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You are here: Home / Side dishes / Blanched Broccoli Salad Recipe

Blanched Broccoli Salad Recipe

April 15, 2019 By Joe Boyle 5 Comments

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Last Updated on September 15, 2024

Here’s a Blanched Broccoli Salad Recipe that’s easy to make and contains kalamata olives and capers. The dressing is olive oil, vinegar, and lemon juice. The combination of ingredients makes this salad seriously delicious.

Broccoli salad with kalamata olives and capers on a plate.

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  • Tasty Blanched Broccoli Salad
  • Broccoli Salad Ingredients
  • Mix It All Together
    • Be sure to take a look at these tasty recipes
  • Best Ever Broccoli Salad Recipe

Tasty Blanched Broccoli Salad

This recipe is really simple but the combination of flavors is terrific. It combines Italian-style ingredients that are refreshing and sure to please.

Broccoli salad ingredients.

There are lots of ways to prepare a broccoli side dish…and I’ve posted several.  Like… Roasted Cruciferous Vegetables.  

This broccoli side dish recipe is super simple and you wouldn’t expect that it would taste so darned good. But it does. 

Broccoli florets in an ice bath.

Broccoli Salad Ingredients

I like my broccoli crisp-tender and the best way to do this is to blanch the broccoli for a couple of minutes, then stop the cooking and shock it in an ice-water bath. This is the part that takes the longest. The rest is just tossing it together.

  • Blanched broccoli Bring a large saucepan full of water and a little salt to a boil…drop in the florets and let them cook for 2 1/2 minutes. Next, drop them into an ice bath using a wire spider or strainer.
  • Olive Oil This is an essential salad dressing ingredient to boost the flavors.
  • Red wine vinegar Just a little for that bit of sour flavor. It makes this salad really pop with goodness.
  • Lemon juice For brightening the flavor profile.
  • Kalamata olives The unusual flavor of the olives just works with the other ingredients.
  • Capers For that surprising, salty taste of little flower buds.

Salad ingredients in a bowl ready to toss.

Mix It All Together

The salad is best if served right away at room temperature. The bright green blanched broccoli is so appetizingly beautiful.

If you let it sit or put the salad into your refrigerator, the lemon juice will start to react with the florets and start to turn them slightly brown. That’s experience talking because I’ve made this several times in the past month.

Close up view of broccoli salad on a plate.

Serve the blanched broccoli salad with any kind of fish or chicken. It’ll be a great addition to your meal.

Be sure to take a look at these tasty recipes:

  • Mahi Mahi Fish Piccata
  • Wicked Good Fish Tacos
  • How to Cook Corvina or Saltwater Drum
  • Orzo Chicken Casserole
  • Grilled Herb Crusted Chicken Breast
Broccoli salad with kalamata olives and capers.

Best Ever Broccoli Salad Recipe

This is a side dish that is definitely better than the sum of its parts. A delicious combination of great flavors.
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate Save Saved Recipe
Course: Side Dish, Vegetable side dish
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: broccoli salad
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes minutes
Total Time: 23 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 145kcal
Author: Joe Boyle

Ingredients

  • 2 heads fresh broccoli, stems trimmed, cut into florets (about 4 cups florets)
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice (juice of 1/2 lemon)
  • 1/3 cup kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped (20 pitted olives)
  • 2 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed
  • salt and pepper to taste
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Instructions

  • Use a large, lidded saucepan, (3 to 4 quarts), fill with water and a tsp of salt, bring to a boil on high heat. While the water heats up, prepare a bowl of ice water for shocking of the florets.
  • Once a rolling boil starts, place the florets in the water. The water will cool, so place the lid back on until the water is boiling again. Once boiling, time for 2 minutes. Check the tenderness of the stems with a fork if desired. 
  • Use a kitchen spider, strainer or a large slotted spoon to remove the florets from the water and immerse them in the ice water. After 2 minutes, place the florets in a medium sized serving bowl. Use several paper towels to gently pat the broccoli to remove excess water. (Or place the florets on paper towels then place in the bowl).
  • Add the olive oil and toss the broccoli to coat. Then add the remaining ingredients and gently toss. Sprinkle with salt and pepper as desired. Serve at room temperature.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Williams-Sonoma, Italian Favorites.

Nutrition

Calories: 145kcal
 

106 shares
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Filed Under: Side dishes, Vegetarian

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Alan Howie

    May 1, 2019 at 11:07 am

    5 stars
    Welcome back to the kitchen Joe!
    We tried this recipe, we liked it, and we will have it again.

    Reply
    • Joe

      May 1, 2019 at 11:54 am

      Glad you tried and liked Al.

      Reply
  2. Suzanne

    April 15, 2019 at 9:15 pm

    5 stars
    So glad to have you back as head cook and bottle washer. What a way to start with this savory salad–thanks!

    Reply
    • Joe

      April 16, 2019 at 10:45 am

      Thanks Suzanne. It’s nice to finally be able to cook.

      Reply
  3. MaryJo

    April 15, 2019 at 10:38 am

    5 stars
    This is just crazy delicious with the unusual combination of the kalamata olives, capers, and lemon juice with the broccoli. Try it, you’ll love it!

    Reply
5 from 3 votes

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