Ingredients
Dressing
- 1 ¼ cups Homemade Caesar Dressing
Salad
- 6 cups fresh broccoli florets (about 3 large bunches, larger pieces cut in half)
- 1/2 cup black olives, sliced (from two 2.25-ounce cans)
- 1 medium red onion, cut in half and thinly sliced (larger pieces cut in half)
- 1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped into 1/2-inch squares (can also be thinly sliced)
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare Caesar Dressing: Make your homemade Caesar dressing and cover it. Refrigerate the dressing while you prepare the broccoli to allow flavors to meld.
- Blanch Broccoli – Conventional method: Steam the broccoli florets just until they are crisp-tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. Immediately plunge the broccoli into a bowl filled with ice water to halt cooking and preserve its vibrant green color. Drain thoroughly and place on a paper towel to dry.
- Blanch Broccoli – Instant Pot method: Place a steamer basket inside the Instant Pot liner and add water just below the basket level (making sure no water is inside the basket). Add the broccoli florets to the basket, lock the lid, and set the Instant Pot to ‘Pressure Cook’ on high for 0 minutes. Turn off the ‘keep warm’ feature and press start. Once the cooking cycle ends, perform a quick steam release, then remove broccoli and plunge into ice water immediately. Drain well and dry with paper towels.
- Assemble Salad: In a large bowl, combine the blanched broccoli florets with sliced black olives, red onion, and red bell pepper. Toss gently to mix.
- Add Dressing and Cheese: Add half of the Caesar dressing and the grated Parmesan cheese to the salad. Toss gently to combine all ingredients. Parmesan can also be served on the side if preferred. Add additional dressing as needed to your taste.
- Season and Chill: Season the salad with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Cover the salad and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours before serving to allow the flavors to develop and the salad to chill thoroughly.
Notes
- Blanching broccoli stops enzyme actions which can cause loss of flavor, color, and texture.
- You can use either the conventional steaming method or Instant Pot pressure cooking method to blanch the broccoli.
- For a sharper taste, serve additional Parmesan cheese on the side.
- Ensure broccoli is dried properly before tossing to prevent the salad from becoming watery.
- This salad tastes best when chilled for a couple of hours as it allows flavors to marry well.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
