Rice Free Basil-Pesto Broccoli Slaw
Bright, herby, and packed with crunch, this broccoli slaw is the kind of dish that makes you forget you ever needed a grain in the first place. The broccoli is pulsed in a food processor until it breaks down into coarse, pea-sized pieces — giving you that satisfying, textured base without a single grain of rice in sight. Shredded carrot, scallion greens, chewy dried cranberries, and toasted coconut add layers of color and flavor that make every forkful interesting. The real star is the homemade basil pesto, blended with olive oil, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, and a hint of ground ginger — it's vibrant, fragrant, and coats the slaw beautifully. A short rest before serving lets the broccoli soften just enough to soak up all that bright green goodness. It's a refreshing, crowd-pleasing side that comes together with minimal effort and zero compromise on flavor.
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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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