Sunflower Crunch Salad

Our new favorite summer salad recipe is here! 

Meet the Sunflower Crunch Salad with Creamy Sunflower Vinaigrette. Crunchy cruciferous vegetables like purple cabbage, broccoli and arugula pair beautifully with carrot, sunflower seeds and a creamy sunflower salad dressing for a light, crisp and flavorful salad that you won’t soon forget.

I speak from experience. This recipe was inspired by the Sunflower Crunch Salad at Salt’s Cure in Los Angeles. Sadly, we live in Atlanta and Salt’s Cure’s locations are in L.A. and New York City. Unwilling to wait until our next trip to either coast, I set out to make a salad with a similar flavor profile as the original salad at Salt’s Cure. You can read more about our extraordinary experience at the L.A. farm-to-table restaurant in my article, Salt’s Cure: An L.A. Eatery That Lives Up to the Hype.

It’s the combination of the crunchy salad and the creamy sunflower dressing that keeps me coming back for more.

Sunflower Crunch Salad Recipe Ingredients

This is a healthy sunflower seed salad recipe you can truly feel good about eating. The ingredients are fresh and lean on healthy whole foods for a plant-based meal that packs a punch when it comes to nutritional benefits (and flavor!). Here’s what you’ll need to make this gluten-free salad recipe with creamy vinaigrette. 

Sunflower Crunch Salad:

• Arugula
• Purple cabbage
• Broccoli 
• Carrot
• Sunflower seeds

Creamy Sunflower Vinaigrette:

• Sunflower butter
• Fresh lemon juice
• Rice vinegar
• Ginger
• Garlic

Sunflower Crunch Salad Health Benefits

This Sunflower Crunch Salad packs a serious nutritional punch. The three primary ingredients in the salad – purple cabbage, broccoli and arugula – are part of a group of vegetables known as “cruciferous” vegetables.

Cruciferous Veggies

Cruciferous vegetables are often touted for their high nutritional value and the health benefits that accompany their status as part of the Brassicaceae family of plants. Cruciferous vegetables are also known for their heart-healthy fiber content. They’re high in folate, vitamins C and K, among many others. Other cruciferous vegetables include radishes, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and kale. They also make for a deliciously crunchy salad!

Carrots

Though not a part of the cruciferous vegetable family, carrots are nutritional superstars in their own right and contribute to the “crunch” in this crunchy salad. Carrots are high in fiber and beta carotene, also known as vitamin A, which carry important health benefits, including lowering the risk of diabetes and managing blood sugar levels. The calcium in carrots can also help improve bone health, among other benefits.

Sunflower Seeds

The “sunflower” in Sunflower Crunch Salad comes from the sunflower seeds and Creamy Sunflower Vinaigrette that features unsalted, zero added sugar sunflower butter. Sunflower seeds come with a long list of nutrients that include healthy fats, antioxidants like vitamin E and compounds like linoleic acid and phytosterols, which have anti-inflammatory properties. Sunflower seeds are also rich in nutrients like folate and magnesium, which can promote brain and skin health. 

What’s more, this Sunflower Crunch Salad with Creamy Sunflower Vinaigrette leans solely on plant-based foods with no added sugars, salt or preservatives. This is a truly plant-forward salad recipe that tastes good, feels good and is good for you.

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