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Addictive Broccoli Salad

Gastro-PubPorkStove-Top
Time :3 hours 30 minutes
Yield :10 servings
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Fresh broccoli salad with black beans, shredded cheese, bacon bits, and chopped onions in a ceramic bowl on a light surface.

The Scoop

It’s broccoli doing its best impression of being boring… and failing spectacularly!
A little bit of everything makes this truly irresistible. Bacon, cheddar, dried fruit, and honey-glazed pecans, and they all make sense at the same time.
The dressing pulls a little plot twist, too: mayo, vinegar, and sesame oil showing up as if they belong in the same sentence (they do). It’s the kind of addictive salad that makes you rethink your stance on broccoli.
No promises you’ll share it.
Hack it:
Add cauliflower to double the veggies and feel extra good about yourself.
Use dried cranberries instead of raisins if that’s what you have in your pantry.
Or walnuts instead of pecans; they deliver the same crazy good result.
Use half a cup of mayo and half a cup of Greek yogurt to add protein and cut down on calories.
Leftovers:
Add cooked rice and bake in the oven until golden to make a fantastic side dish.
Or simmer any leftovers with marinara sauce to make a beautiful pasta sauce the next day.
Stuff a chicken or turkey with the leftovers! Unconventional but truly delicious!

Ingredients

  • 5 cups broccoli florets
  • 2 1/2-3 ounces bacon pieces, cooked, homemade or store-bought
  • 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
  • 1/2 cup raisins or craisins
  • 1/2 onion, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 cup pecans, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup honey, divided
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Directions

  • In a large salad bowl, add the broccoli, the bacon, the apricots, the raisins, the onion, and the cheddar cheese. Set the bowl aside.
  • In a medium fry pan over medium heat, add the pecans and sauté, while stirring frequently, until fragrant and slightly browned, about 5 minutes.
  • Add 2 tablespoons of the honey to the pecans and increase the heat to high.
  • Stir to coat the pecans in the honey and cook until the honey fully clings to the pecans, about 3 minutes.
  • Allow the nuts to cool and add them to the large salad bowl.
  • In a small bowl, add the mayonnaise, the remaining honey, the vinegar, the garlic powder, and the sesame oil and whisk until well-combined.
  • Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
  • Cover the salad and let it chill in the fridge until the flavors meld together, about 3 hours.
  • Serve.
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