Broccoli Crunch Salad
Raw broccoli, toasted almonds, and raisins in a creamy dressing — the deli-counter classic.
Ingredients
- 1 head Broccoli
- 4 tbsp Mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp Red wine vinegar
- ½ tsp Salt
- 40 g Almonds (optional)
- 40 g Raisins (optional)
- ¼ Red onion (optional)
- 1 tsp Honey (optional)
Method
- Cut the broccoli into very small bite-size florets — small pieces are the whole game.
- Toast the almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking often, until golden and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
- Chop the cooled almonds roughly.
- Sliver the red onion as thin as you can.
- Whisk the mayonnaise, vinegar, honey, and salt in a large bowl until smooth.
- Fold the broccoli, raisins, and slivered onion through the dressing until evenly coated.
- Let the salad rest 10 minutes so the broccoli softens slightly into the dressing.
- Top the salad with the toasted almonds and serve.
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About Broccoli Crunch Salad
Broccoli crunch salad is an American deli-counter and potluck standard, the kind of make-ahead salad that shows up at cookouts and holiday spreads. Raw broccoli is the base, bound in a creamy, sweet-tangy dressing of mayonnaise cut with red wine vinegar and honey, then studded with raisins, slivered red onion, and toasted almonds. The name earns itself: the whole point is contrast between crisp raw florets, chewy raisins, and crunchy nuts in a rich dressing.
Two details separate a good version from a soggy one. Cutting the broccoli into very small bite-size florets — described here as the whole game — means the dressing coats every piece and the raw crunch stays pleasant rather than woody. Toasting the almonds first deepens their flavor and keeps them crisp, and letting the dressed salad rest ten minutes softens the broccoli just enough to take the edge off its rawness. It comes together in fifteen minutes, holds up well in the fridge, and is at its best as a side to grilled or roasted mains.
Broccoli Crunch Salad: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Broccoli Crunch Salad?
A serving has about 236 calories — 6.4g protein, 21.6g carbs, 15.8g fat, 5.7g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is Broccoli Crunch Salad gluten-free?
Based on its ingredients, Broccoli Crunch Salad has no gluten-containing components, so it's naturally gluten-free — as always, check that any packaged ingredients you use are certified gluten-free to be safe.
Do I need every ingredient to make Broccoli Crunch Salad?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out almonds, raisins, red onion — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Broccoli Crunch Salad make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.