Smoky Broccoli & Cabbage Salad with Green Tahini Yogurt

AKA the salad I can't stop making.

Welcome to Big Salad Energy April! If you’re new to BSE, it’s all about big, bold flavors, textures, and pushing the boundaries of what salad can be—plus, celebrating produce in all its vibrant, tasty glory. First up, a salad I threw together with two things that are always in my veggie crisper: Broccoli and cabbage. I made it on the fly a few weeks ago after I got back from India, and have devoured it every week since, so here it is for you!

Crowns of broccoli get cut into big, chunky quarters, seasoned with smoked paprika, and roasted until deeply golden and caramelized. A simple slaw of red cabbage, dill, roasted pepitas, lemon juice, and olive oil brings the crispy-crunchy factor, and of course, ya gotta have a zippy, creamy little number to drag everything through. Enter green tahini yogurt—a punchy combination of mint, cilantro, serrano pepper, garlic, lemon zest, extra virgin olive oil, tahini, and Greek yogurt. SWOON.

Ready for more big salad fun? Next week, I’ll be dropping a recipe for spring farro salad with a charred scallion-miso dressing. Plus, we’ll end the month with my perfect grilled salmon salad platter, perfect for warm-weather entertaining.

EAT THE RAINBOW!

Smoky Broccoli & Cabbage Salad with Green Tahini Yogurt

Keeping the broccoli in big, chunky quarters turns this cruciferous cutie from a side piece to the main character of the salad. You can also use big wedges of cauliflower, or halved brussels sprouts in a pinch. Want to add a little more protein heft to the salad? You can bulk it up with feta, golden planks of halloumi, or cooked beans or leftover shredded roast chicken tossed in with the cabbage (you may need to dress things with a little extra lemon juice and olive oil—just do it to taste!).

Serves 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound broccoli crowns (3 to 4 crowns)

• ¼ cup, plus 4 tablespoons, extra virgin olive oil

• 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal or 1 teaspoon Morton’s kosher salt, plus more

• 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika

• 2 lemons

• 2 cloves garlic, smashed

• 1 serrano pepper, roughly chopped

• 1 cup fresh mint leaves, lightly packed

• 1 cup roughly chopped cilantro or parsley, lightly packed

• ½ cup plain, full-fat Greek yogurt

• ¼ cup tahini

• 5 cups shredded red cabbage

• 1 cup torn dill fronds, lightly packed

• ½ cup roasted pumpkin seeds

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

2. Cut 1 pound broccoli crowns into quarters (if they are larger, you can cut them into sixths) and place them on a sheet pan. Drizzle with ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal or ½ teaspoon Morton’s kosher salt and 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika, and toss to coat. Arrange the broccoli in a single layer, cut side down, and roast, flipping two-thirds of the way through, until deeply golden and caramelized, 22 to 27 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, prepare the dressing. Place the zest of 2 lemons, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, reserving the remaining lemon for the cabbage, 2 cloves smashed garlic, 1 roughly chopped serrano pepper, 1 cup fresh mint leaves, 1 cup roughly chopped cilantro or parsley, ½ cup plain, full-fat Greek yogurt, ¼ cup tahini, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, and the remaining 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal or ½ teaspoon Morton’s kosher salt in a blender and blend on high until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until serving (if making more than 30 minutes in advance, cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly on the top of the sauce to prevent oxidation).

4. To prepare the slaw, place 5 cups shredded red cabbage, 1 cup torn dill fronds, and ½ cup roasted pumpkin seeds in a large bowl. Add 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and the remaining 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, and toss to combine. Season with salt, to taste.

5. To assemble, swoosh the green tahini yogurt on a serving platter or shallow serving bowl, mound the dressed cabbage on top, and then nestle in the roasted broccoli. Enjoy immediately.

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Make-ahead: The dressing can be made up to 2 days in advance, just make sure to press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the sauce to slow oxidation. (The bright green color still may fade.) The cabbage and dill can be combined ahead of time and dressed at the last minute.