Broccoli Ranch Salad For Two
Crunchy, fresh, and flavorful, this broccoli ranch salad for two is perfect for summer. Loaded with chopped broccoli, chickpeas, cranberries, and a tangy Greek yogurt ranch dressing it tastes great on its own, stuffed into a wrap, or served with crispy potato wedges.
While it’s still early in the season, this Broccoli Ranch Salad For Two is already our new favorite summertime salad. It’s overflowing with crunchy fresh broccoli, tasty vegetarian proteins, and is super easy to adapt to what you’ve got on hand.
The recipe takes 20-ish minutes to throw together and starts with chopping up a bunch of fresh broccoli.
Chopping The Broccoli
If you’re looking to save a few minutes you can grab a bag of precut broccoli florets and give them a quick chop.
Personally, I like to use broccoli crowns to make this salad. When I hold the stem at a slight angle and run my knife down it, the florets fall off in tiny bite-size pieces.
Have you made our toaster oven roasted broccoli? Then you know the stem is very tasty too. Just make sure to peel some of the woody skin away and then finely dice.
Small-Batch Ranch Dressing
Next, whip up this Small Batch Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing. The dip/dressing is a staple in our house, it’s made with dried herbs, tangy Greek yogurt, and a bit of mayo for richness.
One important thing to note is that the dressing recipe makes just enough to cover all of the ingredients. If you prefer a saucier salad I highly recommend doubling the recipe.
Similar to the broccoli, you can save time and substitute your favorite pre-made ranch dressing instead.
Okay, now that you’ve got your dressing sorted it’s time to put this salad together.
Add the chopped broccoli to the bowl with the dressing and toss in:
- a handful of shredded cheddar cheese,
- dried cranberries (or raisins),
- chickpeas,
- sweet peas,
- salty chopped nuts,
- and a little red onion.
Then, mix it all together, adjust the seasoning, and dig in!
The finished salad makes about 2 large servings or 4 smaller side salads. For a more filling lunch or dinner, stuff the salad into a pita pocket or wrap it in a tortilla.
Lately, we’ve been serving it up with these baked potato wedges. The combination of broccoli, cheese, potato, and ranch dressing is irresistible – especially when drizzled with a little buffalo sauce. Y-U-M!
Broccoli Ranch Salad For Two
For a heartier meal, pair with baked potato wedges or roll the salad into tortillas to make filling vegetarian lunch wraps.
Ingredients
For The Salad:
- 12 ounces Raw Broccoli Crowns (about 2½ cups chopped florets)
- 3/4 cup Cooked Chickpeas, drained and rinsed well if using canned
- 1/2 cup Frozen Peas, thawed
- 3 tablespoons Dried Cranberries
- 3 tablespoons Chopped Red Onion (about 1/8 a small onion)
- 1/2 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese, about 2 ounces
- 2 tablespoons Roasted Cashew Pieces (or substitute sunflower seeds, sliced almonds, or chopped pecans)
- Salt and Black Pepper, to taste
For The Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing:
- 1/4 cup 2% Plain Greek Yogurt
- 1½ teaspoons Mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Milk
- 1/2 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon Dried Parsley
- 1/8 teaspoon Dried Dill Weed
- 1/8 teaspoon Dried Chives
- 1/8 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1/8 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1/8 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
- Pinch Black Pepper
Instructions
- Finely chop the broccoli. Peel and dice the stem if using.
- In a large bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients until combined.
- Add the chopped broccoli, chickpeas, peas, dried cranberries, red onion, cheese, and cashews to the bowl with the dressing. Toss well to combine, taste, and add salt and pepper as desired. Then dig in!
Notes
Ranch Dressing: The recipe makes a small amount of dressing that will lightly coat all of the ingredients. If you prefer a salad that is dressed heavier, double the ingredients. You can also substitute your favorite bottled ranch dressing. Start with 1/4 cup and add more as desired.
Make-Ahead Tips: To make this salad ahead of time, omit the nuts and cheese, then prepare as directed. Refrigerate until ready to eat. Just before serving stir in the nuts and cheese.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: Half of RecipeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 352Total Fat: 17.5gSaturated Fat: 7.5gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 518mgCarbohydrates: 31.7gFiber: 6.5gSugar: 9.8gProtein: 20.2g