Roasted broccoli salad - tahini - pomegranate

Easy 20-Min Roasted Broccoli Salad with Chickpeas, Pomegranate & Spinach

A super simple, satisfying salad that comes together in 20 minutes. Great for meal prep too - just remember to add the dressing at the last minute. As always, I recommend reading the full recipe before you start. It'll save you time. Enjoy!

Serves 4

For the Salad

  • 2 whole heads of broccoli

  • 1 can of chickpeas (400g)

  • 3-4 handfuls of spinach leaves, chopped - if you're using wild spinach, include the stems. But honestly, if you're into spinach, just go ahead and add more of it. Never fails.

  • 150g pomegranate seeds - if you're using fresh pomegranate, one should be enough (just give it a good whack to loosen the seeds).

For the Dressing

  • 150g full-fat yoghurt

  • 75–100g tahini

  • 2 tablespoons good-quality olive oil

  • 2 generous pinches of ground cumin

  • 2 cloves garlic, ideally grated

  • Salt, to taste

  • Pepper, to taste

  • Lemon juice, to taste

To Serve

  • Herb of choice - I usually go with parsley

Method

If you're cooking over an open flame or gas, roast the whole broccoli directly on the stove. Brush it lightly with oil and char it for a smoky flavour - but don’t overdo it. If you’re using an electric stove, your best option is to bake or grill it in the oven at 190°C. In that case, cut the broccoli into florets and slice the stem before roasting.

Once the broccoli is nicely charred and the stem can be pierced easily with a knife, take it off the heat and let it cool. Once chilled, chop it into smaller pieces.

In a large bowl, prep your other salad ingredients. Once the broccoli has cooled and is chopped, add it in and mix everything well.

While the broccoli is cooking/roasting/baking, prepare the dressing. I’m not giving you precise measurements here because it’s all about your taste. The amounts above are roughly the ratios I use, but I always eyeball it and adjust as I go.

Combine all the dressing ingredients except the salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Mix well, then taste and season. Since yoghurt already brings a bit of tang, you might want to go easy on the lemon juice. But if you like a lemon-y note, just add more. It's your food. You decide how to eat it.

Do season generously - remember, it’s okay if the dressing feels a bit too bold on its own. The salad will mellow it out when everything’s mixed together.

Optional Add-Ons

Roasted or crispy lamb pairs really well with this salad - just throw in some fresh mint too. Not a fan of pomegranate seeds? Swap them out for fresh nectarines for a delicious alternative. Bon ap!

& as always: If you like garlic, add more garlic!