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This broccoli kale salad recipe is made with nutritious ingredients like quinoa, dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, and a creamy tahini dressing. It’s a hearty and crunchy salad that’s packed with fiber, healthy fats, and plant-based protein! Recipe is vegan and gluten-free.

Overhead photo of a broccoli and kale salad with a tahini dressing drizzled overtop.

This broccoli and kale salad is so hearty, filling, and delicious! All you need are 10 ingredients and you can even make it in advance. You can serve this healthy salad recipe as a side dish or increase the serving size and enjoy it as a main dish salad!

I see a lot of raw broccoli salads out there that are tossed in mayonnaise or sour cream as their dressing. No hate on either of those ingredients, but I wanted to elevate the nutrition and use a tahini-based dressing instead. It’s just as creamy (promise!) but packs in extra plant-based protein, healthy fats, and essential minerals.

As a dietitian, I’m happy to share that this salad is not only packed with nutrition benefits, but it’s pretty easy to make, too. The only thing you need to cook is the quinoa (see my detailed tips for cooking quinoa if needed), the rest is just chopping and mixing. I hope you enjoy it!

Want more delicious, hearty salad recipe inspiration? Check out my roundup of 15+ fall and winter salad recipes for more ideas!

Closeup photo of a broccoli and kale salad with a tahini dressing drizzled overtop.

Ingredients Needed

All you need to make this kale and broccoli salad recipe are 10 simple ingredients:

Full ingredient measurements and detailed recipe instructions located in the recipe card at the bottom of this post!

Recipe Modifications & Ingredient Swaps

  1. You can use another cooked whole grain in place of quinoa. This would work great with farro, for instance.
  2. Pumpkin seeds can be swapped for sunflower seeds, or omitted completely if preferred.
  3. You can use honey in place of maple syrup, or a similarly textured sweetener. I only use a very small amount in this recipe!
  4. Instead of dried cranberries, you could try using raisins for a similar texture and sweetness.
  5. I love lacinato/dinosaur kale for this one, but feel free to use curly kale if you prefer it!
Overhead photo of small bowls of ingredients on a wood cutting board.

Can This Salad Be Made In Advance?

Yes! One amazing thing about this recipe is that it tastes EVEN BETTER when made in advance 😉

When left to sit in the tahini dressing, the kale will start to soften and break down a bit. I actually recommend making this recipe at least 30 minutes before eating (although I know sometimes it’s tough to wait that long!)

Because of this, it’s a great option to make as a packed lunch. You can do so the night before and enjoy it for a few days!

Do You Use Raw Broccoli In This Salad?

Yes, this salad is made with raw broccoli. I chop the broccoli up in small pieces to increase the surface area that gets coated in the creamy dressing.

If you’d prefer, you can blanch the broccoli before adding it to the salad. Or, you could try this with roasted broccoli too! It will loose the crunchiness, but I imagine it would still be delicious.

Overhead photo of chopped broccoli on a wood cutting board.

Broccoli Nutrition Benefits

This green cruciferous vegetable is a great source of:

  • micronutrients, including vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin A, folate, potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, and magnesium. Broccoli is one of the best sources of Vitamin C out there – just one cup provides 135% of your daily vitamin C needs!
  • dietary fibre – one cup provides 2.3 grams of fibre, which is 9% of your daily fibre needs. Fibre is known to help with digestion, heart health, blood sugar control, and weight management.
  • beneficial plant compounds (like sulforaphane) and antioxidants (like carotenoids)

Love broccoli? Check out my roundup of simple broccoli recipes for more creative ways to cook with it!

Kale Nutrition Benefits

Just one cup of kale provides over 100% of your daily needs for:

  • vitamin A (206%)
  • vitamin K (684%)
  • vitamin C (134%)

Kale is also a good source of other micronutrients like:

  • manganese
  • magnesium
  • potassium
  • calcium
  • copper
  • vitamin B6

That same cup provides 2 grams of dietary fibre, helping to keep your gut and heart happy. In addition to micronutrients, kale is also loaded with antioxidants, which prevent cellular damage and provide a multitude of health benefits.

Want more kale? Visit my roundup of healthy kale recipes for more ideas!

Tahini Nutrition Benefits

Tahini is a great source of:

  • heart-healthy unsaturated fats
  • plant-based protein
  • essential minerals like calcium, iron, and magnesium

Need more ways to use up that jar of tahini? Don’t miss my roundup of healthy tahini recipes for more inspiration.

Overhead photo of a broccoli kale salad tossed with tahini dressing on a white plate.

More Hearty Salad Recipes

Did you give this Broccoli Kale Salad Recipe a try? Let me know by leaving a comment and recipe rating below!

If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Pinterest – seeing your creations always makes my day. You can also subscribe to my email list to never miss a new recipe or nutrition education post!

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Get the Recipe: Broccoli Kale Salad With Tahini Dressing

This broccoli kale salad recipe is made with nutritious ingredients like quinoa, dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, and a creamy tahini dressing. It's a hearty and crunchy salad that's packed with fiber, healthy fats, and plant-based protein! Recipe is vegan and gluten-free.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Chill: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 4
Overhead photo of a broccoli and kale salad with a tahini dressing drizzled overtop.
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5 from 7 votes
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Ingredients

Tahini Dressing:

Instructions

  • Cook quinoa according to package directions (or see my detailed tips here).
  • While quinoa cooks, shred kale and chop broccoli into smaller pieces. I did the florets in roughly 1/2-inch pieces and the stalks about 1/4-inch pieces. Set aside.
  • Make tahini dressing by adding all dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Whisk together until smooth, adjusting seasonings to taste.
  • Add shredded kale, chopped broccoli, cooked quinoa, dried cranberries, and pumpkin seeds to a large mixing bowl. Pour dressing overtop and toss everything together well, ensuring that the dressing really coats all of the salad! Season with extra salt and pepper as needed.
  • Cover and refrigerate salad for at least 30 minutes to allow it to chill and the kale to soften before eating. Enjoy!

Notes

*SIZE OF VEGGIES: While the exact size of bunches of kale and crowns of broccoli of course differ, I made this recipe with a large bunch of kale and a large crown of broccoli and it yielded the amounts you see listed. If you can only find smaller bunches of kale, I would purchase 2 to be sure! Don’t stress if you don’t get an exact 5 cup measurement of kale or 2 cup measurement of chopped broccoli – a little more or less is completely fine 🙂
*SERVINGS: This salad can be enjoyed as a side dish or as a hearty entrée salad. As a side, it will make about 4-6 servings. As a main, I’d say it’ll make about 2-3 servings.
*STORAGE: This recipe is great for making in advance as the flavours sink in and the kale gets softer (but not soggy)! Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3 days.
*RECIPE MODIFICATIONS:
  • You can use another cooked whole grain in place of quinoa. This would work great with farro, for instance.
  • Pumpkin seeds can be swapped for sunflower seeds, or omitted completely if preferred.
  • You can use honey in place of maple syrup, or another sweetener with a similar consistency.
  • Instead of dried cranberries, you could try using raisins for a similar texture and sweetness.
  • I love lacinato/dinosaur kale for this one, but feel free to use curly kale if you prefer it!
  • If you’d prefer, you can blanch the broccoli before adding it to the salad. Or, you could try this with roasted broccoli too! It will loose the crunchiness, but I imagine it would still be delicious.

Nutrition

As a dietitian, I create recipes with whole food ingredients that provide the nutrients needed for optimal health. My nutrition philosophy does not focus on numbers; however, I understand that this information can be helpful.

Do note that the nutrition info provided is an estimate and I cannot guarantee correctness of the displayed values. These numbers will differ depending on brands used, recipe modifications, and amount eaten. If you require specific nutrition information due to medical reasons, please consult with your dietitian or physician.

Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword: broccoli, kale, quinoa, tahini
Author: Carrie Walder

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