5-Minute Quick Broccoli Slaw Salad – 5 different ways

Whip up this quick broccoli slaw salad in 5 minutes for a delicious side salad. Plus, you can throw in a protein and make it a meal. Great for meal prep as it stores well in the fridge for up to 5 days. Vegan, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Whole 30.

This concoction came together one day when I was tired of washing, drying, and chopping, every night for a side salad. I needed a salad that would taste great and last a few days without wilting in the fridge. In order for the salad to not get wilted I needed a lettuce that could stand up to the dressing. Furthermore, I’ve done hundreds of kale salads, so I chose to experiment with cabbage.

Now, chopping and washing cabbage is a fairly simple task, but one day I was running low on time and turned to the prepared salads section of Whole Foods where I found a pre-chopped and washed coleslaw mix…and there, sitting right beside it, a broccoli slaw mix. Thus, this healthy broccoli slaw salad was born like most of my recipes: while wandering the aisles of the produce section and thinking, what else could I throw in to make this healthier/tastier?

What you’ll love about this dish beyond its speed in preparation is its flexibility. Depending on what your main course is, this quick broccoli slaw salad can be prepared alongside Mexican, American, Persian, Italian, Asian, you name it. Just swap out the herbs/oil/acid and you have a transformed dish. Let’s get to it…

HOW TO MAKE QUICK BROCCOLI SLAW SALAD IN 5 MINUTES – 5 STYLES
MEXICAN STYLE

Pickle Onions. The first thing we want to do is prepare the onions. I always have an onion in vinegar in the fridge for quick salad / taco toppings. Simply chop your white onion, place in a bowl and cover with white vinegar. The longer you leave the onions in vinegar the more it will absorb the flavor from the acid, I say, the more the better, but to each their own.

Combine Ingredients. In one bowl, mix all the ingredients– Broccoli slaw mix, Coleslaw Mix, pickled onions, oil (for this recipe we’ll use refined peanut oil since it doesn’t have a strong flavor), lime juice, salt, pepper, cilantro, and avocados—until combined.

Optional Ingredient Add: chopped mango.

Goes great with: Mole with Roasted Kabocha Squash

ITALIAN STYLE QUICK BROCCOLI SLAW SALAD

Pickle Onions. Chop your red onion, place in a bowl and cover with balsamic/red wine vinegar.

Combine Ingredients. In one bowl, mix all the ingredients– Broccoli slaw mix, Coleslaw Mix, pickled onions, olive oil, balsamic or red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, parsley, and avocados—until combined

Optional Ingredient Add: cherry tomatoes, sliced.

ASIAN STYLE QUICK BROCCOLI SLAW SALAD

Pickle Onions. Chop your green onion, set aside green parts. Place white parts in a bowl and cover with rice wine vinegar.

Combine Ingredients. In one bowl, mix all the ingredients– Broccoli slaw mix, Coleslaw Mix, pickled onions, scallions, refined peanut oil + 1-2 tsp toasted sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, salt, pepper, parsley, and avocados—until combined

Optional Ingredient Add: Sesame seeds.

PERSIAN STLE QUICK BROCCOLI SLAW SALAD

Pickle Onions. Chop a white onion and place in bowl. Chop your green onion, set aside green parts. Place white parts in the bowl with the white onions and cover with white vinegar.

Combine Ingredients. In one bowl, mix all the ingredients– Broccoli slaw mix, Coleslaw Mix, pickled onions, scallions, refined peanut oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, cilantro, parsley, and avocados—until combined

Optional Ingredient Add: Pomegranate arils.

AMERICAN STYLE QUICK BROCCOLI SLAW SALAD

Pickle Onions. Chop your red onion, place in a bowl and cover with apple cider vinegar

Combine Ingredients. In one bowl, mix all the ingredients– Broccoli slaw mix, Coleslaw Mix, pickled onions, oil (for this recipe we’ll use refined peanut oil since it doesn’t have a strong flavor), apple cider or red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, cilantro/parsley, and avocados—until combined.
 
Optional Ingredient Add: Slivered almonds.

TIPS FOR MAKING QUICK BROCCOLI SLAW SALAD:

The buttery fat from the avocados balance the high acidity of this salad, so if you don’t have avocados, try adding some form of dairy like plain full fat yogurt or goat cheese (depending on recipe style you choose).

I choose peanut oil in most of my recipes where I don’t want a strong flavor. If you or someone you feed is allergic to peanuts, simply swap it for avocado oil.

Sometimes I add mangoes to the Mexican style or pomegranate arils to the Persian style, tomatoes to the Italian style, or slivered almonds to the American Style. Just mix it up so you don’t get bored of your daily salad 🙂 Try something tonight and tell me about it in the comments section.

HEALTH TALK

Please take my advice like you do from a friend, not your doctor. I am not a doctor, dietitian or nutritionist. I have a passion for health and cooking. Moreover, I hope to bring you information that will help you live a health-filled life.

Broccoli is a nutrient powerhouse, packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. It contains compounds which help to fight inflammation, protect against cancer, prevent heart disease, and control blood sugar. Additionally, the cabbage in this dish is low in calories and high in fiber. Cabbage is great for your digestion and can aid weight loss because it is so nutrient-dense. As a leafy green vegetable, cabbage may help to reduce the risk of dementia. For further reading on the health benefits of broccoli and cabbage see the resources at the bottom of this post.

EQUIPMENT

– Mixing bowl
– Tongs or salad tossers

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Lastly, here are some great articles about the health benefits of broccoli and cabbage:

Healthline, Benefits of Broccoli
WebMD, Health Benefits of Broccoli
Nourish by WebMD, Health Benefits of Cabbage