This broccoli and pomegranate salad combines deliciously roasted broccoli with sweet fruit and herbs for so much flavor. It's so simple to make and perfect as a summer side salad for BBQs and picnics!
Love broccoli salads? Have a peek at my beetroot and broccoli salad for another fun side dish!
Broccoli salad is such a classic summer side dish, and one that we like to serve up over and over. But as mayo doesn't work for me on a low histamine diet, I love to add pops of sweetness with pomegranate - so deliciously fruity!
It seems quite the debate whether to roast broccoli to make salad or not, and I'm more in the camp of doing so. It gives such a lovely nutty, slightly sweet and deeper flavor, that's so moreish.
So let me show you how to make this broccoli pomegranate salad as a tasty and very pretty summer salad. It's so simple, but looks so cute I think!
Do check out my cucumber pomegranate salad and apple and pomegranate salad for more fun fruity summer and fall salad ideas!
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⭐ Why this recipe is so good
Balance of nutty and sweet flavors. Roasting broccoli brings out a hint of nutty flavor that's so delicious, and pomegranate gives a fun sweetness.
Minimal ingredients. We use fresh fruit and veggies, and pantry staples. All easy to find in stores!
Vegan, gluten free and low histamine salad. This tasty roasted broccoli salad is suitable for all these dietary requirements, just see the notes on apple cider vinegar in the recipe card if you're low histamine.
🥦 Ingredients
All the ingredients and their quantities are set out in the recipe card below.
Some notes on a few of them:
- Broccoli - I do suggest to roast broccoli florets to give them more flavor, but you can leave them raw if you prefer.
- Pomegranate seeds - with their fruity tangy flavor, these give the salad a delicious pop of sweetness.
- Cilantro - also known as coriander for my UK readers, we use fresh herbs, definitely not dried!
📖 Swaps and variations
Swap apple cider vinegar for pomegranate juice. If vinegar doesn't work for you, you can swap out for fresh pomegranate juice. You may have a rather pink salad, but it will be tasty!
🔪 Step by step instructions
Making this roasted broccoli pomegranate salad is so easy with all simple recipe steps and just a few ingredients. It's perfect as a summer side dish for BBQs and picnics!
All the instructions are set out in the recipe card below, but these step by step photos should help guide you.
Step 1: Make the cilantro dressing
Whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, diced cilantro / coriander, maple syrup, salt and optional black pepper (image 1).
Step 2: Roast the broccoli
Dice your broccoli into small bite-size florets of roughly the same size. Place on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil and a pinch of salt and black pepper. Spread the florets out in an even layer with a little space between them. Roast the broccoli for 15-18 minutes, until they have a little browning at the edges (image 2).
Step 3: Make the broccoli pomegranate salad
Once the broccoli has cooled, add to a large bowl and toss together with the pomegranate seeds and pumpkin seeds / pepitas. Drizzle over the dressing and toss to coat (image 3). Spoon onto your serving plate or bowl and enjoy!
💭 Recipe tips and notes
- Spread the broccoli out on your baking sheet. For the broccoli to roast rather than steam, it's best to have a little space between the florets.
- Dice the broccoli into similar size florets. This helps to get an even cook time.
- Add some leaves! If you want some leafy greens, then add in some lamb's lettuce, kale or arugula depending upon which works for you best.
📋 Frequently asked questions
It's very possible to make a broccoli salad with raw broccoli, but personally I think that roasting it brings out so much flavor and gives it a softer 'bite' too.
Yes, simply swap out the broccoli and use broccolini instead. This guide to roasting broccolini should be helpful!
Of course! If you like the 'bite' of raw onion, simply add that in or soak your onion for ten minutes in iced water to make them a little milder in flavor.
🥗 More salads
Choose from so many fresh bright salad recipes here to take to a BBQ or potluck including my light radish slaw, apple radish salad and my cucumber potato salad, as well as these recent recipes:
I'm always in the kitchen, so come join me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to be the first to hear of new recipes! And I love to hear from you - so please do leave a star rating ⭐⭐⭐ and comment if you've tried the recipe!
📖 Recipe
Broccoli and Pomegranate Salad
Equipment
- Salad servers
Ingredients
- 1 broccoli about 4 cups, diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- pinch salt
- pinch black pepper
- ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
- 2 tablespoon pepitas
For the dressing
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, diced cilantro and salt to make the dressing.
- Dice the broccoli into small bite-size florets. Arrange on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and black pepper (optional). Toss to coat, then spread in an even layer with a little space between them. Roast for 15-18 minutes so they have a little browning at the edges.
- Once the broccoli has cooled, combine with the pepitas, pomegranate seeds and toss through the dressing.
Notes
- Dice the broccoli into similar size florets for an even cook time.
- Spread the broccoli out on the baking sheet so that it roasts rather than steams.
- Nutritional information is auto-generated and should be understood to be an estimate.
- apple cider vinegar, which scores 1.
- cilantro, which scores 0, but has a ? as a liberator and a note, 'Only small amounts are well tolerated'.
- black pepper, which scores 2.
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