Chinese Broccoli Salad {15 Minute}

This Chinese Broccoli salad uses freshly blanched broccoli with a tangy garlic sesame oil dressing. It is fresh, crunchy, and simple, yet packed with flavor, and textures. It makes the perfect appetizer, side dish, or light lunch.

I just love that this salad is almost like a Chinese broccoli stir fry but without the stir fry! It is even more flavorful!

A combination of fresh ingredients and crunchy textures all topped with a tangy, spicy, and garlicky dressing (that is so simple to make, and you’ll love!).

The result is a delicious and perfectly balanced Chinese broccoli salad.

Best of all, this salad is budget-friendly, made with easy-to-find ingredients, and packed with nourishing properties like broccoli, carrots, and ginger that will boost your immune system.

Additionally, this broccoli salad is delicious warm, cold, or at room temperature. It also makes a perfect appetizer for any occasion.

You can also enjoy it as a side dish or light lunch along with your favorite protein (such as chicken, beef, tofu, tempeh, or shrimp).

You can also pair it with this tasty Chicken Pad Thai, rice, or grains of your choice.

No matter how you choose to eat this delicious salad, you’ll surely come back for seconds!

Ingredients needed to make Chinese Broccoli Salad

To make this Chinese Broccoli Salad you’ll need simple and budget friendly ingredients that you might already have in your pantry

For the salad:

• Broccoli: Cut it into bite-sized florets. I used regular broccoli for this recipe but can also use broccolini

• Carrot: Thinly sliced medium carrot

For the garlic sauce:

• Garlic: you can use freshly minced or pre-minced. Alternatively, you can use garlic powder

• Green Onion: Chopped green onions are such a fresh addition to this crunchy Asian salad

• Ginger: You can freshly grate or mince the ginger. Alternatively, you can use pre-minced or ginger powder. 

• Chili pepper: I used dry (de-seeded) chili pepper. You can use fresh if you prefer. Alternatively, you can use red pepper flakes 

• Peppercorn: I typically just buy this from the grocery store

• Five spices

• Soy sauce: you can use regular or reduced sodium. For a gluten-free option, use tamari or coconut aminos.

• Sesame oil: For extra flavor. You can use regular sesame or toasted if you like the “nutty” flavor.

• Chinese Aged Vinegar (Chen Cu): You can also use rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar.

• Sesame seeds: optional for toppings. It adds a nice texture to this delicious salad..

• Cooking oil of your preference

• Salt and pepper to taste

How to Make Chinese Broccoli Salad with Garlic sauce

This recipe has only two simple steps. Blanch the veggies, make the sauce and combine all together!

First, give the veggies a quick rinse. Cut the broccoli into medium to small florets and thinly slice the carrot, set aside.         

Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add salt and cooking oil. Once the water is boiling add the broccoli and carrot in.

Cook for 1 to 2 minutes (depending on how tender you prefer).

Remove the veggies and transfer it to a bowl filled with ice cubes. This will stop the cooking process and keep the veggies firm and fresh.

Best Practice to Blanch Broccoli

Here is my parents’ top tip When blanching, add a little bit of oil and salt.

he oil keeps the broccoli fresh bright green! And the salt adds a little bit of flavor into the broccoli.

Ways to Enjoy this Broccoli Salad

This salad is delicious as it is! You can enjoy warm, cold, or room temperature.

It is also perfect if paired with other Asian inspired dishes like this Chinese Garlic Chicken, or Chinese Garlic Tofu Stir Fry

You may also add simple proteins; chicken, tofu, chickpeas and more for an easy and light lunch. I love this oven roasted chicken recipe.

How To Prolong the Life of this Salad

It is the best to enjoy fresh, but meal prep is life, I get it! Especially for a busy life.

Store: It’s best to use an airtight container in the fridge and consume within 2 days. It will get watery if the broccoli spends too much time sitting in the dressing.

OR you can always prepare this Chinese Broccoli Salad and the sauce separately.