Chopped Broccoli Pesto White Bean Salad
Fresh, vibrant, and packed with plant-based goodness, this chopped broccoli pesto white bean salad is your new go-to for quick, nourishing meals. Creamy white beans, crisp veggies, and a zesty broccoli pesto come together in just 30 minutes, making it perfect for meal prep or a satisfying lunch.
Chopped Broccoli Pesto White Bean Salad Ingredient Notes
White Beans: These creamy beans provide a hearty, protein-rich base that makes the salad filling and satisfying. Their mild flavor soaks up the vibrant pesto beautifully, allowing each bite to burst with fresh herb and lemon notes. They also offer a great source of fiber, keeping you full longer. Cannellini, navy, or great northern beans all work well here.
Broccoli: Finely chopped raw broccoli adds a crisp, refreshing crunch to the salad and becomes the star of the vibrant pesto. It’s rich in vitamins C and K and adds a slightly earthy flavor that balances the creaminess of the beans. When blended into pesto, broccoli creates a lighter, more nutrient-dense twist on the classic. You get both texture and nutrition in one ingredient.
Basil: Basil gives the pesto its signature fresh, aromatic flavor that brightens the entire dish. Its peppery sweetness pairs well with the lemon juice and garlic, enhancing the overall flavor profile. This leafy herb also adds a pop of green and a touch of Mediterranean flair. Packed with antioxidants, it’s as nutritious as it is flavorful.
Sun-Dried Tomatoes: These small but mighty pieces bring an intense burst of tangy, savory flavor to the salad. Their chewy texture contrasts beautifully with the creamy beans and crunchy veggies. A little goes a long way in adding richness and depth. They help tie everything together with a slightly sweet, umami punch.
CHOPPED BROCCOLI PESTO WHITE BEAN SALAD
4
servings25
minutes0
minutesFresh, vibrant, and packed with plant-based goodness, this chopped broccoli pesto white bean salad is your new go-to for quick, nourishing meals. Creamy white beans, crisp veggies, and a zesty broccoli pesto come together in just 30 minutes, making it perfect for meal prep or a satisfying lunch.
Keep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
- CHOPPED SALAD
two 15-ounce cans navy, great northern, or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups finely chopped kale, packed
1 1/2 cups finely chopped broccoli
1/2 cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1 batch broccoli pesto (recipe below)
3 tablespoons shelled hemp seeds
- BROCCOLI PESTO (yields about 1 1/4 cup):
3 tablespoons chopped raw walnuts (or pine nuts)
1 cup finely chopped broccoli
1 cup basil leaves, packed
juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons warm water
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
Directions
- Make the broccoli pesto: In a food processor or blender, process the walnuts, broccoli, basil, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, red wine vinegar, water, garlic, salt, and ground black pepper until smooth, 45 to 60 seconds. Scrape the sides, then continue processing and slowly pour in the olive oil until fully incorporated.
- Make the chopped salad: Add the beans, kale, broccoli, and sun-dried tomatoes to a large mixing bowl. Add the broccoli pesto and toss to evenly combine. Sprinkle the hemp seeds on top.
- Separate into 4 sealed containers and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Storage: Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 4 days.
- Basil pesto: If you’re in a time crunch, use a pre-made basil pesto. Trader Joe’s and Costco have great options.
- Protein: This would be perfect with an additional protein, like blackened salmon or shredded roast chicken. Or add a grain like quinoa or lentils.
Did you make this recipe?
Snap a photo & tag @jenneatsgoood on INSTAGRAM
If you try out this recipe, I want to know!
Leave a comment with a star rating below if you love it.
Any substitutes for pine nuts or walnuts for a nut allergy? Thank you!
You could omit them and make the pesto with everything aside from nuts (may want to decrease other measurements slightly!), or if you can have seeds, some sunflower seeds might work!
This Chopped Broccoli Pesto White Bean Salad is a powerhouse of flavor and nutrition! The creamy white beans paired with the zesty broccoli pesto and crunchy veggies make it a satisfying, plant-based meal. The hemp seeds are a great touch for added protein and texture, and the versatility of this dish is amazing—perfect for meal prep or customizing with extra protein or grains. Plus, the broccoli pesto itself is a star—bright, tangy, and packed with nutrients. Definitely a recipe to keep on repeat for quick, wholesome meals! 🌱🥦
I have a nut allergy and use pumpkin or sesame seeds in my pestos!
What could you sub for the oil? I don’t use oil.
I make another pest that substitutes aquafab (the liquid in canned chickpeas) in place of oil and tastes great.
Use an equal amount of nuts or nut butter of your choice.
Do you need to cook the Brocoli first or have it raw?
On IG, Jenn says raw. However, I lightly steamed mine to cut down on… gas. 😉 It’s one of my favorite salads *and* I can get through the day without knocking out my coworkers in the office with killer gas. (Sorry, this has to be said; it’s a cruciferous veggie, for goodness’ sake!)
Jenn does it again. I was very unsure of how this would be but followed directions as stated and added chicken and it was Awesome!! Lots of room to doctor it toward your preferences. Thank you!
At first I was a little intimidated, I don’t venture out too much with recipes, especially with ingredients I normally don’t seek out. For some reason this recipe was calling my name so I tried it…..it is delicious! Easy to follow and so freakin tasty. I will admit I had to make a few adjustments though. I accidentally grabbed chickpeas in my counter and didn’t realize until I already opened it, so I used 1 can chickpeas and 1 can great northern. I also used up all my kale on a previous meal so I substituted spinach instead. It all still tasted amazing! Thanks Jenn
Used prepared pesto – delicious flavor! Added some brown rice. Opted for sunflower seeds.
This is delicious! I made 3 small changes: (1) blanched the broccoli; (2) slivered almonds instead of walnuts; (3) toasted unhulled sesame seeds instead of hemp seeds.
This was absolutely delicious! I will definitely be making this again!
Do you have the nutritional info for this?
Made this as part of my lunch prep for the week and loved it. I appreciate the creativity involved in making the broccoli pesto and was able to play around with ratios while using frozen basil cubes as a sub!
As a side note, I’ve repeatedly made Jenn’s red pepper egg bites and recommend those as well. Thanks for keeping meal prep interesting 🙂
My new favorite lunch salad. The first time I made it I did not have sun dried tomatoes, so added fresh cherry ones on top. I wish I would have doubled the pesto, I am thinking it would have frozen well and made for easier prep next time.
This is my new favorite salad! I’ve made in three weeks in a row and don’t think I’ll ever get sick of it.
This is one of my favorite salads from Jenn’s arsenal! I made a few modifications based on my food sensitivities, preferences and what I had on hand- it was still delicious EVERY time! The first time I made it, I didn’t care for the beans the first few days. But as the week went on, they grew on me. The beans gradually soak up the pesto flavors. For that reason, feel free to smash up your beans a bit to speed that process along.
FYI: I definitely recommend making DOUBLE the pesto so that you can freeze half for later! It can feel like a big swing if you’ve never made this before and you’re not sure you’ll like it. But it was worth it for me. (Anything to make eating healthy easy is worth considering- especially in the summer!)
Modifications I made: I have a sensitivity to tomatoes, so I substituted 1/4c dried cranberries and then chopped them (can also use sour or regular dried cherries); I lightly steamed the broccoli called for; once I had pecorino cheese on hand and used it instead of the yeast- it was just as delightful.
I roasted the broccoli and chickpeas first, then tossed in the pesto and sun dried tomatoes. Perfecto!
So tasty! Would probably add some shredded or grilled chicken next time for even more flavor and protein.
Amazing taste and so easy to make. The best combination for a meal!
Really a fantastic dish! Will definitely make it again and have already shared the recipe. It was great with roasted skinless/boneless chicken thighs, seasoned with sumac and garlic salt.
I made the recipe exactly as written, except used only 1 can of white beans instead of 2.
I ran the recipe through ChatGPT for the macros with 1 can of beans and got this result:
Per 1 cup serving
Calories: ~196 kcal
Protein: ~7.1 g
Carbs: ~16.5 g
Fat: ~12.4 g
Fiber: ~5.7 g
Whole batch (~8.5 cups total)
Calories: 1,663 kcal
Protein: 60.3 g
Carbs: 140.1 g
Fat: 105.7 g
Fiber: 48.2 g
Made exactly as written -FANTASTIC!
Delicious! Love how nutrient dense and satisfying this is. This is the type of recipe I feel like I search hours for – whole food, nutritious ingredients, perfectly combined into a yummy and easy dish! Thank you!
In desperate need of an avocado imo