Want to have a healthy side dish but feeling a bit uninspired? Try this refreshing cold broccolini salad with a sesame seasoning dish for your next dinner. If you want something delicious and new for your meal prep, you can save time during the week by prepping the ingredients for this recipe.
Why eat cold broccoli?
Cold seasoned broccolini salad might sound a bit unappetizing when you first hear it, trust me, I felt the same way. But after trying it at Kemuri Tatsu-ya in Austin with this tasty sesame sauce, I completely flipped my stance. In the past, I’ve had cold broccolini salads that featured raw broccolini, but this cooked cold version is much easier to eat.
The sesame seasoning /dressing
After I tried the cold seasoned broccolini at Kemuri Tatsu-ya in Austin, I fell in love with their yogurt cashew dare seasoning / dressing so much that I knew I needed to make a similar recipe at home. Dare (or goma dare) is a Japanese sesame sauce made of nerigoma (or tahini), soy sauce, mirin, and miso, among other ingredients. This sauce is typically used for shabu shabu to dip the meat into, but it’s a very versatile sauce too.
I also sprinkled roasted sunflower seeds and togarashi over the seasoned broccolini for added texture and a spicy kick. You can also add other toppings if you don’t have these at home, like roasted almonds or red pepper flakes.
How to cook the broccolini
This recipe has different ways to cook broccolini, like steaming or boiling. My favorite way is steaming broccolini because you keep the most nutrients while cooking. I steam for about five to seven minutes or until it’s easy to pierce with a fork.
After cooking, I transfer the broccolini to a colander and run it under cold water until the broccolini is thoroughly chilled. While preparing the seasoning, I further chill the broccolini in the fridge in a container or plate.
What can I put on broccolini to make it taste better?
While this recipe uses goma dare to season the broccolini, don’t let that stop you from adding other seasonings. Here are some other examples of seasoning mixes:
- Zesty: lemon juice, parmesan, salt and pepper
- Spicy: garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper
- Italian-inspired: extra virgin olive oil, dried oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper
Can you prepare broccolini ahead of time?
I love this recipe because you can prepare both parts ahead of time. Just make sure to keep the broccolini and dare in the fridge until you want to assemble and eat. Cooked broccolini will last in the refrigerator for three days.
Can you eat cold cooked broccolini?
You can eat cold-cooked broccolini, just make sure it’s stored in an airtight container in the fridge. The FDA says leftover foods should be stored within two hours of serving or preparation. Cooked broccolini can last for three days.
Cold Broccolini Salad w/ Sesame Dressing
Ingredients
Assembly
- 1 bunch broccolini cut into 2-inch sections
- water for rinsing and steaming
- 2 tbsp sunflower seeds
- togarashi
Goma dare / Dressing
- 1 tbsp nerigoma or tahini
- ½ tbsp white miso
- ½ tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp white granulated sugar
- 1 tsp dashi powder
- 1 tsp hot water
- 1 tsp roasted sesame oil
- ½ tsp rice vinegar
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
Equipment Used
- cutting board and knife
- pan or pot and steamer
- plate
- tongs
- small mixing bowl
Instructions
- Prep the broccolini by removing the hard ends (about one inch from the bottom of the stem) and cutting them into 2-inch sections. Clean the broccolini by submerging them in cold water for at least five minutes. Drain the water.
- Add at least two inches of water to a pan over medium heat and add the steamer on top. Bring to a boil and once you start seeing steam on the top, add the broccolini and cover. Steam for about five minutes or until you can pierce them with a fork.
- Transfer the broccolini into a colander and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Place the colander in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the white miso, dashi, sugar, garlic powder, and hot water. Mix until everything dissolves.
- Add the rest of the goma dare ingredients and mix until combined. Taste and adjust based on your preference.
- To assemble, add the broccolini into a large bowl and pour two tablespoons of the goma dare (or more if you like), and mix. Sprinkle sunflower seeds and togarashi on top. Serve immediately.
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