Asian Pecan Broccoli Salad for Those Long Hot Summer Parties Recipe
Asian Pecan Broccoli Salad for Those Long Hot Summer Parties
Summer has arrived and you may have already been invited to one or two summer parties. As with most summer get-togethers there is a good chance you’re going to be asked or feel obligated to bring food.
One of the easiest dishes to bring is salad. However a salad consisting of chopped lettuce with cucumbers, tomatoes and fake croutons isn’t going to make the cut. Offer your friends and family something with a bit of pizzazz such as this Asian Pecan Broccoli Salad! My sister makes broccoli salad every year at the cottage and the crowd always loves it! I’ve put together a similar version with a few tweaks. I omitted the seasoning that comes with the ramen noodles and added some heat.
For this cooking experience I selected a classic easy listening summer ‘80s song. “Long Hot Summer” by The Style Council. I love its laid back vibe because it instantly puts me into summer relaxing mode.
Tip: Before you begin making this salad, here is an important tip to keep in mind. I’ve often had this type of salad where the broccoli is left raw. I’m not a fan of raw broccoli and its pale green color. To really make this dish standout, boil the chopped broccoli for 1 minute then cool it immediately in ice water (otherwise it will go soggy). Use a salad spinner to drain the broccoli and remove excess moisture. This will take the rawness out of the broccoli, give it an eye-opening dark green color and it'll still maintain its crunch!
Is this the type of salad you can see yourself bringing to a summer party?
Asian Pecan Broccoli Salad
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- 1 bunch broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces (see cooking tip above)
- 3 green onions chopped (green parts only)
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 1 package (85 g) ramen noodles, crushed (discard seasoning package or save for another use)
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp sesame oil
- 1 cup pecans or cashews, chopped
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
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In a large bowl combine chopped broccoli (raw or slightly cooked as per tip above) and green onions. Set aside.
In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium-low heat. Add crushed noodles. Cook and stir until noodles begin to brown. Remove from heat and let cool.
To make dressing, in a small bowl whisk together sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, olive oil, mustard and sesame oil.
Add browned noodles, dressing, pecans and red pepper flakes to broccoli mixture. Toss until coated.
Volume: Makes 6 to 8 servings
Thanks for checking out this recipe!