Italian Broccoli Salad

By Ali Slagle

Published March 28, 2022

  • Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.
Media 1 of 2
Total Time
20 minutes
Rating
5(1,975)
Comments
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This adaptable make-ahead salad is a great instant lunch or side dish. It starts with raw broccoli florets and stems, thinly sliced into irregular shapes to create many textures. As the broccoli sits with salt and vinegar, it softens and becomes slaw. Its mellow flavor is contrasted by the loud ingredients typically found in an Italian sub or chopped salad, like shallots, pickled peppers, olives and provolone. Feel free to add more protein in the form of cured meats, chickpeas, lentils or mozzarella; vegetables like sweet tomatoes or iceberg lettuce; or basil.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

  • 1 small shallot, thinly sliced

  • 1 ½ pounds broccoli (about 2 medium heads)

  • Kosher salt (Diamond Crystal) and black pepper

  • ½ cup roasted, salted almonds, coarsely chopped

  • ¼ cup drained, sliced pickled peppers, such as peperoncini

  • ¼ cup pitted, torn olives, such as kalamata or Castelvetrano

  • ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed

  • ⅓ cup red wine vinegar, plus more as needed

  • 3 slices provolone (about 3 ounces), torn or cut into bite-size pieces (or use 1 ½ ounces aged provolone)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)

19 grams carbs; 10 milligrams cholesterol; 310 calories; 14 grams monosaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 23 grams fat; 7 grams fiber; 634 milligrams sodium; 12 grams protein; 5 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Rinse the sliced shallot under cold water and transfer to a large bowl.

  2. Step 2

    Cut the stalks away from the broccoli heads. Using a knife or vegetable peeler, remove the fibrous outer layer of the stalks so its light green insides emerge; compost or discard the outer layer. Thinly slice the stalks crosswise, then thinly slice the heads into bite-size pieces. (A mix of shapes and sizes adds texture to the salad, so chop up the broccoli a few ways; there’s no one right way to go about it.) Transfer to the large bowl as you go, then transfer any loose bits from the cutting board to the bowl.

  3. Step 3

    Season the broccoli generously with salt and pepper, then add the almonds, pickled peppers, olives, oil, vinegar and provolone. Toss vigorously with a spoon until everything is combined and the broccoli is shiny with oil.

  4. Step 4

    Taste and adjust seasonings with salt, pepper, oil and vinegar as needed. Let sit at least 10 minutes before serving. The salad improves with age as its flavors meld, and it can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. Before serving, bring to room temperature and adjust salt, pepper, oil and vinegar to taste, as flavors change in the fridge.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
1,975 user ratings
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Comments

ML

I'm so glad to see a broccoli salad recipe that isn't sweet! I've made one similar to this for decades. Mine has in addition to the broccoli, stuffed green olives, chopped hard cooked egg, red onion, chopped mushrooms, and just enough lemon juice & mayo dressing to combine everything. I like the idea of the pickled peppers and almonds in this one and am looking forward to trying it. Sweet broccoli salad? Not for me, thank you!

A Reader

Toss in a handful of chewy raisins or dried cranberries for a sweet note of contrast and texture. Yum.

KM

Yay for more Broccoli salads!! Melissa Clark’s Broccoli Salad with Garlic and Sesame is a favorite go-to in our house, so this recipe is definitely up our alley. We usually blanch the broccoli very, very briefly, so that it is just a smidge less crunchy, for our tastes. Going to pair this with homemade pizza, focaccia, or mozzarella sticks on our next night in!

MCH

This salad has no business being so good. It’s a hot July and I don’t have AC, so I haven’t turned on the stove or oven in weeks. Of the many salads and no-cook dishes I’ve made from NYT, this is my favorite—crunchy, hearty, and packed with briny savory flavors. I was skeptical about the simple oil and vinegar dressing, not to mention the indigestible raw broccoli, but miraculously, the flavor is complex and the broccoli is practically blanched in the vinegar. I swapped the provolone for slices of parm, which I will continue to do as I make this all summer long.

Barbara

This is excellent, but the complicated chopping process for the broccoli is completely unnecessary. Just chop it the normal way and save yourself a lot of time.

Meg

Trader Joe's has a new lemon-stuffed olive that absolutely shines in this (I didn't have any peperoncini so I doubled the olives).

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