Quinoa, Edamame, and Roasted Broccoli Salad
This roasted broccoli salad combines lightly charred broccoli with hearty quinoa, rich edamame, crunchy almonds, and topped with a rich and zesty dressing made from whole lemons, sesame oil, garlic, and miso paste. This salad brings together the various different flavors and textures and brings them all together in each delicious mouthful. This protein-packed salad is filling, hearty, and a great option as a side or main meal.
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Winter Salads
It’s officially February, which means I’ve officially been over winter for a while now. I like winter, I really do, but it’s always longer than I really want it to be. And with our climate-change induced warmer winters we haven’t gotten much snow, so all of my favorite winter activities happen less and less each year. Now winters are just gray and dreary, and I’m ready to see the sun again. I’m also ready for fresh summer produce. To dig myself out of this rut, I decided to make a winter salad this week. I used dried quinoa and frozen edamame, which are very winter-friendly. For fresh vegetables I added some broccoli, since it is a cold-tolerant plant that can be grown in some places during the winter months. Instead of the juicy, crisp and lush flavors of summer, this salad is softer, hearty, and welcoming. I like to make winter salads that make good use of my pantry, so dried beans and grains are a perfect way to add bulk. Frozen vegetables can be good too- edamame, peas, and corn are all great choices, since they’re not likely to become mushy as they thaw. And of course nuts and seeds can add interest and nutritional value to your salad. As far as fresh vegetables are concerned, cold-hardy crops like kale, broccoli, cabbage, parsnips and carrots are all good choices. Other vegetables like beets, onions, leeks, potatoes, radishes, and turnips will store well over winter. Another crop in abundance during the winter months are citrus fruits- lemons, grapefruit, limes, kumquats and more. They add that bright, fresh, burst of sunshine that you’ve been missing for months- make the most of them in your winter salads. For our salad we used two whole lemons- rinds, seeds, juice and all- to bring the whole dish to life.
Looking for Hearty Salads? Try one of these!
- Indian-Spiced Vegan Warm Pumpkin Salad
- Carrot Tops Tabbouleh with Kamut
- Greek Goddess Vegan Quinoa Salad
- Hearty Bean Dinner Salad with Sun Dried Tomato Dressing
- Roasted Cranberry and Lima Bean Thanksgiving Salad
- Tempeh and Pomelo Salad with Avocado
- White Bean Salad with Roasted Garlic Scapes Recipe
- Thai Rice Noodle Salad with Vegan Chick’n
Looking for Lemon Recipes? Try one of these!
- Vegan Eddo Recipe- Lemon Thyme Taro Root
- Vegan Scampi in Lemon Garlic White Wine Sauce
- Delicata Rounds with Lemon and Miso Dipping Sauce
- Vegan Lemon Pasta with Poppy Seeds
- Simple Vegan Lemon Cake with Coconut and Almonds
- Vegan Lemon Scones with Lemon Turmeric Glaze
Looking for Sesame Recipes? Try one of These!
- Crunchy Sesame Crusted Delicata Squash
- Sesame Cucumber Spring Vegan Millet Recipe
- Crispy Sesame Spiced Tahini Quinoa
- Sesame Blistered Shishito Peppers
- 15-Minute Sesame Roasted Snap Peas
How to Make Roasted Broccoli Salad
The most important part of this broccoli salad is, of course, the broccoli. We use a pound of broccoli in it and chop both the florets and the stalks into pieces. Roast the broccoli on a baking sheet with salt, pepper, and olive oil. You’ll want to roast them for about half an hour, taking it out and tossing it once in the middle. You’ll know they’re right when you have some charring on the florets. While the broccoli roasts, you can get the other ingredients going. Boil the quinoa in a saucepan until cooked and soft. You can use the same saucepan to reheat the frozen edamame by boiling them in lightly salted water. We’re also going to put almonds in this salad- if you get raw almonds, you’ll want to toast them. If they’re pre-roasted, you’re good to go. Slivered or sliced almonds work well, but if you’re almonds are whole like mine, you’re going to want to chop them into smaller pieces. The broccoli, quinoa, edamame, and almonds all go in a big mixing bowl, and then it’s time to make the dressing.
We made a whole-lemon dressing for this salad, which gives a little bit of bitterness from the peel and makes a more dynamic dressing. Wash your lemons well, and make sure not to leave any stickers on. Cut them into a few pieces so they blend more easily, and throw them into a blender, seeds, peels and all. Add garlic, sesame oil, soy sauce, and some water and blend well. Season with salt and pepper, and add water as needed until its smooth and has pours easily. This dressing is strong and flavorful, so start by adding half of it to the salad. Stir well to coat, and add some more dressing to your own taste.
This salad is wonderful warm, and just as wonderful if kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a while.
Quinoa, Edamame, and Roasted Broccoli Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb. fresh broccoli
- 1 cup dry quinoa
- 1 cup frozen shelled edamame
- 2 medium-sized lemons
- 4 cloves of garlic
- ¼ cup sesame oil
- 2 tbsp. light miso paste
- 1 tbsp. soy sauce
- ½ cup toasted almonds, chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Olive oil, for cooking
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Cut the tops of the broccoli into small florets, and chop the stalks into rough pieces, about the size of a pea. Place on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Once the oven is to temperature, roast for 30 minutes, taking it out once in the middle to stir. Once cooked, add to a large mixing bowl.
- To cook the quinoa, add one cup of quinoa to a saucepan with 2 cups of water along with a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook uncovered until the quinoa is soft and the excess water is absorbed. Transfer the quinoa to the mixing bowl.
- Add a cup and a half of water back to the saucepan along with half a teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil and add the frozen edamame. Boil for 3-4 minutes to defrost, and drain the liquid. Ad the edamame to mixing bowl.
- To make the dressing, cut the lemons into quarters. Place the lemons in a blender, along with the garlic, sesame oil, miso paste, soy sauce, and a quarter cup of water. Blend well. Add more water to as needed, a tablespoon at a time, until it has reached a good viscosity for dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the almonds to the mixing bowl, and about half the dressing. Mix well, and add more dressing if desired. Eat right away, or store in the fridge until you’re ready to eat.
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