Updated Broccoli Salad

Who says healthy food can’t taste good, too? This broccoli salad is here to prove that wrong.

I know what usually comes to mind when we hear “broccoli salad.” Hardly healthy at all, the traditional salad features mayonnaise dressing, crumbled bacon, cheddar cheese, and fresh broccoli. My sister (and guest writer for Pith and Rind!) makes a mean version.

But if you’re branching out, I highly recommend this updated version. No less filled with goodies, it’s lighter on the animal products. And since the broccoli is roasted, not raw, you don’t have to slather the veggie in dressing. A simple vinaigrette does the job.

Step 1: roast the broccoli

Water-roasting broccoli is one of the best-kept secrets. Simply wash your broccoli florets and put them straight onto the baking sheet without drying. Bake them in a 400-degree oven for 15 minutes.

Not only does this method keep the broccoli crisp by preventing it from soaking in too much oil, but it also results in a charred surface and a “roasted” flavor. If I’m making broccoli in salad form, this is the method I use so I can be liberal with the dressing. No one loves an oil-drenched vegetable.

Step 2: making the vinaigrette

For this dressing, add a slightly zippier ratio of olive oil to vinegar: 4 tablespoons avocado oil, 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar. Complete the dressing with 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 clove grated garlic, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Whisk well to emulsify.

Pro tip: keep red wine vinegar in your cabinet for posterity. It’s tangy but just sweet enough to bring out the flavor of a green vegetable like broccoli. And I love how it tastes with parmesan cheese.

Step 3: put it together and what have you got?

Bibbity… anyway….

Once your broccoli has cooled to room temperature, throw it in a bowl and work on your fixings. Here’s where a little extra effort goes a long way.

Roast your walnuts then coarsely chop them: That’s right. Just throw them in a dry skillet over medium, and wait until you smell something wonderful, or until their outsides are ever so slightly charred.

Chop them and wait until they’re cool to throw them onto the salad.

Shave ½ cup of parmesan cheese:

You can use a block grater or a paring knife to scrape thin slices of cheese. I prefer this method because it produces a saltier, more intense bite than thinly grated cheese.

Add ½ cup of golden raisins to your salad.

Admittedly, I added WAY too many raisins on the first go-round–a whole cup! By the end of the salad, all the broccoli was gone, and I was eating trail-mix salad. So this time, I capped it at half a cup!

Finely chop half a red onion and add it to the salad. Toss and dress to taste.

I suggest adding half of the dressing and then get the lay of the land. You want a dressing that adheres nicely to the food without pooling at the bottom. Add an extra dash of kosher salt and/or pepper, and you’re ready to go!

In sum, I love this version of broccoli salad, even next to the classic summer picnic version. It’s edible proof that, sometimes, you can improve on a good thing! I hope you enjoy this update as much as I did.

Looking for a different salad to bring the flavor? Check out one of these:

• Fresh corn salad with tomatillos, tomatoes, and ancho chili dressing
• Squash blossom salad
• Orange, fennel, and black olive salad
• Watermelon salad with mint and watercress
• The kale salad, deconstructed
• Pesto couscous with roasted cherry tomatoes
• Crispy tofu quinoa salad

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