Broccoli Pearl Crunch Salad – RecipeTin Eats

August 21, 2025

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Also called Chopped Broccoli Salad with Pearl Couscous and Nutty Salami Fry-Up with Pink Wine Honey Vinegar Dressing. Thought that was a bit prolonged so I christened it Broccoli Pearl Crunch Salad as a substitute. 🙂 Dig in with a spoon!!

Introducing the Broccoli Pearl Crunch Salad!

I discover it’s usually a stretch to get folks excited a couple of broccoli salad – particularly while you inform folks it’s uncooked.

However this isn’t your typical broccoli salad.

Firstly, the broccoli is chopped up into little small items (oddly satisfying to do, as a result of when do you ever chop broccoli such as you do herbs?!) then marinated within the dressing so it’s flavour-soaked-tender-crisp broccoli (fan!) reasonably than grassy-fibrous-raw (not a fan).

Secondly, to dial up the curiosity issue, we do not make your common mayo-laden broccoli salad. This has a contemporary zingy French dressing and loaded with extras that sound like a random mash up however truly works so nicely collectively – fried up salami, almonds, dried cranberries, purple onion, garlic and parmesan. So that you get nutty-salty-oily-sweet-tart-savory-garlicky goodness in an enormous spoonable salad.

It’s significantly good!

PS The shrivelled up chewy dried cranberries are plumped simply by throwing them into the couscous boiling water for 30 seconds. When you’ve plumped, you’ll by no means return!

Elements in Broccoli Pearl Crunch Salad

Right here’s what it’s essential make this. Value noting that the dressing does triple obligation right here: marinating the broccoli (takes laborious uncooked edge off plus provides flavour), flavour soaking the couscous and the traditional job of dressing the salad!

1. THE SALAD PART

Broccoli – You’ll want 1 1/2 medium heads or 2 small heads to make up 4 cups of small chopped broccoli required on this salad. I take advantage of the florets and floret stems, although for those who’re brief you need to use the thick broccoli stem too (peel and cube small).
Pearl couscous – The opposite star ingredient in as we speak’s salad! It’s the bigger type of the extra frequent tiny couscous, also referred to as connoisseur and Israeli couscous. When cooked, they’re like slippery little pearls of pasta – therefore the title!

Substitute with risoni/orzo or another tiny pasta about that measurement, or 2 1/4 cups cooked rice (any) or quinoa, farro, barley and so on.
Pink wine vinegar – That is to tenderise the broccoli to take the laborious uncooked edge off it a bit. We additionally use among the Dressing however that alone isn’t sufficient, vinegar is what softens the broccoli. Suppose – ceviche, and the way uncooked fish is “cooked” with lime juice. That’s basically what we’re doing right here.

Substitute – white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, sherry vinegar.
Dried cranberries – I like utilizing cranberries in salads as a result of they’re candy but in addition tart, whereas most different dried fruits are simply candy. I additionally just like the purple color they add to salads. Nevertheless, another dried cranberry-shaped fruit will work effective on this recipe – sultanas, currents and so on.
Almonds – I truly did apply thought to nut selection (I do know, surprising!😅) and selected almonds due to the neat form so you may see them a bit higher than, say, pistachios which might get misplaced within the jumble. Having mentioned that, you can actually use your favorite nut you assume will work with these flavours – pistachios and pecans spring to thoughts, and sunflower seeds or pepitas for a nut free choice.
Salami – For salty, oily pops. Partly as a result of that’s what I had (as a substitute of the standard bacon choice). And in addition partly as a result of the spiced meaty oily flavour provides a stack of additional flavour into this salad! Bacon will work however I’d in all probability prepare dinner it then take away earlier than cooking the almonds and onions else the bacon flavour could also be slightly too dominant within the general dish.

For a meat-free choice, I truly assume small cubes of cheddar cheese might serve the same function, and even additional feta. Or simply depart the salami out for a lighter side-salad choice.
Pink onion and garlic – For fragrant freshness, pan fried within the salami oil.
Parmesan – To sprinkle on, for serving. Substitute with crumbled feta.

2. DRESSING

This dressing has a a lot increased 2:3 vinegar to grease ratio than common Western dressings so the salad received’t weigh you down with a very greasy dressing, plus the dish will get fats from the salami. A smidge of honey takes the sharp edge off and a dab of Dijon helps it thicken.

Pink wine vinegar – Much less harsh than common white vinegar with additional flavour layers from the wine. See above beneath Salad for alternate options.
Honey – Substitute with maple syrup or sugar.
Dijon Mustard – Helps thicken so it clings higher, plus flavour.
Additional virgin olive oil – I get away the great things for salad dressings. 🙂
Garlic – Mince it utilizing a garlic press or grate.
Lemon – We solely use the zest for a contact of pretty brightness on this salad. Not essential, it’s a pleasant to have.

How you can make Broccoli Pearl Crunch Salad

The salad dressing right here serves a triple function. We marinate the broccoli in it – simply half-hour softens it barely and takes the uncooked crunchy-edge off it (as famous above, not a fan!). And we additionally toss the pearl couscous within the Dressing whereas it’s scorching so it absorbs the flavour – commonplace working process with pasta salads in my world!

And lastly, we use the dressing for the common function – for dressing this salad!

Shake the Dressing in a jar.
Chop the broccoli into small items, sufficiently small so you may scoop a couple of up in a spoon. Chop the floret stems slightly smaller (so that you don’t get large chunks of firmer stem).

My technique (video is useful) – I chop like I do herbs. Slice wads of florets into ~1/2cm / 0.2″ thick slices, unfold out on the board then run the knife by means of, chopping till you could have small items. Measure out 4 cups and put in a big bowl, and you should definitely scrape all of the tiny little inexperienced broccoli confetti items in (appears like finely chopped herbs!).

Marinate broccoli – Toss the broccoli with salt, purple wine vinegar and a couple of tablespoons of the Dressing. I add slightly additional vinegar as a result of it’s stronger at softening uncooked broccoli than the oil-based dressing alone.
Couscous and plumped cranberries – Carry a saucepan of water to the boil. Boil couscous for five minutes or till al dente, including the dried cranberries for the final 30 seconds – they’ll plump up in a short time.

Flavour soak couscous – Drain nicely then return the recent couscous into the saucepan and toss with some Dressing. Depart apart for 10 minutes so it absorbs the flavour.
Salami fry up – In a non stick pan, give the salami a 90 second head begin then add the almonds and onion. Prepare dinner for a few minutes to toast the almonds (brings out the flavour) and soften the onion, then add garlic and prepare dinner for one more 1 minute. Add to the broccoli bowl and funky for 10 minutes.

Word: The salami received’t go crispy, due to all the opposite stuff within the pan. I do know crispy salami is interesting however I promise you received’t miss it right here, the broccoli and almonds present loads of crunchy texture.

Toss! Add the couscous and all of the dressing into the bowl, then toss nicely.
Serve – Both divide between bowls or tumble into a big serving bowl. Garnish with grated parmesan then serve!

I do discover it oddly satisfying that this may be eaten with a spoon reasonably than stabbing items of florets with a fork. It’s not the primary time I’ve shared how a lot spoon-eating salads attraction to me and possibly received’t be the final!

Serve this as a meal – it’s hearty sufficient – or a hearty facet salad. Yesterday I made salmon bowls with this broccoli salad topped with salmon (pan seared with simply salt and pepper) damaged into massive chunks, a sunny facet up egg and completed with some selfmade chilli crisp. Sure, we’re engaged on our personal selfmade chilli crisp recipe (once I say “we”, I’m loosely together with myself right here, the legwork is being accomplished by RTM Chef Hannah who comes from a protracted line of Chinese language cooks!).

However, again to as we speak’s recipe……😂Hope you take pleasure in! – Nagi x

Watch how you can make it

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