Easy Broccoli Salad

This simple broccoli salad kicks up ordinary broccoli with some lemon and red pepper flakes.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 5 mins
• Total Time: 20 mins
• Calories: 223 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 1 ½ pounds fresh broccoli
• 3 cloves garlic, mashed into a paste
• 1 pinch salt and ground black pepper, or to taste

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Trim bottoms of broccoli stems and cut off broccoli heads; cut the broccoli heads into quarters. Peel broccoli stems and cut into quarters crosswise.

Step 2

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; reduce heat to medium and cook broccoli until tender when cut with a paring knife but still slightly firm, 5 to 6 minutes.

Step 3

Transfer broccoli to a large bowl filled with cold water and chill to stop the cooking process. Drain well. Arrange broccoli in a colander with the florets facing down towards the holes of the colander and allow broccoli to drip for at least 30 minutes.

Step 4

Whisk together garlic, lemon juice, rice vinegar, Dijon mustard, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper together in a large serving bowl. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking rapidly until the dressing is thick and creamy. Adjust salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes to taste.

Step 5

Toss broccoli with the dressing; let stand 5 to 10 minutes to marinate, then toss again. Can be refrigerated up to an hour if you want to serve the salad cold.