Paraben Free Basil-Pesto Broccoli Slaw
Crunchy, vibrant, and packed with fresh flavor, this broccoli slaw is the kind of dish that makes you genuinely excited about eating your vegetables. Raw broccoli gets pulsed into a coarse, rice-like texture that soaks up the bright homemade basil pesto beautifully, while shredded carrot, scallion greens, dried cranberries, and toasted coconut add layers of color and contrast in every bite. The pesto itself is made entirely from scratch — fresh basil, extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, and a touch of ground ginger — so you know exactly what's going into it with no mystery additives or preservatives to worry about. That matters a lot when you're navigating ingredient sensitivities, since store-bought dressings and condiments are notorious for containing synthetic compounds that can be hard to spot on a label. Everything here is whole, recognizable, and clean. A quick 10-minute rest before serving lets the broccoli soften just enough to pull the whole dish together into something that feels almost creamy without any dairy in sight. It works equally well as a light lunch, a cookout side, or a meal-prep staple that holds up beautifully in the fridge.
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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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