I made this Healthy Broccoli Salad a few weeks ago. And loved it so much that I’ve started making other variations. This Mexican Broccoli Salad is the first and there’s now a Sweet Chili Mango Thai version as well as the Classic Broccoli Salad too! I have to admit that I’m extra partial to this salad. But that might be due to the fact that I love Mexican food and all of it’s extraordinary flavors. I often find myself thinking of Mexican as burritos or tacos. But true Mexican cuisine is about fresh simple flavors. Even the rich molés in all their complexity have an innate simplicity, or maybe the word is purity of flavor. We’re lucky enough to have a restaurant here that has inspired me to delve below the burrito surface and into this complex, delicious cuisine. I’m not saying that this is authentically Mexican by any means. But it showcases some of my favorite flavors all in one nutrient packed salad.
Now let’s jump in and make this Mexican Broccoli Salad step by step!
To get started, I like to process the dressing first, that way you don’t have to clean the container in between. While you’re prepping the vegetables, toast the pumpkin seeds in a cast iron skillet over medium-low heat until golden brown, about 5-10 minutes. For the broccoli, I like to break it up a bit before processing because you achieve a more even texture that way. I’ve tried this with really big pieces of broccoli, and it ended up being mush with a few big pieces that refused to process. This time, I quartered my cherry tomatoes but what you’re looking for is 1/2 inch pieces. For the cucumber, I first cut it lengthwise into eighths and then crosswise into small pieces. (FYI – I just had to look up how to spell eighths – apparently I can no longer remember how to spell!) Place all of the ingredients in a bowl, toss together and serve immediately. We’ve been eating this salad paired with something from the grill. My favorite combination so far was the Jalapeno Sausages we got from a local meat shop. Grilling and making a salad has been my best strategy yet for healthy but delicious dinners in a hurry. 5 from 1 review 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes 1 cucumber 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted Dressing: 2 avocados, peeled and pitted 1/4 cup lime juice, freshly squeezed 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2–1 jalapeno, seeded and minced 1/2 cup cilantro, loosely packed 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon sea salt, to taste Add the dressing in your salad bowl, scraping the container as clean as possible. Place the bowl and blade back on the base. Peel the stem of the broccoli and chop both heads of broccoli into pieces – about 3-4 inches. Process the broccoli in the food processor until small pieces remain. Transfer the broccoli to the salad bowl with the dressing. Cut the cucumber lengthwise into eighths and then crosswise into small pieces. Halve the cherry tomatoes and place them and the cucumber in the salad bowl. Toss together with the toasted pumpkin seeds and serve immediately.
