Asian Sesame Broccoli Salad

5 from 101 votes

Asian Sesame Broccoli Salad

Blanched broccoli tossed in a warm garlic, olive oil, and toasted sesame dressing with rice wine vinegar and soy sauce. A crunchy Korean-style banchan that is vegan, low carb, and easy to make ahead.

Prep Time5

Cook Time2

Total Time7

Course: Salad, Side Dish, Sides

Cuisine: Asian, Korean

Servings:

Calories: 86kcal

Author: Jamie

Ingredients

2 lbs broccoli florets

Dressing Ingredients

2⅓ Tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sesame oil
3 cloves garlic minced
1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon soy sauce substitute with tamari for gluten free
1 teaspoon toasted white sesame seeds
1 teaspoon toasted black sesame seeds
⅓ teaspoon dried chili pepper flakes optional for spice
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Blanch the broccoli: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add a generous pinch of salt. Boil the broccoli florets for 1 minute.
Cool it: Transfer the broccoli to a bowl of ice water, or run it under cold water, to stop the cooking. Drain well and set aside.
Make the dressing: In a small pot, heat the minced garlic and olive oil until the garlic starts to sizzle and becomes fragrant. Remove from the heat and stir in the sesame oil, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, black and white sesame seeds, and chili flakes.
Toss: Pour the dressing over the broccoli, toss to coat, and season with salt and pepper.
Rest and serve: Serve right away, or for the best flavor let it sit in the dressing for about 1 hour. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Notes

Why blanch: A quick 1-minute blanch brightens the color, keeps the crunch, and removes the raw broccoli taste.
Why cook the garlic: Sizzling it in the oil softens its sharp bite and infuses the oil with garlic flavor.
Make ahead: This tastes even better the next day. Store covered in the fridge for up to 3 to 5 days.
Gluten-free: Use tamari instead of soy sauce.
Spice: The chili flakes are optional. Add more for extra heat.

Nutrition