Broccoli Slaw Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing

Broccoli Slaw Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing

Broccoli Slaw Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing
Broccoli Slaw Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing –
Crunchy, Crisp & Zesty

When life gives you broccoli, make crunchy, zesty, no-cooking-required Broccoli Slaw Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing. The tender, deep green heads of broccoli now appearing at our farmers’ markets seem especially suited for a broccoli slaw salad. So much fresher than the shredded and packaged “broccoli slaw mix.” Broccoli Slaw Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing Until creating this salad, I had never looked closely at the slaw mix. It consists mainly of broccoli stems. Using fresh broccoli adds so much more color, texture and flavor. Though, when time is short, even the packaged mix would taste fresh and flavorful when tossed in this vibrant Carrot Ginger Dressing.

Many people discard broccoli stems as too tough to eat. Take a Broccoli Slaw Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing moment to peel that tough outer layer and the stems become quite tender and tasty. For this Broccoli Slaw Salad, large grate the stems (a whiz with a food processor) and thinly slice the florets. Toss them in the Carrot Ginger Dressing. After a short sit, the dressing works its magic and tenderizes the broccoli. And you’ve got one crunchy, crisp, flavorful and zesty salad.

A recipe for deliciousness

It was lots of years ago that I first tasted Benihana’s Ginger Dressing. A regular customer at the Montana restaurant where I worked gave us the recipe. He had eaten at Benihana’s while in California and hoped we would add his new favorite dressing to our menu.

Broccoli Slaw Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing What a great recipe that was. “Was” as in I haven’t tasted or even thought about that recipe for many, many years. Until last week when my sister told me about the broccoli slaw salad she was enjoying with Trader Joe’s Sesame Ginger dressing. Sounded delish. Wanting to come up with a gingery dressing of my own, I found a “clone” of the Benihana recipe online. So close, but no banana.

Inspired by another online salad dressing recipe, I added a couple of naturally sweet carrots to the blender hoping to brighten and balance the flavors. Wow. Carrot Ginger Dressing came into being as a nutrient-rich, vibrant and flavorful match for slightly bitter broccoli. Together the salad and dressing now includes all the five tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami. A perfect recipe for deliciousness.

Just the facts

I love synchronicities. Here I am enjoying every mouthful of the broccoli slaw salad I’m testing, and an article on broccoli as “a nutritional star” arrives in my email. Even the short list of facts on broccoli is impressive.

  • Great non-dairy source of calcium and magnesium.
  • Low in calories, high in fiber.
  • Supports bone health, brain function, heart health.
  • Supports immune function with vitamins C and K and trace minerals zinc and selenium.

Broccoli Slaw Salad with Carrot Ginger DressingBroccoli Slaw Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing

Crunchy, crisp and zesty salad with no cooking required. Broccoli Slaw Salad stays delightfully crisp for at least two days in the refrigerator, and probably longer. It’s great for bag lunches, picnics, buffets and barbecues, etc.
Vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free (when using wheat-free tamari).

Carrot Ginger Dressing

  • The dressing recipe makes enough for 2 salads. Though, you can also enjoy it on a wedge of iceberg lettuce or as a dip for vegetables.
  • I’ve given you weights for the vegetables. If you have a scale you can save time by weighing and then coarsely chopping the veggies instead of mincing them. This is especially great if you have a high-powered blender. With a regular blender, just increase the blending time until you have a smooth purée.
  • Note: the dressing can also be puréed in a food processor. It will be thicker than if blended in a high-powered blender.
  • Inspired by and adapted from Todd Wilbur’s “clone” of Benihana’s Ginger Salad Dressing.

Makes 2 1/3 cups (enough for 2 salads)            Printer-Friendly Recipes.
Active Time 15-30 minutes
Total Time 15-30 minutes

Ingredients
  • ½ cup avocado or olive oil
  • Broccoli Slaw Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing1/3 cup rice vinegar, unseasoned
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • Rounded ¾ cup (4 ounces) ¼-inch diced carrots
  • ½ cup (2 ¼ ounces) minced shallot or onion
  • 3 tablespoons (1 ounce) minced fresh ginger
  • 2 tablespoons (3/4 ounce) minced celery
  • 1 large clove garlic, coarsely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 4 teaspoons soy sauce or tamari
  • 2 teaspoons palm sugar or honey
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 12 twists (¼ teaspoon) freshly ground pepper
  1. Place all the ingredients in a food processor or a blender.
  2. Process until you have a smooth purée. This will take 30-60 seconds or longer depending upon your machine’s power.
  3. Store the dressing in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Broccoli Slaw Salad

Easily multiplied to serve a crowd.

Makes 6 cups
Active Time ½ hour
Total Time ½ hour plus 1 hour for chilling

Ingredients
  • 1 bunch broccoli (¾ pound), preferably with its stemBroccoli Slaw Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing
  • 1 medium carrot, peeled if not organic
  • 2 ½ ounces jicama, peeled
  • ¼ cup dried cranberries (preferably fruit sweetened)
  • ¼ cup thinly sliced scallion
  • 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh mint
  • 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 cup Carrot Ginger Dressing
  • 4 tablespoons toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds or a combination of both
Preparation
  1. Broccoli Slaw Salad with Carrot Ginger DressingCut off the florets from the stems, maintaining as much stem length as possible. Peel the broccoli stems. Use the coarse grater disc on a food processor to grate the peeled broccoli stems, carrot and jicama. Place the grated vegetables in a large bowl.
  2. Use a knife to thinly slice the broccoli florets. Add them to the bowl.Broccoli Slaw Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing
  3. Add all the remaining ingredients except for the seeds into the bowl.
  4. Toss with the dressing until everything is thoroughly coated. Refrigerate the Broccoli Slaw Salad at least an hour before serving.
  5. Toss in the toasted seeds just before serving.
  6. Broccoli Slaw Salad stays crisp for at least two days in the refrigerator.

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