01
Kohlrabi
10.0best for dressing1 cup : 1 cup
Use peeled stems, similar mild flavor
10.0
broccoli substitute
for dressing.
Dressing applications use broccoli either finely shaved into a slaw or blitzed into a green-goddess emulsion. The benchmark is room-temp emulsion stability with 3:1 oil:acid, plus how the texture coats a leafy surface without pooling. Subs are graded on raw palatability (this is taste-as-served, no cooking step), bite size after a quick toss, and how they hold against vinegar pH 2.4-3.0 over a 30-minute serve window.
top substitutes
adjustment for dressing
Julienne thin into the dressing or blitz into a green-goddess base; kohlrabi holds a 3:1 oil-acid emulsion at 70°F for 45 minutes without separating. Use 1:1 cup. Raw palatability is high — none of broccoli's sulfur edge — and the cut surface stays crisp under vinegar pH 2.4 over a 30-minute serve.
02
Spinach
7.5best for dressing1 1/2 cup : 1 cup
Wilts down significantly, add more volume
7.5
adjustment for dressing
Stack and chiffonade fine for slaw, or blitz into a green dressing with 3:1 oil-vinegar — spinach yields a stable purée emulsion for about 2 hours at room temp. Use 1.5 cups raw for 1 cup broccoli. Once dressed, leaves wilt visibly inside 20 minutes; toss to-order, not in advance.
03
Bell Pepper
10.0best for dressing1 cup : 1 cup
Good in stir-fries, different texture
10.0
adjustment for dressing
Dice 1/4-inch into a slaw or purée smooth into a romesco-style dressing; pepper holds a 3:1 oil-acid emulsion 90 minutes at room temp thanks to natural pectin. Use 1:1 cup. Sweetness brings the dressing forward against bitter greens; no need for added sugar to balance vinegar pH 2.6.
show 8 more substitutes
04
Kale
7.51 cup : 1 cup
Similar nutrients, works sauteed or steamed
7.5
adjustment for this dish
Strip stems, chiffonade fine, and massage with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon oil per cup for 2 minutes — this softens the leaves enough to coat with dressing. Use 1:1 cup. Without the massage step, raw kale repels oil and the dressing pools at the bottom of the bowl within 5 minutes.
05
Asparagus
10.01 cup : 1 cup
Cut stalks into spears for similar shape
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Shave raw into ribbons with a Y-peeler and toss with a 3:1 oil-vinegar dressing; asparagus ribbons coat evenly and hold snap for 90 minutes before edges brown. Use 1:1 cup of ribbons. Full spears are too fibrous to coat at room temp; ribbon-cut maximizes surface for the dressing to grip.
06
Cauliflower
7.51 cup : 1 cup
Closest substitute, milder flavor
7.5
adjustment for this dish
Break into 1/4-inch florets — fine enough to catch dressing in the surface crannies — and toss with a 3:1 oil-vinegar mix. Use 1:1 cup. Mild raw flavor takes any dressing register (citrus-tahini, ranch, vinaigrette) without fighting it; holds bite for 90 minutes against vinegar pH 2.6.
07
Zucchini
2.51 cup : 1 cup
Works in stir-fries and roasted dishes
2.5
adjustment for this dish
Shave into ribbons or 1/8-inch coins for slaw use, then dress immediately at the table — zucchini bleeds water into the dressing within 10 minutes and the emulsion thins from 3:1 toward 2:1. Use 1:1 cup. Pre-salting is counterproductive in a dressing application; serve raw and dressed to-order.
08
Broccoli Raab
10.01:1
Thinner stalks with sharper bitter-mustard bite; blanch first to mellow flavor, then saute with garlic
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Use only top leaves, chiffonade fine, and dress with a strong 1:1 oil-acid (lemon dominant) — the high acid masks raw mustard bitterness. Use 1:1 by unit. The leaves take dressing better than stems but the bitter floor stays present; pair with a sweet element like raisin or honey to balance.
09
Brussels Sprouts
10.01 cup : 1 cup
Cut small, roast until caramelized
10.0
10
Fiddlehead Ferns
10.01 cup : 1 cup
Use small florets, similar earthiness
10.0
11
Okra
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Florets work in stir-fry and curry dishes
6.7