Nitrate & Nitrite Free Basil-Pesto Broccoli Slaw
Raw broccoli gets a serious glow-up here — pulsed into a coarse, rice-like slaw and tossed with a bright, herbaceous basil pesto that clings to every shred. Toasted coconut and unsweetened dried cranberries add little pops of sweetness and crunch that make each bite genuinely interesting. The pesto comes together in under a minute with fresh basil, extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, and a hint of ground ginger — nothing processed, nothing cured, nothing you'd need to second-guess on a label. That matters a lot when you're avoiding preservatives like nitrates and nitrites, which sneak into far more packaged dressings and condiments than most people realize. Everything here is whole, fresh, and made from scratch, so you stay in complete control of what goes into the bowl. A short rest before serving lets the broccoli soften just enough to absorb all that green, garlicky dressing without losing its satisfying bite. It's the kind of side dish that looks impressive, tastes even better, and comes together with almost no effort.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the slaw
- 1 large head broccoli (about 1 lb), cut into florets and stems trimmed
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and shredded
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced (green tops only)
- ¼ cup unsweetened dried cranberries
- ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted
For the pesto
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- ⅛ tsp ground ginger
Instructions
- 1
Toast the shredded coconut in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, about 3–4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside to cool.
- 2
Working in batches if needed, pulse the broccoli florets and stems in a food processor until broken down into small, rice-like pieces roughly the size of a pea — the texture should be coarse and shred-like, not pureed. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
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