The options are endless. Try toasted and chopped nuts or seeds like hazelnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, or pepitas , crumbled hard cheese like Parmesan, Gouda, or sharp cheddar , small or chopped dried fruit like dried cranberries, golden raisins, dates, apricots, or mango , chopped alliums like red onion, scallion, or shallot , anything briny-salty like smashed olives or capers , chopped fresh herbs like parsley, dill, or mint , or hot peppers thinly sliced or chopped, pickled or fresh.

How about:. Heads up: If you like your nuts crunchy as can be, hold back on adding them until right before you eat. In a large bowl, combine the broccoli florets, dressing, and mix-ins. Give it a taste. More acid? More salt? More spice?

Adjust accordingly. Keep in mind: The best broccoli salad is not brand-new. Like so many of our favorite salads for summer , it needs to marinate in the fridge, soaking up all the flavor you just built, for at least an hour.

And it just gets better from there. Sure, this means the total time is longer than the prep time—but the broccoli is doing all the hard work in the fridge while you get to do whatever you want.

A stroll around the block? A cup of tea? A cat nap with your cat? In an airtight container, broccoli salad is happy to hang out in the fridge for days.

Aim to use it up within three. If eating that much broccoli salad sounds daunting, you could make a smaller batch, starting with one head instead. This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.

Dukkah, a nutty Egyptian spice blend, inspired this crispy vinaigrette. Team it up with broccoli, preserved lemon, and your fresh chile of choice, and you get a salad to look forward to. Peel the stalks of 2 heads of broccoli , then finely chop both the stalks and the florets.

Transfer to a large bowl, along with a 1 bunch parsley or dill , chopped , a handful of chopped dried apricots or dates , and however much sliced jalapeño or serrano you can handle. To a spice grinder, mortar, or cutting board, add a big spoonful about 4 tsp.

toasted sesame seeds and a small spoonful 2 tsp. each of toasted cumin seeds and toasted coriander seeds ; crush or chop until crumbly not powder.

Add the spices to the broccoli. Shake until combined. Dress the salad, stick it in the fridge, and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days. Before digging in, sprinkle with toasted, chopped hazelnuts.

First, chop the broccoli. Whip up a dressing. Thanks Nagi, you never disappoint. This was hands down one of the best summer recipes I have EVER made. And I did it in the first try! OMG that dressing!!!!

Must admit I soaked all the extra up with French bread and I want to try it on a lettuce salad next, but will be making THIS recipe all the time. I am also not a huge dried cranberry fan nor did I have any of those on hand, so to add some sweetness I candied the bacon with plenty of brown sugar as it cooked.

Finally, I did not have plain slivered almonds so substituted with crushed Smokey seasoned almonds. It turned out FABULOUS. My husband and my 5 and 4 year olds all enjoyed it equally. This was one amazing summer Sunday dinner. Even my 11 yo twins love it! And definitely, let it sit or make the day ahead.

Famous last words, everyone loved it!! Thx Nagi, your recipes never fail 😊. Followed directions exactly and it came out wonderful. Made so much I shared with a neighbor! I made a try out batch before bringing it to our potluck feast this Thursday at work. Thank you girl for knocking it out of the park.

Every recipe I make of yours comes out delicious! Hi Nagi! Will this pack well for a picnic at the park? Fabulous recipe!

I love broccoli salad any time of year. I used smoked cheddar instead of the bacon to keep it vegetarian and that worked well for us. Thanks for another keeper! Oh my goodness Nagi I know what you mean about picking at this salad.

It tastes amazing! Another fabulous, quick and delicious recipe! Hi Nagi, Just a quick question here; is there a particular rand of mayo you recommend using? Holly x. Hi Holly! PS Homebrands are just too sour or too sweet 🙂 Will update recipe notes with this tip N x.

Hi Nagi,. This recipe is just AMAZING. How on earth did I eat 6 persons portions in 24 hours? While the lemon balsamic dressing is not cheap — it is so delicious and you have to try it to believe me! Thanks for all your great recipes, Nagi! Skip to primary navigation Skip to header navigation Skip to main content Skip to primary sidebar.

My cookbook "Dinner" now available! My RecipeTin My cookbook! Home Broccoli recipes. A BETTER RAW BROCCOLI I know some people have a hard no! Solution: a give the salad time to marinate in the creamy lemon dressing which slightly tenderises the broccoli.

Both the acid and the oil in the dressing helps here; and b slicing the florets thickly rather than leaving them whole.

PLENTY OF LIGHTER MAYO DRESSING This dressing is made with a combination of mayonnaise, sour cream or yoghurt, lemon and milk, plus flavourings. PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE I STRUGGLE WITH This is one of those salads that is best made the day before — or at the very least 2 hours before serving. Author: Nagi.

Prep: 15 minutes mins. Total: 15 minutes mins. Servings 6 - 8 people. Print RECIPE VIDEO ABOVE. Slicing the florets creates a larger surface area so the dressing tenderises the broccoli more effectively, so the broccoli is tender crisp rather than a harsh, raw bite.

I also like to have plenty of dressing because dressing soaked florets is my favourite part, so rather than a mayo only dressing, I opt to make more of a lighter dressing with less mayo that's pourable and coats every piece of broccoli thoroughly.

Less oil, more dressing, more flavourings! Instructions Cut the florets into slices no thicker than 0. Mix Dressing well in a large bowl - use a whisk to ensure it's all well incorporated. It will be thin and pourable - see video for consistency.

Cover and refrigerate overnight minimum 2 hours. Remove from fridge and bring to room temperature before serving. Recipe Notes: 1.

Let flavours meld - This is one of those salads that needs time for the flavours to meld and also for the dressing to soften the broccoli a bit. Raw broccoli is actually very crunchy and some people aren't a fan of that. But the dressing tenderises it a bit so it's tender crisp.

Keywords: broccoli salad.

Make sure to cut the florets into bite-sized pieces and to finely dice the stems. The small pieces will soften more and soak up the dressing better than larger pieces will. Instead of using the typical 1 cup mayo: 2 tablespoons vinegar ratio for my broccoli salad dressing, I replace some of the mayo with olive oil and up the proportion of vinegar.

Now for the best part: the smoky tamari almonds and pepitas! They add wonderful crunch to the salad and bring richness and smoky flavor. Top the salad with the nuts. This broccoli salad recipe is a perfect side dish for potlucks and cookouts!

Serve it alongside classic cookout recipes like these:. Round out the meal with other summer favorites like grilled zucchini and grilled corn on the cob. Notify me of follow-up comments via e-mail. I made this recipe and added Farro to stretch it for a pot luck get together that usually includes a lot of vegan eaters.

Because of the Farro addition I doubled the dressing. It was delicious and really enjoyed by everyone! We enjoy so many of your recipes! Thank you! The creamy dressing for the salad is almost always made with mayonnaise, white sugar, and white wine vinegar. You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here's a brief overview of what you can expect when you make homemade broccoli salad:.

Technically, you can use frozen broccoli to make broccoli salad. However, it requires more steps and the broccoli will have a different consistency than if you use fresh. In most broccoli salads, you don't cook your broccoli so it stays raw and crunchy.

If you're using frozen broccoli, however, you will need to lightly boil the broccoli. To use frozen broccoli, place the frozen florets in a pot of water and bring the water to a boil. As soon as it begins to boil, remove the broccoli and transfer it to a bowl of iced water to shock it.

Let your broccoli drain and dry before adding any additional ingredients. Broccoli salad should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The dressing will continue to blend in the fridge and the salad will become more flavorful after an hour.

When stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, broccoli salad will stay fresh for three to four days. I followed the recipe exactly and found that my personal preference was to use half the amount of red onion.

My family loves this salad. It is sweet, but my family likes sweet. Even my granddaughter likes it! So, she gets her veggies," says kimberlyk. I actually like broccoli now! I made this recipe EXACTLY as stated and it is PERFECT as written. Make it a day ahead because the flavors need to blend and it is a lot better the second day.

The recipe does not need any changes," raves SquirrellyGirly. I had to triple it for a crowd and was a little tedious cutting up all that broccoli and cooking all that bacon but it was worth it!! I did add sharp Cheddar cubes," according to Dana Cominsky.

Editorial contributions by Bailey Fink. Place bacon in a deep skillet and cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown, 7 to 10 minutes; drain, cool, and crumble. Combine bacon, broccoli, onion, raisins, and almonds together in a bowl; mix well.

To prepare the dressing: Mix mayonnaise, sugar, and vinegar together until smooth. Let chill before serving, if desired. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption. Powered by the ESHA Research Database © , ESHA Research, Inc.

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Cooking Tips Temperature Conversion. Easy Creamy Broccoli Salad with Bacon 9. Leave a review. Jump to the Broccoli Salad Recipe Watch The Video. PREP 20mins COOK 15mins TOTAL 35mins. Watch Us Make the Recipe.

Directions 1 Cook the bacon until crisp see note below. Adam and Joanne's Tips Cooking Bacon: For this salad and almost all other dishes that need a few slices of bacon , we like to use our oven to cook the bacon.

Baking bacon is hands-off and results in crisp bacon slices, perfect for this salad. Bake bacon slices in a degree F oven until crisp, 12 to 18 minutes.

Make Double the Dressing: Leftover dressing can be used as a spread for sandwiches, dip for vegetables, or served with grilled or roasted vegetables, chicken or meats.

Nutrition facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have used the USDA database to calculate approximate values. AUTHOR: Adam and Joanne Gallagher. You May Also Like Fresh Watermelon and Tea Martini Cocktail.

Lentil Soup with Lemon and Turmeric. Banana, Peanut Butter and Chocolate Sandwiches.

Broccoli salad is a standard cookout side dish, but the typical classic broccoli salad recipe is loaded up with sugar, ample mayo, bacon, and sharp cheddar cheese.

My version is a fresher, healthier twist—I nix the sugar, meat, and cheese altogether. The first step in this broccoli salad recipe is chopping the broccoli.

Make sure to cut the florets into bite-sized pieces and to finely dice the stems. The small pieces will soften more and soak up the dressing better than larger pieces will.

Instead of using the typical 1 cup mayo: 2 tablespoons vinegar ratio for my broccoli salad dressing, I replace some of the mayo with olive oil and up the proportion of vinegar.

Now for the best part: the smoky tamari almonds and pepitas! They add wonderful crunch to the salad and bring richness and smoky flavor. Top the salad with the nuts. This broccoli salad recipe is a perfect side dish for potlucks and cookouts!

Serve it alongside classic cookout recipes like these:. Round out the meal with other summer favorites like grilled zucchini and grilled corn on the cob. Notify me of follow-up comments via e-mail.

I made this recipe and added Farro to stretch it for a pot luck get together that usually includes a lot of vegan eaters. Because of the Farro addition I doubled the dressing. If you're using frozen broccoli, however, you will need to lightly boil the broccoli.

To use frozen broccoli, place the frozen florets in a pot of water and bring the water to a boil. As soon as it begins to boil, remove the broccoli and transfer it to a bowl of iced water to shock it.

Let your broccoli drain and dry before adding any additional ingredients. Broccoli salad should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The dressing will continue to blend in the fridge and the salad will become more flavorful after an hour.

When stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, broccoli salad will stay fresh for three to four days. I followed the recipe exactly and found that my personal preference was to use half the amount of red onion. My family loves this salad. It is sweet, but my family likes sweet.

Even my granddaughter likes it! So, she gets her veggies," says kimberlyk. I actually like broccoli now! I made this recipe EXACTLY as stated and it is PERFECT as written. Make it a day ahead because the flavors need to blend and it is a lot better the second day.

The recipe does not need any changes," raves SquirrellyGirly. I had to triple it for a crowd and was a little tedious cutting up all that broccoli and cooking all that bacon but it was worth it!!

I did add sharp Cheddar cubes," according to Dana Cominsky. Editorial contributions by Bailey Fink. Place bacon in a deep skillet and cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown, 7 to 10 minutes; drain, cool, and crumble.

Combine bacon, broccoli, onion, raisins, and almonds together in a bowl; mix well. To prepare the dressing: Mix mayonnaise, sugar, and vinegar together until smooth.

Let chill before serving, if desired. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption. Powered by the ESHA Research Database © , ESHA Research, Inc.

All Rights Reserved. Use limited data to select advertising. Create profiles for personalised advertising. Use profiles to select personalised advertising. Create profiles to personalise content. Serve with saucy BBQ recipes , homemade burgers , or alongside a spread of summer potluck ideas.

What's in broccoli salad? Broccoli salad is the best because there's no cooking involved! Fresh broccoli is cut into small florets and tossed with a simple mayonnaise-based dressing.

But it's the stir-ins that make it super fun—namely, the dried cranberries, sharp cheddar cheese, and crunchy smoked almonds. Yes, smoked almonds! Haven't tried them yet? They have a rich salty-smoky flavor and a nice crunch. You can substitute any roasted salted nut or seed here, but trust us: smoked almonds are the best!

Is broccoli salad sweet? It's subtly sweet, but this is no dessert "salad. There's a touch of sugar in the dressing and the dried cranberries tossed in add another layer of sweetness, but don't worry: there's plenty of savory, salty, smoky flavor in there too to balance it all out.

How much broccoli should you buy for broccoli salad? This recipe calls for eight cups of florets. If you're buying heads or "crowns" of broccoli, that comes out to about four crowns, or about two pounds of untrimmed broccoli stalks still intact.

Be sure to cut the broccoli into small florets for this salad—about 1-inch pieces are best. Do you have to blanch broccoli for broccoli salad?

You want the broccoli to be nice and crunchy for this salad, so no blanching is needed! Plus, the broccoli is cut into small, bite-sized florets, so even the tougher pieces are easy to chew.