The star of this salad is the broccolini milder and sweeter than regular broccoli it shares the stage here with spicy Spanish chorizo and tangy feta making this an incredible tasting main meal salad that packs beautifully for lunches.
Another salad that was made to entice my nephew to eat his greens. Once again feta features in this salad as well as crispy chorizo - another one of his favourites. The broccolini is blanched as he doesn’t like it any other way ??♀️ but it would also be great grilled here.
A perfect keto salad as it full of greens and high in fat, also great for Paleo as well - feta cheese is considered Paleo-friendly. You can make it vegetarian by swapping the chorizo for any spicy veggie sausage. Whether or not it is gluten-free depends entirely on the chorizo you use.
What makes broccolini different to broccoli?
Don’t be fooled broccolini is not baby broccoli, it is in fact, a cross between broccoli and Chinese broccoli (Gai-lan) and a member of the cruciferous family of vegetables.
It has small florets and long stalks with a few small leaves and has a milder, sweeter, slightly earthy taste and is very tender. Broccolini does not taste good raw but can be cooked in a number of ways – steamed, sautéed, grilled (BBQ’d), roasted.
The super tender broccolini stalks mean you’re able to eat the entire vegetable and leave no waste!
Like its big brother broccoli, broccolini is a low-calorie nutritional powerhouse high in fibre, an excellent source of vitamins A (good for eyesight) and C (potent antioxidant and immune booster), it is high in iron and calcium and a good source of protein.
How to make this BROCCOLINI salad
1Cook your chorizo
Heat a non-stick pan on medium-high heat.
Chop your chorizos into small dice then add them to your hot pan.
Fry until golden and crisp (approximately 10 mins) remove without the excess oil.
2Prepare your broccolini
While your chorizo is cooking, remove the woody ends and any damaged leaves from the broccolini and wash thoroughly.
Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Add some salt, then add the broccolini and cook until tender, 4-5 minutes.
Remove with a slotted spoon and rinse immediately under cold running water to stop the cooking process and so that it retains its bright green colour.
3Assemble your broccolini salad
Wash your baby spinach well remove any damaged or wilted leaves, then either pat dry or spin in a salad spinner to remove excess water.
Put all your vinaigrette ingredients in a glass jar and shake until emulsified.
Place your baby spinach on the bottom of a salad platter, then arrange your broccolini on top, season with salt and pepper, pour over your vinaigrette, scatter the chorizo and then the feta on top to garnish and serve.
Some serving ideas for your broccolini salad
We served our broccolini salad with a gorgeous lamb shoulder roast, but it pairs beautifully with barbecued fish or grilled prawns. It is also good to serve alongside your steak, with pork or pair it with a store-bought chicken for a last-minute dinner.
Try it with...
- Mexican ribs
- Greek beef and tomato stew
- Barbecued garlic prawns
To meal prep this salad for your lunches
This broccolini salad is ideal for weekday lunches as it holds up beautifully.
I would prepare this salad with the dressing (this has the added benefit of allowing the flavours to meld together for extra deliciousness) then put it in separate containers.
Leave out the salad leaves to add on top on the day so that they do not become soggy.
Would you like to try some more main meal salads?
Equipment
- Salad Spinner
- Non-stick frypan
Ingredients
- 2 cups baby spinach (or mixed leaves) (approximately 60 grams)
- 2 bunches broccolini (approximately 300 grams)
- 2 chorizos (approximately 350 grams)
- ¼ cup feta (crumbled)
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 tbsps lemon juice (freshl squeezed)
Instructions
- Heat a non-stick pan to medium high heat. Chop your chorizos into small dice, add them to your hot pan.
- Fry until golden and crisp (approximately 10 mins) remove without the excess oil.
- In the meantime, wash and trim your broccolini then blanch until tender (4-5 minutes), refresh immediately in iced water to stop the cooking process.
- Wash and dry your baby spinach and put all your vinaigrette ingredients in a glass jar and shake until emulsified.
- Place your baby spinach on the bottom of a salad platter, then arrange your broccolini on top, season with salt and pepper, pour over your vinaigrette, scatter the chorizo and then the feta on top to garnish and serve.
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