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Charred Broccoli Salad with Fresh Orange, Almonds & Shallot Vinaigrette
Broccoli roasted hard enough to blacken at the tips tastes almost nothing like steamed broccoli, and those charred edges are what stand up to citrus. Fresh orange segments go in off the knife rather than out of a can, and their juice does the sweetening so the dressing needs no honey at all.
Charred Broccoli Salad with Fresh Orange, Almonds & Shallot Vinaigrette
Recipe Card
Charred Broccoli Salad with Fresh Orange, Almonds & Shallot Vinaigrette
Method: Sheet Pan·Cuisine: Californian
Best Season
Winter, when navel oranges are at their best
Ingredients
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8 cups broccoli florets, cut small (about 2 lb, or 2 large crowns)
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3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
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1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
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1/2 teaspoon black pepper
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2 navel oranges
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1 small shallot, very finely minced
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2 tablespoons champagne or white wine vinegar
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1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
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3/4 cup sliced almonds
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1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
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For serving: flaky salt and extra cracked pepper
Instructions
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1
Heat the oven to 450°F with a sheet pan inside. Toss the broccoli with 1 tablespoon of the oil, the salt and pepper, keeping the coating light; oil-soaked florets steam instead of charring.
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2
Spread the broccoli on the hot pan in a single layer with gaps between the pieces and roast 16 to 20 minutes without stirring, until the undersides are deeply browned and the tips have gone black and brittle. Those blackened tips are the point, so take it further than feels comfortable.
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3
While it roasts, zest one orange into a bowl, then segment both over the same bowl to catch the juice, cutting the membranes away and letting the segments fall in. Lift the segments out with a fork and set them aside, leaving about 2 tablespoons of juice behind.
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4
Whisk the shallot, vinegar, Dijon and orange zest into the reserved juice, then stream in the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil while whisking until it thickens slightly and stops separating. Let it sit 10 minutes so the raw bite goes out of the shallot.
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5
Toast the almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes, until golden and fragrant. Toss the warm broccoli with the vinaigrette, then fold in the orange segments, almonds and parsley just before serving. Taste for acid and salt; warm broccoli absorbs dressing fast and often wants another splash of vinegar.
Tip
Best within an hour of assembling. The roasted broccoli and vinaigrette keep separately for 3 days, but hold back the almonds and orange until the last minute or the nuts soften and the segments break down.
Make It Yours
Nut-free
Toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds replace the almonds one for one. You gain about 1 g of protein per serving and a greener, more savory note that suits the charred broccoli well.
Make it a meal
Add 4 oz of shredded rotisserie chicken or a can of drained white beans per two servings. Chicken adds about 30 g of protein per portion; the beans add roughly 7 g of protein and 6 g of fiber.
If oranges are out of season
Grapefruit segments work with the same technique and bring less sugar, or use thinly sliced fennel and a splash more vinegar. Grapefruit cuts about 2 g of net carbs per serving.
Vegetable swap
Cauliflower, romanesco or Brussels sprouts all char the same way at the same temperature. Sprouts need to be halved and laid cut-side down, and they run about 2 g higher in net carbs per serving.
Lower-sodium
Skip the Dijon and the finishing salt and lean on the vinegar and orange zest. Saves roughly 40 mg per serving, which is already low here at about 120 mg.
Budget
Buy whole broccoli crowns and use the stems too, peeled and sliced into coins; they char beautifully and add roughly a third more volume for nothing extra.
Nutrition
Per serving — estimate, salad only, excluding the flaky salt for serving. Sugars are naturally occurring, from the oranges and broccoli; none is added.
Calories
190
Net Carbs
11g
Total Carbs
16g
Fiber
5g
Total Sugars
7g
Added Sugar
0g
Protein
6g
Fat
13g
Saturated Fat
2g
Sodium
120mg
Nutrition pending review by our registered dietitian — estimate only. Not medical advice.
Keywords
SideHigh FiberSheet PanBroccoliHealthy FatsMediterranean
Besides Sugar
Besides Sugar: Fruit Behaves Differently With Its Fiber Intact
The same sugar hits your bloodstream at very different speeds depending on what it arrives packaged in. Canned segments in syrup and juice have had the structure stripped out; a fresh orange keeps its walls and its fiber, so the sugar is released gradually. Two whole oranges sweeten this entire salad, and there is no added sugar in the dressing.
About Prediabetes Mastermind
Prediabetes Mastermind builds practical, science-backed tools for reversing and managing prediabetes — meal frameworks, recipes, and plans verified by a registered dietitian. We treat prediabetes as a condition worth taking seriously, and we focus on what you can do, not what to fear.
These recipes and their nutrition figures are pending review by our registered dietitian. Nutritional information is an estimate and not medical advice; consult your healthcare provider about your individual plan, especially if you take glucose-lowering medication.
