8/2/11

extra crunchy broccoli salad

extra crunchy broccoli salad

So we all know that infamous (expensive) uber-tasty broccoli salad from Whole Foods right? Man that stuff is good! Almost worth it's weight in goodness.

I, of course, do love it, but have always wanted to jazz it up (no brainer there).
What I created is good. No no, I mean it's good. I did not foresee myself eating this for breakfast, lunch and then for dinner with some roasted chicken.
I should point out to you all that I am NOT a broccoli fan, nor am I a mayo-based salad fan UNLESS it's my balsamic potato salad. So, with that said you have to know that I must really like this crunchy broccoli salad. The flavors going on, the textures, the un-mayo'ey like taste....really tasty.
I know I say this alllllll the time, but promise me you will make this? Even if the ingredient list sounds funky? Trust me you will love it--it's highly addictive. But hey it's filled with veggies. OK?
Cook notes: One can easily add bacon chunks to this, and I've even seen almond butter and/or peanut butter added into this and I can now see why. Fabulous additions. If you do use almond butter add a pinch of cinnamon too--trust me.

extra crunchy broccoli salad


extra crunchy broccoli salad

extra crunchy broccoli salad

extra crunchy broccoli salad

"extra" crunchy broccoli salad
print recipe

About 3-4 cups of broccoli crowns, flash cooked (just to take the raw edge off)
1/2 cup red onion
1/2 cup raisins
½ cup sesame sticks, loose chop
1/2 cup whole honey roasted cashews
½ cup of carrots, chopped

Dressing:
(not quite a) 1/2 cup Hellmans mayo
2-3 TB white sugar
2 TB apple cider vinegar
1 - 2 TB honey
¾ TB madras curry powder
Dashes of Tabasco sauce
½ TB of red hot pepper flakes
Salt & pepper to taste

Cook notes: One can easily add bacon chunks to this, and I've even seen almond butter and/or peanut butter added into the dressing, and I can now see why. Fabulous additions. If you do use almond butter add a pinch of cinnamon too--trust me. This does not keep for days as sesame sticks get soggy. This makes a good amount of dressing, so use sparingly and keep the rest for future batches. Obviously if you dress the salad and then store leftovers it will get soggy. So dress the salad as you go along and add sesame sticks after you've dressed the salad.

Make sure to flash cook the broccoli heads to take the raw edge off. A quick 2 minute cook should work.
Drain them well. Even go as far as to blot with paper towels. Place in bowl and chill.

Combine all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and mix, do a taste test and see if you like it and/or what it needs. Then set aside in fridge to chill.
When ready to serve get all the add in’s ready on a plate; then in a giant bowl add in the chilled broccoli heads, carrots, and all the add in’s. Mix well. Then in batches pour in the dressing and stir. Add as much or a little dressing as you desire. I found that this doesn’t need a lot of dressing.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2-hours. If you do add bacon to this, add it at the very last minute just before serving. You don’t want the bacon chunks getting soggy.

44 comments:

  1. Ok..for realzzzzz. My mouth it watering! really it is! the crunchy-ness it what has me!!

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  2. So much crunch! So much flavor! You might have actually convinced me to let mayo into my apartment. That's quite a feat.

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  3. i love it when you make salads!!!

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  4. Good lord... I think I just had a foodgasm.... My grocery store sells a broccoli salad with cranberries, sunflower seeds and currants in it that I absolutely adore, this looks 1000x better! I can't wait to make this!

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  5. I am SOOOOO making this!

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  6. Oh man. Love the extra crunchy goodies in this one. Bookmarked!

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  7. I've never had the trader joe's one, but who needs it when there's this recipe? This looks fabulous!

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  8. Sounds delicious. I like all the different flavors and texture going on with this salad.

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  9. I work at WF and make this salad way too often. We put bacon grease into the dressing (just as caloric as oil!). It makes it super delicious.

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  10. It was good....very good! You should try it with a vinegrette too...!

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  11. Love the crunch! Great salad recipe!

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  12. I don't think the ingredient list is really all that weird! Or maybe I'm just weird. And I would love to put bacon in this.

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  13. How is it that you always have exactly what I'm looking for! Deliciousness!!! I've been getting so bored with my veggie sides and will no doubt be trying this soon!!
    www.cupahotchocolate.blogspot.com

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  14. broccoli salad is one of the few dishes I can tolerate mayo in...and now I'm dying to try this version!

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  15. This looks soooo good! I make a similar salad with yogurt & lemon juice but I love all the crunchy add-ins! Sesame sticks? Brilliant!

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  16. this is divine!! i wanna make this- would taste so good! <3

    xoxo

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  17. Love what you've done with this dressing!!! Fabulous flavors here. And I'll stick to this version instead of trying WF's ;)

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  18. Whaaat? YOU wanted to jazz something up?? hehe. I kid, I kid!

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  19. Great recipe. I usually just steam it and eat it plain because I don't know what to do with it. Bookmarking now!

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  20. you crack me up with the carrots are camera shy comment, lol.

    Ok, this is some amazing stuff. And I have never tried the brocc salad at WF! It is a 40 min trek for me and I have such ADD when I get in there.

    This salad sounds so freaking good!! So much going on in it! I love it!

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  21. Looks super fantastic. Never seen sesame sticks, I will look for them.

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  22. Hai Dear

    This looks yummy....you have a lovely blog… You have so many wonderful recipes..I have bookmarked you blog and some recipe from that to try..Please check out my blog.I am having a Giveaway in my blog..Please check it out and partcipate in that..
    http://yummytummy-aarthi.blogspot.com/2011/07/homemade-bounty-chocolate-and-giveaway.html

    Aarthi
    Hai Dear

    This looks yummy....you have a lovely blog… You have so many wonderful recipes..I have bookmarked you blog and some recipe from that to try..Please check out my blog.I am having a Giveaway in my blog..Please check it out and partcipate in that..
    http://yummytummy-aarthi.blogspot.com/2011/07/homemade-bounty-chocolate-and-giveaway.html

    Aarthi

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  23. What a lovely mouthful of flavors, crunch and health! And that curry dressing is perfect!

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  24. What a scrumptious salad! I love that addition of crunchy goodness.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  25. I remember being at a party where someone brought that broccoli salad from Whole Foods. It was the first thing scarfed up! Which is surprising given how many people are not fans of broccoli. But just goes to show that when something tastes THAT good, even non-fans appreciate it.

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  26. I love a good broccoli salad! The sesame crunchies are a great addition!

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  27. Love the addition of cashews.

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  28. HEy Dawn,

    I want to feature this recipe on my weekly Internet Tasting. How many servings does this recipe have? I need to know so I can post the carb count. Thanks, and as usual, an awesome salad!

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  29. I can hear the crunch from here! GREG

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  30. umm, added to my to do's..deliciouso!

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  31. this was awesome! i made it this weekend for a BBQ and it was a hit! i should've waited to add the sesame sticks tho...they got a little mushy. i LOVE every recipe that i've tried of yours! thanks!!

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  32. Never made broccoli salad before today~your recipe appealed to me and I knew that I had to try it. Love it and I'm making it to take again on Friday to take to a party. Thanks for a great recipe!

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  33. OMG!! I was dreaming about broccoli salad today!! It's like you read my mind! I need to make this asap.

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  34. Looks amazing. I love broccoli and those sesame sticks. Headed to the store now! Thanks for sharing this~

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  35. Okay, I finally made this and I want you to know how much I love this. The dressing is so good. Spicy! I may have been extra heavy handed with the goodness.

    I like to try to reduce the calories and love veggies so I doubled the carrots and used reduced fat mayo. Reduced fat mayo has a funny taste usually, but all the good spices you added masked that strangeness.

    I just have to figure out what to do with my extra dressing. Any suggestions?

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    Replies
    1. i've used the dressing on grilled cheese sandwiches!
      i've used it on chex mix too.
      the possibilities are endless!

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  36. Need to go buy broccoli. Now. WOW.

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  37. This does sound like delicious ad healthy salad. Could sesame sticks be sesame snaps which are a honey based sesame seed sweet treat sort of like Greek pasteli?

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  38. I have now made this a many times and have some feedback, notes, suggestions from me and my trusty "taste-testers."

    * The recipe as-is makes way too much dressing! I like to make the whole batch anyway and keep the rest (tightly covered!) in the fridge for use as a salad dressing or veggie dip during the rest of the week.
    * Dressing can be a bit spicy for some in a crowd so add the spice a little at a time as you make the dressing until it's right for you. I personally like it the way the recipe calls for, but I'm a fan of a little heat. As the dressing sits in your fridge the heat can increase so just add an extra dollop of mayo/yogurt to cool it down if you need.
    * Plain Greek yogurt is a great lite substitution for the mayo. It's just as delicious. In fact, I think I prefer it personally.
    * The full quantity of sugar and honey is not needed, in my opinion. Go for the lesser quantities. There is plenty of sweetness in the dressing and from the raisins.
    * If your raisins are a bit tough, rehydrate them in water for a few minutes while you chop the rest of the veggies. Toss them in and they will be wonderfully tender and plump.
    * Crumbled bacon is a wonderful addition! Unless you are going for a vegetarian version, I highly recommend this.
    * The salad will wilt as it sits so if serving at a party/BBQ don't overdo the dressing and/or have a stash of undressed veggies to add later to spruce it back up.
    * Consider serving sesame sticks on the side for people to put on as they serve themselves because they will get soggy in short order.
    * If you can't find sesame sticks at your grocery store you can use the crunchy lo mein noodles. Go for the sesame if you can find them, though. The flavor is excellent.

    We love this recipe as a base for so many others too. To make it a main course I've added shrimp, leftover cubed pork, noodles (regular and the tofu variety you can find in the produce section for a lite and protein-packed meal), chicken, etc. Add them in combination or not. My two favorite versions for main courses:
    * Make veggie mix and dressing separately. Top veggie mix on washed and roughly chopped lettuce. Add protein of choice, optional. Drizzle with dressing, toss to mix and serve.
    * In heated wok cook protein of your choice (I usually cube and season meats). When about two minutes from being cooked through add noodles (we really do love the tofu ones for a lite version), toss. Add veggies and flash cook. Remove from heat, toss with dressing. Serve topped with sesame sticks, chopped parsley, or even a squeeze of lemon.

    Hope everyone enjoys this recipe as much as we do! Thanks Vanilla Sugar! :)

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