Crunchy Broccoli Salad
This recipe creates a vibrant, crunchy broccoli salad featuring finely chopped fresh broccoli, celery, carrots, and red onion, accented by sweet raisins, dried cranberries, and toasted sunflower seeds. It's all brought together with a zesty cider coleslaw dressing, blending mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, and a thoughtful mix of spices. A refreshing and texturally rich side dish.
Equipment
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Chef's knife
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl For the salad
- 1 Medium Mixing Bowl For the dressing
- 1 Whisk For combining dressing ingredients
Ingredients
Main
- * 6 cup finely chopped broccoli floret and stem (about 2 medium
- broccoli crown)
- * 1/2 cup finely diced celery
- * 1/2 cup finely diced carrot
- * 1/3 cup finely diced red onion
- * 1/2 cup raisin
- * 1/3 cup dried cranberry
- * 1/3 cup toasted sunflower seed kernel
- * for the cider coleslaw dressing:
- * 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- * 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- * 2 tablespoon honey
- * 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- * 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- * 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- * 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- * 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- * 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Finely chop broccoli florets and stems, dice celery, carrot, and red onion, and add them to a large mixing bowl along with raisins, dried cranberries, and toasted sunflower seed kernels.
- In a separate medium mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, turmeric, onion powder, garlic powder, freshly ground black pepper, and salt.
- Whisk the dressing ingredients thoroughly until completely smooth and well-emulsified.
- Taste the dressing and adjust seasonings (salt, pepper, honey, or vinegar) as needed to achieve your desired balance of sweet and tangy flavors.
- Pour the prepared dressing over the chopped vegetables and dried fruits in the large mixing bowl.
- Gently toss all ingredients together until the vegetables, fruits, and seeds are uniformly coated with the dressing.
- Cover the mixing bowl and refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and develop.
- Give the salad a final toss just before serving to redistribute the dressing and enjoy it chilled.
Notes
Achieving the right texture is paramount; ensure all vegetables are finely chopped and consistent in size for optimal mouthfeel. For an even brighter color and slightly tender-crisp texture, consider a quick 1-minute blanch of the broccoli florets before shocking them in ice water and drying thoroughly. This also helps in better absorption of the dressing. Allowing the salad to chill for at least 30 minutes to an hour is crucial for the flavors to meld beautifully. Adjust the honey and apple cider vinegar in the dressing to strike a perfect balance between sweetness and tang, catering to your palate. Ensure sunflower seeds are properly toasted for maximum nutty flavor and crunch.