Chopped Broccoli Salad for Gut Health
If you’re looking for a simple, delicious way to support your microbiome and nourish your body from the inside out, this chopped broccoli salad is a staple worth adding to your weekly routine. It’s crunchy, fresh, and packed with gut-loving ingredients that encourage healthy bacterial growth, regulate inflammation, and promote long-term wellness.
As a naturopath, I often remind clients that food is our most consistent form of medicine. This salad isn’t just a side dish—it’s a therapeutic meal component that naturally supports digestive balance, detoxification, and cellular repair. We’re all needing fresh summer recipes to enliven our lives and nourish our bodies this season. And here is a banger to start with.
If improving your gut health is on your New Years 2026 resolution list, you can find more gut-approved recipes here. I recently hosted a beautiful women’s gathering at home, and this chopped broccoli salad absolutely stole the show as our veggie star. The crowd couldn’t get enough of its perfect harmony—zesty tang from the Dijon-lemon dressing, satisfying crunch from the almonds and broccoli stems, and that deep umami warmth from the shallots. It was the nourishing, flavour-packed dish everyone kept coming back for!
Chopped broccoli salad with almonds, cranberries and Dijon dressing, a high-fibre, antioxidant-rich recipe to support gut health, butyrate production and microbiome diversity. Or in my best friend’s words - ‘a banger’.
Ingredients:
2 medium heads of broccoli, finely chopped (including stems)
heaped 1/2 cup of flaked almonds
1 large shallot or medium red onion, diced
1/2 cup of dried unsweetened cranberries
Dressing Ingredients
2 tbsp dijon mustard
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1bsp honey or agave
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions:
Whisk all the ingredients for the dressing in a jar or jug and put aside.
In a seperate bowl, add in the chopped broccoli, diced shallot, almonds and cranberries. Stir to combine.
Add dressing to the bowl and stir to combine.
Naturopathic Health Benefits:
The Gut Health Power of Broccoli
Broccoli is one of the most potent vegetables for gut and metabolic health. It’s rich in fibre and prebiotics, including fructooligosaccharides (FOS), which serve as food for beneficial bacteria in your colon. When these microbes break down FOS, they produce butyrate—a short-chain fatty acid that fuels and protects the cells lining your gut.
Butyrate does more than just support gut integrity—it helps regulate inflammation, balance the immune system, and even support optimal metabolism and cognitive function. A diet rich in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli actively promotes a healthier, more diverse microbiome environment.
Supporting Detoxification and Lowering Inflammation
Broccoli’s unique antioxidant and sulforaphane compounds help reduce hydrogen sulphide—an inflammatory byproduct that can occur in dysbiosis or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). This reduction not only decreases bloating and discomfort but also supports a healthier ratio of beneficial bacteria in the gut.
Combined with heart-healthy extra virgin olive oil, cranberries and immune-boosting lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, this recipe offers an anti-inflammatory nutrient synergy that supports your body’s natural detoxification pathways through the liver and gut.
This recipe is perfect for those who struggle with:
not getting enough fibre
eating enough veggies throughout the day
chronic constipation
insulin resistance
type 2 diabetes
weight management
diarrhoea
inflammatory conditions
autoimmune conditions
recovering after one or multiple courses of antibiotics
intestinal dysbiosis
leaky gut
high cholesterol
IBS
SIBO
fatigue or low energy
low butyrate production
coeliac disease or gluten sensitivity
Or those just looking to boost their nutrient intake and diversify their diet! This recipe is a supportive dietary addition and not a cure for any specific condition. It should be part of a holistic approach that may include other dietary changes, lifestyle modifications and/or medical treatment as recommended by a qualified healthcare professional.
