Ingredients
Kosher salt
3 heads broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 c. cheddar, shredded
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 c. toasted sliced almonds
3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 tbsp. freshly chopped chives
2/3 c. mayonnaise
3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp. dijon mustard
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
Step 1 In a medium pot or saucepan, bring 6 cups of salted water to a boil. While waiting for the water to boil, prepare a large bowl with ice water.Step 2Add broccoli florets to the boiling water and cook until tender, 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and immediately place in the prepared bowl of ice water. When cool, spin the broccoli in a salad spinner. You will need to spin it at least twice.Step 3In a medium bowl, whisk to combine dressing ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper.Step 4Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl and pour over dressing. Toss until ingredients are combined and fully coated in dressing. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Tips: Don’t boil too long. We love slow-cooked broccoli. But not all the time. This recipe’s success lies mainly in cooking the broccoli until just crisp-tender. Textural contrast here is crucial. Shock it! Plunge the broccoli in an ice water bath as soon as it has been boiled for 1 minute. This technique, called “shocking” (for good reason!) immediately stops the broccoli from residual cooking once it leaves the hot water. Salad spinner = water begone! Delish trick: Use a salad spinner to expel excess water from the broccoli. Transfer the shocked broccoli to a salad spinner, and spin away. You should spin and drain at least twice. You won’t believe how much water you’ll see, water that would otherwise ruin the salad. Customize! We think nuts and grated cheese in some form are a great addition to this salad but you don’t have to stick to almonds and cheddar. Feel free to sub in some roughly chopped walnuts and goat cheese for something a bit fancy. Or maybe some spiced pecans and pepper jack for a bit of kick. What About Leftovers? If you are pretty sure you are going to have leftovers, or maybe want to make this ahead, we recommend waiting until just before you eat to dress everything. Otherwise things might get a bit soggy. Either way the salad will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge. Help I’m Vegan! No problem! You can sub out the bacon for some avocado if you want some creamy, richness. Or some olives to mimic that saltiness you get from bacon. Use your favorite vegan cheese (or just skip it all together) and you’re all set. Not keto? We’ve got a classic broccoli salad recipe as well! Don’t forget to rate and comment in the section below. 😁Made this? Let us know how it went in the comment section below!
