Broccoli salad is a very versatile dish that can take place in an endless variety of ways. Here is a breakdown of the mainly accepted ingredients and dressings.

1-Ingredients:

The primary ingredient is of course fresh broccoli. 2 heads will be enough for an ordinary sized salad. Chop the stem off and slice the flowerets into bite sized pieces.

Next add some chopped vegetables. The favorites are onion, celery, carrots and cauliflower. Just add as much as you like until it looks like a good mix.

Some people like to add bacon. Fry up 6-8 strips until crispy, drain grease and set aside. Fall to pieces bacon as soon as it's cooled and add to salad immediately earlier than serving.

Any type of cheese can be used. It can be cubed, crumbled, shredded, or creamed as part of a dressing.

Fruit is often added to these salads, mostly raisins. Furthermore accepted are grapes, cranberries, chopped apple, mandarin orange pieces, or some dried fruit.

Adding up sunflower seeds or nuts to the mix gives the salad a little extra crunch. Almonds, walnuts, cashews and hazelnuts are excellent examples. Try not to chop the nuts too undersized. Keeping the pieces bigger helps the flavor of the nut stand out a little. Toasting the nuts with a little flavor is an option as well.

If you would preferably not chop up some fruit or nuts just add selected trail mix to the salad as an alternative.

2-Dressings:

A. The standard dressing for broccoli salad is a simple mayonnaise/vinegar/sugar mix:

1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup sugar

Mayonnaise can be mixed with yogurt to lighten it up.

Flavored vinegar can be used or substituted with lemon or lime juice.

Artificial sweetener can be used instead of sugar.

B. An oil/vinegar dressing can also be used:

1/2 cup salad oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup sugar (optional)
1/2 tsp. Salt

Flavored cider or wine vinegar is recommended.

Spices such as celery seed, onion powder, basil, and oregano can be added.

C. Your favorite bottled dressing can be used as well. Any creamy or Italian style dressing will work fine on a broccoli salad. A good one to try is 3-cheese ranch.

Here are a few various items that may possibly be added to make your salad something original:

Any canned vegetable such as peas, corn or beans (black, kidney, garbanzo, waxed, etc.).

You can use fresh vegetables such as mushrooms, chives, bean sprouts, green beans, cucumber and bell peppers.

Seafood can make it attention-grabbing: Shrimp, scallops, salmon, and calamari are good additions.

Add broccoli flowerets and some other ingredients you are using to your salad bowl. If you are using crumbled bacon or bacon bits you have to add them in a minute before serving.

Add your dressing, mix and keep cold 2-4 hours or overnight.

Stir salad again earlier than serving.