Chopped Broccoli Crunch Salad

This chopped broccoli crunch salad is loaded with marinated broccoli, pearl couscous, sautéed salami & onion, sweet cranberries, and crunchy almonds tossed in a tangy vinaigrette.  

You’re looking at my new favorite salad! I’ve been doing a lot of light meals and salads due to a heatwave, so I was excited when I saw this unique and different salad recipe on Recipe Tin Eats. The combination of flavors and textures seemed strange but interesting, so I finally made this chopped broccoli crunch salad recipe for lunch recently, and I’m so glad I did! This delicious broccoli salad was a big hit, and paired nicely with some grilled chicken skewers and potato salad.

Chopped Broccoli Crunch Salad

Vinaigrette:

• 2½ tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1½ tsp honey
• ½ tsp dijon mustard
• ½ tsp lemon zest, optional
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Marinated Broccoli:

• 2 cups of broccoli florets, chopped small
• ½ tbsp red wine vinegar
• Pinch of sea salt

Pearl Couscous and Plumped Cranberries:

• ½ cup pearl couscous
• ¼ cup dried cranberries

 Salami, Onions, and Almonds:

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1½ oz salami, chopped into small, thin strips
• ½ small red onion, sliced thinly
• 3 tbsp whole, raw almonds, unsalted, chopped into big pieces
• 1 garlic clove, finely minced

Serving:

• Parmesan, finely grated  (or feta cheese crumbles), optional

How to Make a Chopped Broccoli Crunch Salad

Prepare the vinaigrette by combining the olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, lemon zest, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste in a small glass jar. Seal with a lid and shake well. Set aside to allow flavors some time to mingle.

Prepare and marinate the broccoli by chopping the broccoli florets and stems into small, spoonable pieces.

Marinate the broccoli by placing the chopped broccoli in a large bowl, including the tiny, scattered floret confetti.

Sprinkle broccoli with vinegar and a pinch of sea salt. Toss to coat, and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes. Side Note: Don’t skip this step; it not only seasons the raw broccoli, but it also softens it slightly.

Cook the couscous and cranberries by bringing a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the couscous and cook for 8-10 minutes, or according to the package instructions.

Add the dried cranberries to the boiling couscous during the last 30 seconds of cooking, which will help them plump up. Drain well, then return the large saucepan.

Toss couscous and cranberries with 1 tablespoon of the vinaigrette while it’s hot, then set aside for 10 minutes to cool and absorb the flavor.

Cook the salami, onions, and nuts by heating the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the salami and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring often.

Add the onion and almonds and cook, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes, until onions are tender.

Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat.

Pour the salami mixture on top of the broccoli and set aside to cool for a bit.

Finish the salad by adding the cooled couscous and cranberries to the bowl with the broccoli mixture, and drizzle with the remaining well-shaken vinaigrette; toss until evenly coated.

Serve with fresh Parmesan or feta cheese, if desired. Enjoy.

Keeps for up to three days in the fridge, even dressed.

Chopped Broccoli Crunch Salad

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Marinating Time:: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Course: Salad, Sides

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4

Author: Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• Sharp Knife
• Large skillet

Ingredients

Vinaigrette:

• 2½ tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1½ tsp honey
• ½ tsp Dijon mustard
• ½ tsp lemon zest optional
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Marinated Broccoli:

• 2 cups of broccoli florets chopped small
• ½ tbsp red wine vinegar
• Pinch of sea salt
• Pearl Couscous and Plumped Cranberries:
• ½ cup pearl couscous
• ¼ cup dried cranberries

Salami, Onions, and Almonds:

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1½ oz salami chopped into small, thin strips
• ½ small red onion sliced thinly
• 3 tbsp whole raw almonds, unsalted, chopped into big pieces
• 1 garlic clove finely minced

Serving:

• Parmesan finely grated (or feta cheese crumbles), optional

Instructions

• Prepare the vinaigrette by combining the olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, lemon zest, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste in a small glass jar. Seal with a lid and shake well. Set aside to allow flavors some time to mingle.
• Prepare and marinate the broccoli by chopping the broccoli florets and stems into small, spoonable pieces.
• Marinate the broccoli by placing the chopped broccoli in a large bowl, including the tiny, scattered floret confetti.
• Sprinkle broccoli with vinegar and a pinch of sea salt. Toss to coat, and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes. Side Note: Don't skip this step; it not only seasons the raw broccoli, but it also softens it slightly.
• Cook the couscous and cranberries by bringing a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the couscous and cook for 8-10 minutes, or according to the package instructions.
• Add the dried cranberries to the boiling couscous during the last 30 seconds of cooking, which will help them plump up. Drain well, then return the large saucepan.
• Toss couscous and cranberries with 1 tablespoon of the vinaigrette while it's hot, then set aside for 10 minutes to cool and absorb the flavor.
• Cook the salami, onions, and nuts by heating the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the salami and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring often.
• Add the onion and almonds and cook, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes, until onions are tender.
• Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
• Pour the salami mixture on top of the broccoli and set aside to cool for a bit.
• Finish the salad by adding the cooled couscous and cranberries to the bowl with the broccoli mixture, and drizzle with the remaining well-shaken vinaigrette; toss until evenly coated.
• Serve with fresh Parmesan or feta cheese, if desired. Enjoy.
• Keeps for up to three days in the fridge, even dressed.

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