Sweet, tart, and crunchy, Broccoli Quinoa Salad is a filling and flavor-packed plant based salad that’s perfect for spring. Crunchy roasted broccoli is tossed with perfectly fluffy quinoa, salty roasted sunflower seeds, and sweet dried cherries. Tie it all together with creamy vegan sunbutter sauce.
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Oh hello spring. You have been so eagerly anticipated with your delicious green vegetables, juicy berries, and fresh herbs.
Can you tell I’ve been dying for warm days and cool nights, the arrival of baseball season, and all of the produce?
This broccoli quinoa salad is my opening toast to the spring season, which really truly arrived in western Maryland this past weekend. I’m looking at a solid week of temps in the 60’s and 70’s, and my garden gloves are trilling their siren call. I’m beyond ready for this season of new beginnings.
Roasted broccoli salad with sweet things and crunchy things and the very best dressing ever is exactly what I needed to kick off the season on the right…foot? No…fork. Yeah, that’s better.
Sweet and tender roasted broccoli, perfectly fluffy quinoa, tart dried cherries, nutty roasted sunflower seeds, and refreshing mint come together in the most delightfully balanced flavor explosion. This tasty hot(ish) mess gets topped with my favorite sunbutter dressing for a vegan grain salad that will have you actually believing you can rock a plant-based lifestyle if you really wanted to. Seriously carnivores, it’s that good.
Can’t get enough quinoa salads? Us too! Try these other favorites: Mediterranean quinoa salad, Southwestern black bean quinoa salad, or salmon quinoa salad.
Broccoli Quinoa Salad Ingredient Notes
Broccoli. Perfect oven roasted broccoli is the star of this salad. Properly prepared, it’s crunchy, sweet, and totally addictive. Divide the broccoli into uniformly sized bite-sized pieces, then toss with olive oil and roast until tender and caramelized. For maximum crispiness, flip the florets once halfway through.
Quinoa. Quinoa is packed with plant-based protein. Nutty, chewy, and flavorful, there’s a reason this ancient grain is so popular in plant-based salads! Quinoa can be tricky to cook for beginners, so follow our precise instructions.
Mix-ins: roasted sunflower seeds add crunch, dried cherries add both tart and sweet notes, and fresh mint adds brightness. Feel free to swap things around based on how you’ve stocked your pantry. Just remember to replace sweet for sweet, crunch for crunch, or herb for herb. Consider these swaps:
- Raisins or chopped dates instead of dried cherries
- Roasted salted almonds or hazelnuts instead of sunflower seeds
- Fresh basil or parsley instead of mint
Sunbutter sauce. Nutty, tangy, and creamy, sunflower seed butter makes a great dressing for grain salads.
How to Make Broccoli Quinoa Salad
You’ll be the envy of the lunch table with this 30-minute roasted broccoli quinoa salad. It’s perfectly balanced with sweet, nutty, and tart flavors. Toss roasted broccoli florets with fluffy quinoa and creamy sunbutter sauce.
Chef’s Tips!
- Cut the broccoli florets into a uniform size for both even roasting and balanced bites.
- Don’t overcrowd the broccoli on the baking sheet – keep the florets evenly spaces with breathing room between each piece so the florets roast, not steam.
- Flip the broccoli halfway through roasting for consistent caramelization on all sides. We love using a fish spatula for turning vegetables.
- If you’re new to cooking quinoa, try our Instant Pot quinoa recipe! It’s fuss-free and perfect every time.
- Always rinse quinoa before cooking! Rinsing step removes the quinoa’s natural coating (saponin), which can cause the cooked quinoa to clump, and can also make it taste bitter.
Storing and Serving
Storing: Broccoli quinoa salad will keep in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for 4-5 days. It’s best stored separate from the dressing and best served cold or room temperature.
Meal Prep: Because this salad has a great shelf life, it’s great for meal prep. Portion the salad and dressing separately into meal prep bowls (or two larger containers), then dress once you’re ready to eat.
Did you make this broccoli quinoa salad? I’d love to know how it turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below.
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30-Minute Broccoli Quinoa Salad
Description
Ingredients
- 2 medium heads broccoli, about 6 cups
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- ½ c quinoa
- 1 c water, or vegetable broth
- ⅓ c roasted salted sunflower seeds
- ⅓ c dried cherries
- 3 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
Sunbutter Dressing
- ⅓ c sunflower seed butter
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Position a rack in the lower third of the oven, then heat to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine broccoli, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl, then toss until well coated. Spread the florets over the prepared baking sheet in a single layer, ensuring even spacing to prevent overcrowding.
- Roast 20-22 minutes, or until you can insert the tip of a paring knife into the center of a stalk and meet little resistance. Flip the florets once halfway through roasted to ensure even caramelization.
- Make the quinoa. Place the quinoa into a fine mesh sieve, then rinse under cool running water until the foam subsides. Combine the rinsed quinoa with the water or broth in a small sauce pot. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low, cover, and cook 15 minutes. Remove the pot from heat, and allow the quinoa to sit an additional 5 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff with a fork.
- Make the sunbutter sauce. Combine the sunflower seed butter, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, rice vinegar, salt, pepper, and water in a food processor or blender cup. Blend on high until the sauce is smooth and the garlic has been pulverized and worked into the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add more water a teaspoon at a time until it reaches the consistency of ranch dressing.
- Combine the roasted broccoli and cooked quinoa in a large mixing bowl. Add the sunflower seeds, dried cherries, and mint. Drizzle with the sunbutter sauce and serve right away. Alternatively, pack the salad and dressing into separate containers and refrigerate until ready to eat. Enjoy!
Josie
Loved it!