Broccoli Crunch Salad Recipe with Warm Chili Crisp Dressing
This broccoli crunch salad with warm chili crisp dressing is “the best thing that’s ever happened to broccoli!” Made with simple ingredients, the result is a spicy, sweet, and savory salad with an addicting crunch.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds broccoli (about 1 bunch), finely chopped (peel and chop the stems too!), 6 cups chopped
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- ⅓ heaping cup roasted salted peanuts (or cashews), coarsely chopped
- ⅓ heaping cup golden raisins
- ⅓ cup finely chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (6 tablespoons total)
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger
- 3 tablespoons Sherry vinegar
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1-2 tablespoons chili crisp (well stirred)
Instructions
- Put the broccoli, shallot, peanuts, raisins, and cilantro in a large bowl.
- In a small saucepan, combine the olive oil, garlic cloves, and ginger (have the chili crisp, sherry vinegar, and maple syrup close at hand). Cook the garlic and ginger over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is golden, about 3-4 minutes. Discard the garlic cloves. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vinegar, maple syrup, and 1 tablespoon of chili crisp.
- Pour the warm dressing over the broccoli salad, and toss to combine. Season well with salt and pepper. Give the salad a taste. If you prefer a spicier salad, add another tablespoon (or more!) of chili crisp. Let the salad sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld, or refrigerate it for up to one day. Serve the salad at room temperature or chilled.
Notes
Recipe Tips
- You should use 1 ½ pounds of broccoli (or 6 cups of finely chopped broccoli), which I’ve found is usually 1 big-ish bunch. Try not to use more, as then there won’t be enough dressing to fully coat everything (and this salad is all about the dressing-to-salad ratio).
- I use whole garlic cloves in the dressing and then remove them, but if you love garlic, go ahead and chop them and leave them in the dressing instead.
- I’m partial to golden raisins, but you can absolutely use regular raisins or even chopped dates.
- The salad incorporates roasted, salted peanuts but you could do chopped cashews instead, or, for a nut-free version, go for roasted salted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) or sunflower seeds.
- To add extra crunch to this salad, feel free to add chopped green onion, red onion, and/or crispy bacon (this will make it not vegan).
- If you’re gluten-free, but sure to use a GF chili crisp (I love Fly by Jing brand).
- You might also like this Roasted Cauliflower Salad, which is another summer favorite. We serve it in wraps—it’s even better than chicken salad.
Serving & Storage Tips
Let the salad sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to one day. Transfer to a large serving bowl and serve the salad at room temperature or chilled. Because you can make it a day in advance, it makes a convenient make-ahead side dish for any occasion! Store leftover broccoli salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat within 1-2 days for best results. Keep in mind that the longer it sits, the more it will lose its crunchy texture. Loved this recipe? Check out @nickisizemore for more!