Recipe Background
Fresh Broccoli Salad offers a vibrant mix of textures and flavors with ease.
Nothing says fresh quite like a broccoli salad. The crispness of chopped broccoli mingles with the vibrant sweetness of carrots, offering a delightful crunch in each bite. Red onions lend their sharpness, nicely offset by a hint of sweetness from plump raisins and a whisper of maple syrup or sugar. The aroma wafting from this salad is a play of earthy and tangy notes, lifted by a touch of apple cider vinegar. Preparing it is a breeze, allowing you to focus your culinary creativity on the final presentation, which is all about those colorful layers.
The magic happens when the dressing meets the vegetables. A creamy mixture of mayonnaise, tart apple cider vinegar, and a spoonful of Dijon mustard wraps everything into a harmonious medley. And let's not forget those sunflower seeds. Gently sautéed with soy or tamari sauce, maple syrup, and a touch of smoked paprika, they add a smoky, savory finish that makes this dish a real showstopper at any gathering. Whether you’re a kitchen novice or an experienced cook craving something fresh, this broccoli salad will become a favorite in no time.
Ingredients
For the broccoli salad:
- 1 1/2 pounds broccoli on the stalk
- 1 cup red onion sliced
- 1 carrot julienned or grated
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar or maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the toasted sunflower seeds:
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or sugar
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- kosher salt to taste
Directions
- Chop the broccoli into very small florets.
- Combine the broccoli, the carrot, and the red onion with the raisins.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, the apple cider vinegar, the sugar, the Dijon mustard, and 1 teaspoon of the salt.
- Add the mayonnaise mixture to the vegetables and mix to combine.
- Refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, in a skillet, place the sunflower seeds, the soy sauce, the maple syrup, the smoked paprika, and the remaining salt.
- Heat the seeds over medium-low heat and sauté until they are sticky and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5-6 minutes.
- When the seeds are sticky and darkened in color, transfer them from the heat and spread them onto parchment paper in a single layer.
- Allow the sunflower seeds to dry for about 10 minutes.
- Add the seeds over top of the broccoli salad.
- Serve.
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