broccoli salad, don't forget to snap a photo and tag me on Instagram- @nourishedbynic or leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked it!
📖 Recipe
Bang Bang Roasted Broccoli Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb broccoli about 2 large heads
- 3 shallots finely sliced
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Juice of ½ a lime
- ¾ cup unsalted cashews chopped
- 1 small head of radicchio* chopped
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- ¼ cup sesame seeds
Bang bang dressing:
- ¼ cup plain 2% Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise** optional see notes below
- 2 tablespoon sriracha sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Juice of ½ a lime
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- On a parchment paper lined baking sheet, add broccoli florets and shallots. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, black pepper and garlic powder and squeeze the juice of the lime. Toss to combine.
- Once coated, arrange broccoli in a single layer on the pan. Bake for about 30 minutes, shaking the pan halfway to ensure both sides of the broccoli are getting roasted.
- While the broccoli is cooking, prepare your bang bang dressing by whisking together Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, sriracha, honey, lime juice and sesame oil.
- Once the broccoli is done, allow it to cool slightly and add to a large salad bowl. Top with cashew, radicchio, bread crumbs and sesame seeds. Drizzle with the bang bang dressing and toss to combine.
Jessie says
This is so tasty! Sometimes we swap red cabbage finely chopped when radicchio isn't in season. It never gets soggy!
Mj says
Delicious!!!
Tracy says
Made this tonight with garden lettuce instead of raddichio, added some chicken and bang bang! meal done with plenty of leftovers.
yum.
Michelle Woodward says
This is so delicious and packed with flavor and textures. I love the crunch! Kids loved too.
SV says
Loved this!