Description
Alton Brown’s broccoli salad combines crisp vegetables with smoky bacon and tangy dressing for a refreshing side dish. Creamy, crunchy, and packed with flavor, this recipe promises to elevate your meal with its perfect balance of textures and tastes you’ll crave.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables:
- 1 pound broccoli, florets broken into bite-sized pieces and stems peeled and sliced thinly on a mandoline
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
Nuts and Herbs:
- ⅔ cup toasted pecans or hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil
Dressing Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 lemon, zested
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Carefully grate the lemon zest into a medium-sized mixing bowl, ensuring no white pith is included.
- Pour in the vinegar, freshly squeezed lemon juice, Dijon mustard, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper, combining them with a wire whisk until well integrated.
- Gradually stream the extra virgin olive oil into the mixture, whisking vigorously to create a smooth, emulsified vinaigrette that holds together consistently.
- Add the chopped broccoli florets to the dressing, gently folding and coating each piece thoroughly to ensure complete flavor absorption.
- Seal the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for precisely 60 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the broccoli to slightly soften and marinate.
- Just before serving, sprinkle torn fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped hazelnuts, and halved cherry tomatoes over the marinated broccoli salad.
- Let the salad rest at room temperature for an additional 15 minutes to take the chill off and allow the ingredients to reach optimal serving temperature, which enhances the overall taste profile.
Notes
- Chop stems diagonally for elegant, professional-looking pieces that cook evenly.
- Leftover salad stays crisp when stored in an airtight container for up to two days.
- Swap pecans with walnuts for a different nutty profile and added nutrition.
- Room temperature ingredients blend more smoothly in dressing preparation.
- Organic produce enhances overall flavor and nutritional value of the dish.
- Rinse vegetables thoroughly to remove any potential dirt or residue.
- Sharpen knives before chopping to ensure clean, precise cuts.
- Experiment with herb combinations like parsley or cilantro for dynamic taste.
- Chilled serving plates keep salad ingredients fresher and more appealing.
- Extra virgin olive oil provides richer, more complex flavor than standard varieties.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 170 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 230 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg