This warm roasted broccoli winter salad combines hearty roasted broccoli and cauliflower with the fresh zing of lemon vinaigrette. Topped with creamy avocado, crunchy almonds, and sweet pomegranate seeds, this winter salad is an incredible way to enjoy winter flavors. Easy to prepare and packed with taste, it's the perfect pick-me-up for any chilly day.
Looking for more fresh and flavorful salad ideas? Check out our vibrant brussels sprout salad for another great way to enjoy your winter greens, or this very hearty and filling maple chicken salad. And if you love the lemony touch in this salad, you'll find more inspiration in our salad recipes featuring similar dressings. Don't forget to explore our collection of healthy side dishes, perfect for pairing with your winter meals.
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⭐️ Why You'll Love This Winter Salad
- Best way to get your winter greens: Warm and hearty, it's the ideal salad for colder days.
- Added grains for a more filling and hearty salad: I've used farro in this salad, but you could easily use brown rice, quinoa or a blend of grains.
- Quick and easy: A breeze to make, the veggies are simply roasted on one sheet pan, perfect for any day of the week.
- Adaptable to your taste: Easily tweak it to fit your diet or pair with your favorite dishes, like this roast lamb or this grilled Moroccan chicken.
- Bursting with flavor and texture: Every bite offers an incredible mix of creamy, crunchy, and zesty.
🧾 Essential ingredients for roasted broccoli salad
In this section, I've outlined the key ingredients and why they're essential in the recipe. For precise measurements, refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Broccoli: The star of the show, broccoli, brings a hearty texture. It roasts beautifully, offering a slightly crispy, charred edge that's full of flavor.
- Cauliflower: A wonderful complement to broccoli, cauliflower adds variety and a subtle, nutty taste to the salad. When roasted, it becomes delightfully tender and golden.
- Farro or other grain: farro is an ancient grain often used in salads and soups. It's boiled until soft and nuttyBut you can use a mix of wild and brown rice or quinoa if you prefer.
- Homemade vinaigrette dressing: lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, honey and za'atar (a Middle Eastern spice blend)
- Almonds: Toasted almonds are a crunchy addition, offering a nutty flavor and a contrast in texture that elevates the salad.
- Avocado: For a touch of creaminess, avocado is included. It pairs well with the other flavors and adds a luxurious, buttery texture.
- Pomegranate Seeds: Pomegranate seeds burst with tangy sweetness, adding a pop of color and an exciting flavor contrast.
👩🏻🍳 Warm winter salad in 4 simple steps
- Prepare the Vegetables: Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Then, vigorously toss the broccoli and cauliflower florets in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season them generously with za'atar, salt, and pepper. *If available, opt for garlic-infused olive oil for an extra flavor boost.
- Roast the Vegetables: Proceed to spread the vegetables evenly on a baking tray. Roast them for about 20 minutes, or until they begin to char slightly at the edges. In the final 5 minutes, add the kale to the tray. This step ensures the kale becomes perfectly crispy. *If kale isn't to your liking, feel free to skip it, although it does add a lovely smoky flavor to the salad when roasted.
- Make the Dressing: While the vegetables are roasting, prepare the dressing. In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, honey, and chili pepper flakes. Season to taste.
- Assemble the Salad: Place cooked faro in a serving bowl. Top with the roasted vegetables. Drizzle the dressing over the salad.
- Add Garnishes: Finish the salad with goat's cheese, pomegranate arils, toasted almonds, and avocado slices.
Variations and substitutions
- Lemon Juice in Vinaigrette: Replace with lime juice for a slightly different citrus profile.
- Almonds: Swap with walnuts, pecans, or pine nuts for a change in nutty flavor and texture. For a nut-free option, try roasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.
- Avocado: Sliced pear or apple can offer a sweet, crisp alternative.
- Pomegranate Seeds: Dried cranberries can be used for a similar burst of sweetness.
- Goat Cheese (if included): Feta cheese or shaved Parmesan can be used for a different cheesy flavor.
- Za'atar tossed with the veggies: try fenugreek, sumac, baharat, or Aleppo pepper. These spices are of Middle Eastern origin and bring a fragrant quality that really helps to brighten up these winter veggies.
- Protein Addition: add grilled chicken, shrimp, or tofu for a protein boost. Chickpeas or black beans can be a great vegetarian protein addition.
🍯 Storing and reheating leftovers
- Fridge
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container. The salad's hearty ingredients hold up well in texture and flavor.
- Duration: It stays fresh for up to 3 days. The flavor may even improve as the dressing continues to marinate the ingredients.
- Tip: Ideally, store the dressing separately and add it just before serving to keep elements like almonds crisp.
- Reheat
- Optional Warming: Reheat the roasted veggies gently, if desired, but avoid overdoing it to prevent them from becoming mushy.
- Reassembly: Mix the warmed veggies with cold ingredients like avocado and goat cheese for a varied temperature experience.
- Tip: Leftovers of this roasted broccoli salad are great served at room temperature. Avoid serving it cold straight from the fridge. The flavors will be very muted.
- Additional Tips
- Preparation: Roast the veggies in advance and refrigerate. Assemble the salad with fresh ingredients when ready to serve.
- Reviving Leftovers: If it's a bit dry, perk it up with a little olive oil or fresh lemon juice.
❓Recipe FAQ's
You can use frozen broccoli and cauliflower, but the texture might differ slightly. They may not get as crispy as fresh vegetables when roasted. There's no need to thaw them first, but you might need to extend the roasting time by a few minutes.
If you don't have za'atar, you can make a simple mix using dried thyme, sesame seeds, and a pinch of sumac or lemon zest. Alternatively, dried oregano or a basic herb blend can also work well.
To make this salad vegan, replace the honey in the dressing with maple syrup or agave nectar. Consider omitting it or using a vegan cheese alternative if you're using goat cheese.
Apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar are good substitutes for balsamic vinegar. They will give a slightly different but equally delicious tangy flavor to the dressing.
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Warm Roasted Broccoli Winter Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups broccoli, cut into florets
- 2 cups cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1 cup kale, packed
- 2 tablespoons of za’atar, middle eastern herb blend *see notes
- 1 ½ cups faro, cooked *see notes
For dressing
- 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 lemon, zest only
- 2 teaspoons honey *see notes
- 1 teaspoon chilli pepper flakes
Salad toppings
- 2 tablespoons flaked almonds, toasted
- 2 tablespoons Goat’s cheese, optional
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate arils
- 1 avocado, sliced
Instructions
- Cook the faro grains according to the package instructions, drain and set aside while you prepare the vegetables.
- Preheat the oven to 350 and toss the cauliflower and broccoli florets in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle with the za’atar and season with salt and pepper.
- Roast on a baking tray for about 20 minutes, or until the cauliflower and broccoli are just starting to char and become golden brown. Add the kale to the tray and roast for a further 5 minutes, or until the kale is just crispy.
- While the vegetables are roasting, make the dressing. Whisk the remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, honey and chilli flakes together. Season according to taste.
- Place the cooked faro into a serving bowl and top with the roasted vegetables. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss well.
- Top with the toasted flakes almonds, sliced avocado, pomegranate seeds, and goat’s cheese.
Notes
- You can use rice, quinoa, or couscous instead of the faro.
- Instead of za’atar you can experiment with different spice blends.
- If you would like to keep this recipe vegan, substitute the honey for maple syrup or agave.
Nutrition
Meet the Chef!
Hi, I'm Debs. Cordon Bleu trained chef and recipe developer. I help you get incredible dinners on the table fast with fool-proof recipes and step-by-step instructions along with tips and tricks that I've learned over a 10-year career in professional kitchens.
Mirela says
Delicious recipe! Thank you!
Debs says
Thanks so much, Mirela! So glad you loved it!
Jake Banfield says
This is an epic salad. Great recipe thank you. I swapped out the goats cheese for some wild red salmon.
Debs says
Thanks so much Jake! So glad you liked it. And your wild salmon substitution is on my list for salads to make this week! Perfect!
Amy says
Beautiful! Roasted veggies are one of my favs. This looks delicious!
Debs says
Thanks Amy! This salad was a hit with my husband too! So it's definitely staying!