This roasted broccoli salad is my favorite salad I have ever made. Charred broccoli, a crispy white bean crumble, and a creamy lemon yogurt dressing loaded with fresh herbs. At 13g of protein and 10g of fiber per serving, it eats like a full meal.
Roasted Broccoli Salad At A Glance
- ✅ Recipe Name: Roasted Broccoli Salad with Crispy White Beans (13g protein)
- 🕒 Ready In: ~55 minutes
- 👪 Serves: 6
- 🍽 Calories: ~365 per serving
- 💪 Protein: 13 grams per serving
- 🌿 Fiber: 10 grams per serving
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Broccoli, white beans, red onion, almonds, parsley, dill, Greek yogurt, lemon, capers, Dijon mustard
- 📖 Dietary Info: Gluten-free, vegetarian, high-protein, high-fiber
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: Roasting the broccoli gives you flavor no raw broccoli salad can touch, and the white beans crisp up alongside it. No bacon, no croutons, no mayo. Just as good cold the next day.
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What Makes This Roasted Broccoli Salad Different
I make this salad once a week. That is not something I say about most recipes I develop. I brought it to a dinner party this spring and every single person there asked me for the recipe before they left.
The reason is the broccoli. Almost every broccoli salad you find online uses it raw, tossed in mayo and chilled for an hour. I roast mine at 425°F until the edges go dark and crisp, and it turns into something completely different. Roasted broccoli tastes nutty and sweet instead of grassy and sharp. Once you have had it this way, the raw version feels like a compromise.
And let's not forget the white bean crumble. I wanted the crunch that bacon or croutons usually bring, without either one. Dry the beans well, toss them with garlic and onion powder, and roast them until they crumble. They come out savory and so crisp; the same trick as my air fryer chickpeas.
Between the beans and the broccoli, each serving has 13 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber, which is what makes this eat like dinner instead of a side. If you like salads built this way, try my edamame salad with feta and dill or Mediterranean dense bean salad next.
Jump to:
- Roasted Broccoli Salad At A Glance
- What Makes This Roasted Broccoli Salad Different
- Is Roasted Broccoli Salad Healthy?
- Ingredients You'll Need
- Substitutions and Variations
- How to Make Roasted Broccoli Salad (Step-by-Step)
- How to Get Crispy Roasted Broccoli
- Should Broccoli Salad Be Served Warm or Cold?
- Tips for the Best Edamame Salad
- How to Make It a Full Meal
- Make Ahead and Storage
- Roasted Broccoli Salad FAQs
- More Healthy Salad Recipes
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Is Roasted Broccoli Salad Healthy?
Yes. One serving has 365 calories, 13 grams of protein, and 10 grams of fiber. That fiber number is 36% of the daily value, and most of it comes from the broccoli and white beans. The salad is gluten-free and vegetarian as written.
Most broccoli salads get their creaminess from mayonnaise. This one uses non-fat Greek yogurt. That swap is why the sugar stays at 5 grams per serving, and why this has three times the protein of a mayo-based broccoli salad.
Ingredients You'll Need
This roasted broccoli salad comes together with grocery-store staples: fresh broccoli, a can of white beans, a red onion, almonds, three fresh herbs, and a lemon-yogurt dressing. A few of these need handling in a specific way, so here is what matters before you start.
The Roasted Broccoli
- Broccoli: Two pounds, florets and stems both. The stems roast up sweet and crisp, so do not throw them out.
- Red onion: Diced small so the pieces soften and brown alongside the broccoli.
- Olive oil: Enough to coat every piece. Skimp here and the broccoli dries out instead of browning.
The Crispy White Bean Crumble
- White beans: Cannellini or great northern. Rinse, drain, and pat them very dry. Dry beans crisp; wet beans steam.
- Garlic powder and onion powder: Powders stick to the beans better than fresh garlic, which would burn at this temperature.
The Lemon Yogurt Dressing
- Greek yogurt: The creamy base without the mayo. You can use non-fat, 2%, or 5%. It is the same trick I use in the Greek yogurt ranch on my grilled corn and avocado salad.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Smooths out the yogurt and helps the dressing coat every piece.
- Lemon: Juice in the dressing, zest tossed into the salad at the end.
- Capers: Chopped small. They bring a salty, briny bite that keeps the dressing from tasting flat.
- Dijon mustard: Sharpens the whole thing and helps it emulsify.
- Garlic, dried oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper: The backbone of the dressing.
The Salad
- Almonds: Raw, toasted, then roughly chopped. Toasting is worth the five minutes.
- Parsley, cilantro, and dill: Use fresh herbs! Each one does something different, and together they make the salad taste fresh instead of just roasted. If cilantro is not your thing, double the parsley. Same herb energy as my Mediterranean quinoa tabbouleh salad.
Scroll to recipe card for quantities!
Substitutions and Variations
- No white beans? Chickpeas work and get even crispier. Roast them the same way, about 25 minutes, until they crumble when you press one.
- Swap the almonds or make it nut-free. Pistachios, walnuts, or pepitas all work. Use pepitas or sunflower seeds to make it nut-free.
- Change the herbs. Parsley and dill are the two doing the most work here. Skip the cilantro if you dislike it and double the parsley.
- Make it dairy-free. Use plain, unsweetened dairy-free yogurt in place of Greek yogurt. You will lose a few grams of protein, so lean on the beans.
- Add a protein. Grilled boneless chicken thighs, salmon, or air fryer tofu on top turns this into a bigger meal. Chicken adds about 25 grams of protein per 4 ounces.
- No capers? Chopped green olives give you the same salty, briny bite. Start with half the amount and taste.
How to Make Roasted Broccoli Salad (Step-by-Step)
This roasted broccoli salad uses two sheet pans and about 20 minutes of hands-on work. Chop the broccoli into small pieces, roast it with the beans, then toss everything with the herbs and dressing at the end.
- Step 1: Chop the broccoli and onion. Finely chop the florets and the tender stems, and dice the red onion small. Small pieces mean more surface area, which means more browned edges.
- Step 2: Season and spread. Toss the broccoli and onion with olive oil and salt, then spread them evenly across one sheet pan. Do not pile it up, or it will steam.
- Step 3: Prep the beans. Pat the beans completely dry, then roughly chop them so they break apart. Toss with olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Step 4: Roast the broccoli. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes at 425°F, until the edges are deeply browned and the onion has softened and gone jammy.
- Step 5: Roast the beans. About 25 minutes on the lower rack, tossing halfway, until they are golden and crumbly with crisp edges. They will pop around the pan, which is normal.
- Step 6: Toast the almonds. Add them to a small pan and slide it in for the last 6 to 8 minutes. Let them cool, then roughly chop.
- Step 7: Make the dressing. While everything roasts, add all the dressing ingredients to a jar and shake until smooth. Thin with water a teaspoon at a time if you want it more pourable.
- Step 8: Toss the salad. Let the broccoli cool for about 10 minutes, then toss it with the almonds, beans, parsley, cilantro, dill, and lemon zest.
- Step 9: Dress it. Drizzle with the dressing right before serving so everything stays crisp.
- Step 10: Serve. Eat it warm while the broccoli still has crisp edges, or chill it and serve it cold the next day. Serves six as a main or eight as a side.
How to Get Crispy Roasted Broccoli
The key is heat, space, and timing. Roast at 425°F in a single layer, and do not add the dressing until the broccoli has cooled for about 10 minutes.
- Dry the broccoli completely. Wet broccoli steams instead of roasting. Pat it dry with a towel before it hits the oil.
- Give it its own pan. The broccoli needs space to brown. Crowding traps steam, so the beans go on a separate pan.
- Do not undercook it. Thirty to thirty-five minutes sounds long, but pale broccoli tastes flat. You want the tips dark brown and a little crisp.
- Let it cool before dressing. This is the one most people skip. Hot broccoli releases steam, and steam plus dressing equals soggy.
Should Broccoli Salad Be Served Warm or Cold?
Roasted broccoli salad is best served warm, within about 20 minutes of coming out of the oven. The contrast between the hot, crisp broccoli and the cool yogurt dressing is what makes it work, and that contrast fades as it sits.
Cold is what you will be eating the next day, and it is still good. Once everything sits together, the broccoli softens, and the dressing soaks in, so it eats more like a marinated salad than a roasted one.
Room temperature is the right call if you are bringing it somewhere. It holds well on a table for up to two hours, which is enough for most potlucks. In hot weather, keep it in a cooler until you are ready to serve.
Tips for the Best Edamame Salad
- Do not crowd the pan. If the broccoli is piled up, it steams instead of roasting, and you lose the browned edges. Use two pans if you need to. It is worth the extra dish.
- Give the beans the full 25 minutes. They start out soft and only turn crumbly at the very end, so it is easy to pull them too soon. They will pop and skip around the pan while they roast, which means it is working.
- Taste the dressing before you pour it on. The capers and the Dijon are already salty, so you may need less salt than the recipe calls for. It is much easier to adjust now than to fix a dressed salad.
- Dress it right before you serve it. If you are making this ahead, keep the dressing in a jar and toss everything together when you are ready to eat. The broccoli holds its crisp edges so much longer that way.
How to Make It a Full Meal
At 13 grams of protein per serving, this holds its own as a light lunch. If you want it to carry a full dinner, here is what works.
- Add chicken. My air fryer skinless chicken thighs are my go-to here because it's so easy, but I also love these grilled Greek chicken kabobs. Puts the bowl past 35 grams of protein.
- Add seafood instead. Oven baked shrimp skewers come together faster than chicken; this harissa shrimp skillet is so flavorful, and crispy everything bagel salmon is what I make when I want it to feel like a real dinner.
- Add steak. I love these hot honey garlic butter steak bites on top in a few minutes, and the sweet heat plays well against the lemon dressing.
- Keep it vegetarian. A jammy egg on top adds 6 grams of protein, and the yolk works like a second dressing. Or serve the salad alongside my vegan tofu schnitzel for a bigger plate.
Make Ahead and Storage
This salad is best fresh, when the broccoli is still warm and crisp against the cool, creamy dressing. That contrast is the whole point, and it softens a little once everything sits together.
- Store leftovers: Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. The broccoli softens after about a day, so it eats more like a cold marinated salad by then. Still good, just different.
- Skip reheating: The yogurt dressing will separate. If you kept the broccoli undressed, you can warm it on a sheet pan at 400°F for 5 minutes and dress it after.
- Make it ahead: Roast the broccoli and beans up to 2 days early and keep the dressing in a jar. Toss the broccoli with the herbs and almonds right before serving, then add the bean crumble on top so it stays crisp.
- Skip freezing: The broccoli goes limp and the dressing breaks.
Roasted Broccoli Salad FAQs
You can, but it is a different salad. Raw broccoli tastes sharp and grassy, and it needs a creamy mayo-style dressing to soften that. Roasting turns it nutty and sweet, which is what makes the lemon yogurt dressing work here.
Usually one of three things: the broccoli was wet when it went in the oven, the pan was crowded so it steamed instead of roasting, or it was dressed while still hot. Let it cool about 10 minutes before the dressing goes on.
Yes. Roast the broccoli and beans up to 2 days early and keep the dressing in a separate jar. Toss everything together right before serving so the broccoli stays crisp.
Yes, and they get even crispier. Roast them the same way for 25 to 30 minutes until they crumble when you press one.
Yes, as written. There is no bread, no croutons, and no gluten in any of the ingredients. Check your Dijon mustard label if you are cooking for someone with celiac, since a few brands add wheat.
More Healthy Salad Recipes
If you loved this crispy roasted broccoli bean salad, here are a few more to try next:
Did you make this recipe?
If you make this recipe, be sure to comment and rate it down below. Also, don't forget to tag me @healthfulblondie on Instagram and use the hashtag #healthfulblondie so I can see your delicious creation and share it with my followers!
📖 Recipe
Roasted Broccoli Salad with Crispy White Beans
Ingredients
Roasted broccoli and onion:
- 2 lbs broccoli, finely chopped
- 1 red onion, diced (I like it small pieces)
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Pinch of black pepper
White bean crumble:
- 15 oz can of organic white beans, (cannellini or great northern), rinsed, drained, and patted very dry
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon onion powder, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Pinch of black pepper
For the salad:
- ½ cup raw almonds, roughly chopped and toasted
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh dill, finely chopped
- Zest of 1 lemon
For the lemon yogurt dressing:
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup plain 0% Greek yogurt, I did 0% Fage
- 1 tablespoon capers, chopped
- Juice of 1 lemon, about 3 Tbsp
- 1 - 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, to taste
- 3 large garlic cloves, finely minced
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Heat the oven to 425°F and line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
- Chop the broccoli small: Finely chop the florets and the tender stems. You want small pieces, almost the size of rice. More surface area means more browning.
- Season the veggies: Add the broccoli and red onion to a large bowl with the olive oil and salt. Toss until everything is coated.
- Roast the broccoli: Spread the broccoli and onion across one pan in an even layer. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, until the edges are deeply browned and crisp.
- Prep the beans: Pat the beans completely dry, then roughly chop them so they break apart. Add them to the second pan with the olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper and toss.
- Roast the beans: Roast for about 25 minutes, tossing halfway, until they are dry and crumbly with crisp edges.
- Toast the almonds: Spread the almonds on a small pan and add them to the oven for the last 6 to 8 minutes. Let them cool, then roughly chop.
- Make the dressing: Add all the dressing ingredients to a jar, seal it, and shake until smooth. If you want it thinner, add water 1 teaspoon at a time until it pours.
- Toss the salad: Once the broccoli has cooled (for about 10 minutes or so), add it to a large bowl with the toasted almonds, parsley, cilantro, dill, and lemon zest. Toss to combine.
- Assemble and serve: Plate the broccoli, top with the white bean crumble, and dress as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe tested and developed by Tati Chermayeff, creator of Healthful Blondie. A former Division I rower, Ironman triathlete, and recipe developer based in Austin, TX, Tati creates high-protein and healthy recipes that actually taste like the real thing.
Drey says
So so good! Try it- it will be on your repeat menu!
Tati Chermayeff says
YES this is my FAVORITE salad EVER !!!! So SO good!