Creamy brocoli salad
- Preparation 1 h 30 min
- Cooking 20 min
- Servings 4 to 6
- Freezing I do not suggest
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🥦 My mother’s broccoli salad, back in the Eastern Townships
When I’d visit my mother deep in the Eastern Townships in summer, we’d eat this creamy broccoli salad with the meat, right on the picnic table, with my kids and my dog running around everywhere. It was so much fun. She’d serve it to go with our grilled steaks, and it inspired me to make my own version. It’s so simple to make, and we don’t think of it often enough.
🥓 Pancetta, white balsamic and zero sugar
My version stands out on a few details. I use crispy pancetta instead of bacon: it’s finer, more delicate, and truly delicious. I don’t put any sugar in the dressing, just white balsamic vinegar, because the red grapes and cranberries already bring all the sweetness you need. And I add herbes de Provence, which I love and would put on everything. The result is creamy, crunchy, sweet and salty, without being cloying like some overly sweet versions.
⏳ My mother’s trick: let it rest
The secret is to let the salad rest in the fridge for an hour before serving. That’s my mother’s trick: the rest softens the raw broccoli just enough and lets the flavors develop. I keep the broccoli completely raw for the crunch, but if you prefer, you can blanch it for a minute. The key, if you blanch it, is to drain it very well and make sure it’s completely dry, otherwise your salad will be watery.
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⏳ The rest, my mother’s trick
Let the salad rest in the fridge for an hour before serving. That’s the secret my mother showed me: the rest softens the raw broccoli just enough and gives the flavors time to marry. An hour is enough, but a few hours is even better if you have the time.
🥦 Raw broccoli for the crunch
I keep the broccoli completely raw, I love the crunch it gives. If you prefer a softer texture, you can blanch it for a minute in boiling water. But if you blanch it, drain it very well and make sure it’s perfectly dry before adding it, otherwise your salad will turn watery.
🥓 Pancetta, finer than bacon
I use pancetta instead of bacon. It’s finer, more delicate, and the taste is really delicious. Cook it in the oven until nicely crispy, let it cool, then chop it. It brings that salty edge that perfectly balances the sweetness of the fruit.
🍶 No sugar, the fruit takes care of it
Unlike most recipes, I don’t put any sugar in the dressing. Just white balsamic vinegar and mayonnaise. The red grapes and cranberries already bring all the sweetness needed, without making it cloying. It’s a balanced salad, not a dessert.
🍇 Red grapes and cranberries
The combo of fresh red grapes and dried cranberries is what makes this salad irresistible: the juiciness of the grapes, the chewy tartness of the cranberries. Halve the grapes so they spread through every bite.
🧀 Want more? Cheddar and sunflower seeds
I keep my salad pure, no cheese or seeds. But if you want to jazz it up, you can add sharp shredded or cubed cheddar, and a handful of sunflower seeds for even more crunch. It’s a classic in the Southern US versions.
✅ What to serve with my creamy broccoli salad
At my mother’s, we ate it with grilled steaks on the picnic table. It goes with any grilled dish, but also with my beer-braised pulled pork. For a summer buffet, serve it next to my creamy coleslaw with pancetta and my creamy corn salad.
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Ingrédients
- 100 g thick-sliced pancetta
- 6 cups (1,5 L) broccoli cut into small florets
- 1 2/3 cup (410 ml) red grapes, halved
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) white balsamic vinegar
- 5 tbsp (75 ml) mayonnaise
- 1/4 tsp (1,25 ml) herbes de Provence
- Salt and pepper from the mill
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Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 400 °F (200 °C).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the pancetta on top. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until crispy. Flip halfway through. Let cool a few minutes, then chop. Set aside.
- In a large salad bowl, add the broccoli, grapes, cranberries, onion and balsamic vinegar. Mix well.
- Add the mayonnaise, the herbes de Provence and the pancetta, then season with salt and pepper. Mix and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving!
The dressing here is simple: mayonnaise mixed with white balsamic vinegar and a pinch of Provence herbs, tossed right in with the salad ingredients. Crispy chopped pancetta and salt and pepper finish it off for a creamy, tangy bite in every forkful.
No, this recipe uses the broccoli raw, cut into small florets and simply tossed with the other ingredients. There is no blanching or boiling step here, just crisp broccoli straight into the bowl with the grapes, cranberries and dressing.
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