Roasted Broccoli Salad

Turn a summertime favorite into a cold-weather side with this Roasted Broccoli Salad. Antioxidant-rich broccoli becomes fork-tender and slightly caramelized around the edges from oven-roasting with sweet shallots. Briny, creamy feta, toasty sunflower seeds and sweet-tart cranberries add several layers of flavors and textures, while a bright, tangy lemon-garlic vinaigrette pulls it all together. Keep reading for our expert tips, including ingredient substitutions. 

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

• Make sure the shallots are evenly spread on the baking sheet and in contact with the metal. This will help caramelize them better.
• Letting the broccoli cool before adding it to the other ingredients will help prevent it from melting the feta cheese.
• You can finish the salad with toasted sesame seeds and a drizzle of tahini, or substitute the cranberries with almonds and drizzle with some honey.

Nutrition Notes

• As a cruciferous vegetable, broccoli offers a wealth of nutrients and health benefits. The antioxidants and other nutrients in broccoli may lower inflammation, which in turn may reduce blood pressure and your risk of cancer and heart disease. By regularly eating broccoli, you might also improve your skin, gut, immune system and bone health. 
• Shallots are in the same family as onions and have similar health benefits. If you’re looking to reduce inflammation and disease risk, shallots are a great veggie to include in your recipes. 
• One of the saltier cheeses, feta cheese brings some calcium and protein to this dish. If your body is sensitive to sodium, feel free to replace the feta with a lower-sodium cheese, like goat cheese. You’ll still get that tangy flavor but with less salt.