Creamy Broccolini Salad with Cashew Dressing
A raw, plant-based and paleo take on this traditional side that’s sure to please all palates.
This Creamy Broccolini Salad with Cashew Dressing is a favorite in our house. Every time I make it, I just can’t get over the creaminess and delicious flavors. Featuring a made-from-scratch cashew mayo dressing and an abundance of broccolini, this recipe leaves nothing to miss from this traditional side dish.
You can make this salad with broccoli as well, of course. I find broccolini to be even more delicious as it tends to be crispier and a little bit sweeter. I don’t know if it’s a Southern California thing, but I also don’t remember the last time I bought broccoli. It’s always broccolini in our house! If you’re lucky, you’ll also get those beautiful flowers that will add speckles of yellow to your salad.
Blend until smooth and creamy.
The cashew mayo dressing is what pulls this dish together. While you can whip up a broccoli salad using store-bought mayonnaise, I highly recommend that you take the time to make this one. Not only will it be much more delicious and taste like real food, but store-bought mayonnaise, especially if vegan, tends to contain inflammatory seed oils as one of the main ingredients. These include oils such as canola (or rapeseed) oil, sunflower oil, and safflower oil.
Creamy Broccoli Salad (Raw, Plant-Based, Mayo-Free)
Ingredients
Salad
8 cups broccolini or broccoli florets
1/2 cup sprouted sunflower seeds or sprouted almonds*, chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries (I buy mine from Eden—these are oil-free and sweetened only with apple juice)
1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup curly parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
Cashew Dressing
1 cup raw cashews, soaked
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
6 tbsp purified water
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (use less to taste if using bottled)
1 tbsp organic yellow miso
1/2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 medium clove garlic
1/8 tsp ground pepper
*Raw sunflower seeds or almonds are fine if you can't find sprouted; the sprouted ones are crunchier and more flavorful, in addition to being easier to digest.
Instructions
1. After prepping, combine your salad ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Drain and rinse your soaked cashews, and add all cashew mayonnaise ingredients into your high-speed blender. Blend on high until very creamy and smooth.
3. Combine your mayonnaise with your salad ingredients and mix well.
4. Let sit for 30 minutes before serving. Store any leftovers in an airtight container, preferably glass, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Total time: 20 min | Level: Easy | Yields: 4-6 servings
Avoiding soy? Miso is a paste made from fermented soybeans and often also contains rice or barley due to the fermentation process. I really enjoy using small amounts of organic yellow miso in sauces and savory creams, as in certain contexts it can add just the right amount of umami. If you want to make this mayonnaise soy-free, you can absolutely just skip the miso. Instead, you may want to add a touch more vinegar and perhaps a sprinkle of nutritional yeast.
Note that the pictures of this salad reflect a half batch of the above recipe. If you do decide to reduce the yield, I highly recommend making the dressing with the quantities instructed and saving the rest for use over the next 1-2 days. This is because most high-speed blenders require a minimum quantity inside the container order to be able to blend everything perfectly (this is true for the standard Blendtec and Vitamix containers; note that they both offer smaller containers for times like these). Either way, I’m sure you will be happy to have extra on hand if you end up in this situation.
Emilía Rún
Emilía Rún is the Chef and Founder of Los Angeles based Shanti Kitchen, a paleo-friendly and plant-based cake and catering service. Emilía also instructs kundalini yoga and insight meditation, teaching self-compassion as the path to ultimate freedom.