Description
This Vegan Curried Broccoli Chickpea Salad is a flavorful, nutrient-packed dish combining finely chopped broccoli, chickpeas, shredded carrots, and a tangy, spiced tahini curry dressing. It’s perfect as a light lunch, side dish, or picnic salad, offering a crunchy texture with sweet dried cranberries and toasted almonds, complemented by fresh herbs and a zesty lemon kick.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Salad:
- 1 head of broccoli, very finely chopped
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds (can also use chopped roasted almonds)
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1 bunch green onions, chopped
- 3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
For the Dressing:
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1/2 large lemon, juiced
- 3-5 tablespoons warm water, to thin dressing
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1-2 teaspoons pure maple syrup, to sweeten
- 1 teaspoon yellow curry powder
- 1/2 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Salad Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the very finely chopped broccoli, shredded carrots, rinsed and drained chickpeas, toasted almonds, dried cranberries, chopped green onions, and chopped fresh cilantro. Mix lightly and set aside.
- Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, freshly squeezed lemon juice, warm water (3 to 5 tablespoons to reach desired consistency), finely minced garlic, pure maple syrup, yellow curry powder, freshly grated ginger, ground turmeric, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Whisk until smooth and well combined.
- Toss Salad and Dress: Immediately drizzle the prepared curry tahini dressing over the salad ingredients. Toss thoroughly to evenly coat all components with the dressing.
- Add Almonds and Final Toss: Sprinkle additional almonds on top of the salad and toss a few more times to distribute them evenly and add extra crunch.
- Serve or Store: Serve the salad immediately with an optional fresh squeeze of lemon for extra brightness, or cover and refrigerate to serve later. The salad keeps well for up to 5 days when stored properly in the fridge.
Notes
- This recipe serves 4 people as a light main dish or side but can easily be adjusted for a party to serve about 6.
- Salad tastes even better after sitting in the fridge for a few hours as flavors meld together.
- For added protein or texture, you can substitute almonds with toasted cashews or walnuts.
- If you prefer a sweeter dressing, increase maple syrup incrementally to taste.
- Make sure to finely chop the broccoli for the best texture and flavor integration.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 280mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
