Roasted Broccolini Salad

Name: Roasted Broccolini Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 15 ounces Great Northern beans; 2 tablespoons olive oil; salt and pepper; 1 pound broccolini; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 2 cloves sliced garlic; salt and pepper; 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt; 2 tablespoons tahini; 1/2 tablespoon honey; 3 tablespoons lemon juice; 1 tablespoon minced shallot; salt and pepper; 2 tablespoons dried cranberries; 2 tablespoons chopped pecans; 2 tablespoons crumbled feta

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Roasted Broccolini Salad with crispy white beans and zesty Greek yogurt tahini dressing comes together in just 30 minutes for a fast and easy side dish for holidays or weeknight dinners.

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You’re going to love this

Fast and easy. This salad comes together quickly and easily. Roast the broccolini and beans, stir together the dressing, then toss it all together with some fun toppings. That’s it.

Charred broccolini salad. If you’re a broccolini lover, then you know how delicious it is lightly charred and crisp tender.

Fresh and wholesome salad. This warm and hearty broccolini salad takes this unusual vegetable and turns it into a crowd-pleasing salad that’s full of flavor and fresh ingredients.

Crispy white beans. Crispy white beans add crunchy texture, earthy flavor, and a punch of protein to this easy broccolini salad. Yogurt tahini dressing. Greek yogurt and tahini make the most delicious dressing for this broccolini salad.

Ingredients

White beans. Great Northern beans are a mild-flavored bean that are absolutely delicious when roasted.

Broccolini. In the produce aisle of your grocery store, you might find broccolini in small bunches or in bags. Look for broccolini with firm stems, and tight florets and no brown spots or wilting.

Greek yogurt. There’s no mayo in this dressing. Greek yogurt adds creaminess and tang.

Tahini. Tahini is sesame paste and it adds a mild nutty flavor to the salad dressing.

Substitutions

White beans. You can use any kind of bean you like. If you’re not into beans, you could also try roasting sliced baby bella (cremini) mushrooms instead— they usually roast in about 15-20 minutes.

Broccolini. If you can’t find broccolini, you can use broccoli or broccoli rabe in this recipe.

Yogurt tahini dressing. If you don’t want to make the dressing, use any creamy dressing. Poppy seed dressing would be delicious on this broccolini salad.

Tahini. Almond or cashew butter may be good substitutes for tahini. If the consistency is too thick, add a little olive oil or sesame oil to thin it.

Shallot. Green onions, red onion, or chives would also be nice.

Dried cranberries. You can use dried blueberries or cherries, or fresh berries or halved grapes.

Pecans. Almonds, walnuts — any nut would be delicious in this salad.

Feta cheese. Goat cheese, blue cheese, or freshly grated Parmesan would all be delicious.

Step by step instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 475.

Step 2

Rinse and drain the white beans, spread them on a plate lined with paper towels, and gently blot them. The drier they are, the crispier they’ll get.

Step 3

Place the beans on a baking pan and toss them with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cut the lemon in half and place it on the pan with the beans.

Step 4

Roast the beans until they are golden brown and crispy, about 28-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

The beans take longer to cook than the broccolini. Roast the beans for about 20 minutes, then add the broccolini for 8-10 minutes and they'll both be done at the same time.

Step 5

While the beans are roasting, chop the broccolini into florets with long stems.

Arrange the florets on a baking pan and toss them with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper, sliced garlic, and red pepper flakes.

Step 6

After the beans have been in the oven for 20 minutes:

Use tongs to carefully remove one of the lemon halves from the pan of beans to use in the broccolini salad dressing. Let it cool.

Place the broccolini in the oven and roast for 8-10 minutes or until the broccolini is lightly charred.

Step 7

Make the yogurt tahini dressing. Whisk yogurt, tahini, honey, juice the roasted lemon half, minced shallot, salt and pepper.

Add warm water, if necessary, to thin the dressing to the perfect drizzling consistency.

Step 8

Assemble the salad. Place the broccolini on a serving plate and top with the crispy white beans. You can use all of the beans or reserve some for snacking.

Drizzle with dressing, saving some to serve on the side.

Top with dried cranberries, chopped pecans, and feta cheese. Serve with the remaining lemon half.

Tips

Cut broccolini in equal pieces so it cooks evenly.

Pat the white beans dry to ensure they get nice and crispy in the oven.

The beans take longer to cook than the broccolini. Put the broccolini in the oven after the beans have been in for 20 minutes.

You can put all the beans on the salad, or reserve some for snacking!

FAQs

What is Broccolini?

If you’re not familiar with broccolini, it’s like tall gangly broccoli with little florets on top. Some people think it’s baby broccoli, or immature broccoli, or broccoli rabe — but it’s not. It’s a hybrid of broccoli and Chinese broccoli that inherited the florets from broccoli and long, tender stems from Chinese broccoli.

Broccolini is sweeter than broccoli and has a mild flavor. It’s not bitter at all and the long stems taste a little like asparagus.

What is the difference between broccoli and broccolini?

Broccoli and broccolini are very similar because they’re related — not surprisingly. Broccolini has long tender stems and fewer florets. The flavor of broccolini is often compared to asparagus or spinach because it is mild and sweeter than broccoli.

Can you make broccolini salad ahead of time?

This salad is best when it’s fresh and served warm or room temperature. But you can certainly make the dressing a few days in advance, using fresh lemon instead of roasted.

Can broccoli be substituted for broccolini?

Yes, in most cases, you can use broccoli in any recipe that calls for broccolini.

Can you eat broccolini raw?

Yes, you can eat broccolini raw. It would be delicious dipped into the yogurt tahini dressing!

How do you cut broccolini?

When cutting broccolini, the goal is to get similar sizes so everything cooks evenly.

First, remove any leaves, then use a sharp knife to cut off the bottom couple of inches from the stalk.

Then, separate the broccolini into individual florets, cutting lengthwise between the stalks, if necessary.

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