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    Home » Salads » Broccoli Crunch Salad

    Broccoli Crunch Salad

    Published: May 27, 2021 · Modified: Jun 1, 2022 by Dalya Rubin · This post may contain affiliate links,

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    Who knew a Broccoli Crunch Salad could be so intriguing?! This recipe came together as a result of ingredients I had in the fridge and pantry.

    Broccoli Crunch Salad
    Jump to:
    • WHAT IS BROCCOLI CRUNCH SALAD?
    • WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO MAKE THIS SALAD
    • HOW TO MAKE BROCCOLI CRUNCH SALAD
    • COMMON QUESTIONS FOR THIS RECIPE
    • Recipes You'll Love!
    • Broccoli Crunch Salad

    WHAT IS BROCCOLI CRUNCH SALAD?

    Broccoli Crunch Salad is whatever you make it to be! Essentially, it's a broccoli salad with added crunch. I've added the "crunch" in two forms, walnuts & pine nuts. I implore you to be creative with your crunchy additions!

    Broccoli Crunch Salad

    WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO MAKE THIS SALAD

    Lots of love!!!

    and a couple ingredients as well!

    Regarding the vegetables, you'll need

    • Broccoli florets
    • Yellow pepper
    • Shiitake mushrooms 
    • Toasted pine nuts
    • Toasted walnuts
    • Red onion
    • Olive oil
    • Salt

    For the dressing you'll need:

    • Mayonnaise
    • Olive oil 
    • Apple cider vinegar
    • Dijon mustard
    • Honey
    • Salt & Pepper
    • Fresh garlic
    Broccoli Crunch Salad ingredients
    Broccoli Crunch Salad dressing ingredients

    HOW TO MAKE BROCCOLI CRUNCH SALAD

    Begin with blanching the broccoli. I like to cook the broccoli in boiling water for only 2 minutes, then use a slotted spoon and shock the broccoli in a bowl of ice water. This will slightly cook the broccoli and enhance the bright green color.

    Next, pan-sear the mushrooms. I like to use shiitake mushrooms because they have such a distinct texture and cook really nicely. If you don't have shiitake mushrooms, use any mushrooms you have on hand!

    Toast the pine nuts in the leftover oil from cooking the mushrooms.

    Make the dressing! Simply combine the ingredients in a bowl or container and whisk or shake until combined. I highly recommend using the fresh garlic in the recipe!

    Assemble the salad. Add all the veggies, nuts & dressing to a large bowl and toss until veggies are well coated in dressing. Ready to serve!

    Broccoli Crunch Salad dressing
    Broccoli Crunch Salad assembly
    Broccoli Crunch Salad

    COMMON QUESTIONS FOR THIS RECIPE

    Can I substitute the walnuts and pine nuts with a different nuts? Absolutely! This is a CRUNCH salad, so feel free to substitute your favorite crunch nut. You can even consider adding terra chips to add a unique crunch.

    Do I need to blanch the broccoli? I highly recommend blanching the broccoli for optimal crisp, yet cooked texture/flavor & for the brightened color. If you're really in a pinch, this salad will work well with raw broccoli - but I still prefer it cooked, personally.

    Can I swap in a different vegetable in place of yellow peppers? Yes!! I made this salad with ingredients I saw in my fridge, so the same should apply to you. Feel free to swap in a red pepper, raw zucchini, or other delicious veggie add-in.

    Broccoli Crunch Salad

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    Broccoli Crunch Salad
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    Broccoli Crunch Salad

    Broccoli Crunch Salad is the best gluten free & dairy free  summer salad, perfect for all occasions! Make this with veggies, nuts & dressing!
    Course Salads
    Prep Time 25 minutes
    Cook Time 30 minutes
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 401kcal
    Author Dalya Rubin

    Ingredients

    For the Salad

    • 2 Broccoli heads cut into small florets
    • 1 yellow pepper diced
    • 8 ounces sliced shiitake mushrooms
    • 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
    • ¾ cup toasted walnuts
    • ¾ cup diced red onion about 1 small onion or ½ large onion
    • 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • Salt

    For the Dressing

    • ¼ cup mayonnaise
    • ¼ cup olive oil
    • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
    • 2 tablespoons honey
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 2 garlic cloves minced

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F (for later). Also, begin with bringing a medium pot filled with at least 5 inches of water to a boil, on the stove. 
    • Once the water boils, carefully add the chopped broccoli florets and cook 2 minutes. 
    • Use a slotted spoon to transfer the broccoli to a large bowl filled with ice water. Allow to chill in the ice water for 1-2 minutes, before transferring broccoli to a paper towel to dry. 
    • Once broccoli is no longer wet, transfer to a large bowl and set aside for later use. 
    • Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a frying pan and turn the heat to medium. Add ⅓ of the sliced mushrooms and arrange in an even layer. Cook 2 minutes before flipping each mushroom or simply mixing and cooking another 2 minutes until golden on both sides. Transfer cooked mushrooms to a plate and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. 
    • Repeat the mushroom cooking process with the remaining 2 batches of mushrooms, so that each batch can cook in an even layer. Add more oil between each batch if needed.
    • Once mushrooms are cooked use the same frying pan to toast the pine nuts over a medium-low heat, about 2 minutes. Remove from the pan immediately once golden so that they don’t burn.
    • Set aside mushrooms and pine nuts to cool completely. 
    • Meanwhile, toast the walnuts in the oven for 5 minutes until fragrant. Once cooked + cooled, chop into medium pieces. 
    • Make the dressing by whisking together all the dressing ingredients in a medium bowl. Alternatively, use a blender to prepare the dressing. 
    • Combine the blanched broccoli, pan-seared mushrooms, pine nuts, chopped walnuts, yellow pepper & red onion to a large bowl. Mix together. 
    • Pour all the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss until combined. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 401kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 544mg | Potassium: 824mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1315IU | Vitamin C: 219mg | Calcium: 123mg | Iron: 3mg
    Did you try this recipe?Mention @itsrainingflour or tag #itsrainingflour! We'd love you see what you're getting up to in the kitchen!
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    Hi, I'm Dalya, a trained Chef & Recipe Developer. I can't wait to teach all gluten free foodies how to cook and bake with confidence!

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