Do you ever just straight up force yourself to eat salad? I do. There are just so many other things I’d rather be eating—tacos, pizza, something ooey gooey, you name it. I’m a big soup + sandwich person for lunch, so dinner is when I usually try to incorporate extra veggies. If you season them and doctor them up, you really do feel like you’re treating yourself to a special meal.

This simple salad—and I do mean simple—is exactly one of those magic meals. It’s vegan, made entirely of vegetables (save for the ramen noodles) and it’s absolutely incredibly. No joke; I came home from work, was like ugh, salad for dinner, and after making it and tasting it was straight up blown away.

The salad incorporates tons of different textures and tastes, from crunchy veggies to a tangy vinaigrette to the hoisin broccoli that’s just bursting with savory flavors. If you’ve never cooked with hoisin before, don’t be scared—it’s a thicky, salty, sort of molasses-y paste that will remind you a bit of soy sauce. Prepare to become obsessed.

INGREDIENTS - SALAD

1 lb. Brussels sprouts
1 head of broccoli
1 Naba cabbage head
3 large carrots
1 bag frozen edamame
1 bunch of green onions, chopped
1 package ramen noodles (discard the flavor packet)
2 T. sesame oil
2 t. garlic chile paste
2 T. hoisin
2 T. shallots, minced

INGREDIENTS - DRESSING

2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 T. red onion, finely minced
1 1/2 T. ginger, finely chopped
1/4 c rice vinegar
1 1/2 t. Dijon mustard
1 t. brown sugar
3 T. honey or agave nectar
1 T. soy sauce
1 t. sesame oil
1 t. sriracha
2 T. black sesame seeds
2 T. white sesame seeds
1/3 c. EVOO
1/3 c. grapeseed oil

STEPS

1) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Clean the Brussels sprouts, cut off the stems and remove the outer leaves. We used a special attachment on our food processor to shave the sprouts, but if you don’t have one of those you can slice them ultra thin. Toss with about 2 T. olive oil and season with salt and pepper, then cook for 10 minutes.

2) Cut the broccoli into florets and place the florets in a large plastic bag. Add the 2 T. sesame oil, 2 t. garlic chile paste, 2 T. hoisin and 2 T. minced shallots. Shake well to coat. Place onto a baking sheet and cook for 30 minutes. Toss, then cook another 20 minutes.

3) While the broccoli is cooking, prepare the remaining ingredients. Cut the cabbage, shred the carrots and cook the frozen edamame according to package directions. Add to a large bowl along with the Brussels sprouts. Chop the green onions, and add the white bits to the bowl. Crunch up the ramen noodles and sprinkle on top.

4) Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a separate bowl, then pour over the Brussels sprouts mixture. Toss well to coat.

5) Plate the salad and top with broccoli and additional green onions.