Summer is on its way, and along with it, warmer temperatures. Hearty salads are perfect one-pot meals on a hot summer night. Just add loaf of crusty bread and perhaps some hummus or cheese to round out this simple meal.
This broccoli salad is delicious and easy to prepare. Roasting cherry tomatoes concentrates their flavor and transforms them into sweet, chewy morsels. If you have fresh herbs available, you could use those instead of dried ones. Broccoli cooked until just tender will not only keep its bright green color, but also not get mushy. I think that next time I’ll add some garbanzo beans to roast alongside the tomatoes to change it up a little.
What is your favorite summer salad?
Here’s what to do:
- 1 large bunch of broccoli
- 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes
- ½ of a red onion
- juice of a large lemon
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- olive oil
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon herbs de Provence
- crumbled feta cheese (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350°.
Wash the cherry tomatoes and dry them off a bit.
Cut the tomatoes in half and put them on a baking sheet cut side up.
Drizzle with a little olive oil.
Sprinkle them with the herbs and some salt and pepper.
Roast in the oven for 30 minutes.
Turn the tray around in the oven and roast for another 30 minutes, or until the tomatoes are getting wrinkled and a bit blackened in spots.
Remove the tray from the oven and reserve.
While the tomatoes are roasting, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Wash the broccoli and cut the crowns into bite-size florets.
Add to the boiling water and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes.
The broccoli should be bright green and barely tender.
Drain into a colander, cool under running cold water and reserve.
In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, the mustard and a pinch of salt.
Add the broccoli and mix thoroughly.
Next add the roasted tomatoes and gently blend the salad again.
Chill the salad for about an hour.
Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese and serve!
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Hey Sabine, it’s hard to pick a favorite summer salad, I love them all! Lately, though, several have been cabbage and kale based with some cheese and sunflower seeds tossed in. Lonny and I devoured a giant bowlful last night. Maybe because of the crumbled bacon and sweet onion dressing. I’ll need to give your broccoli salad a go! Have a great week!
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Hi Missy! Kale and cabbage sounds good, especially with sunflower seeds! This broccoli salad was really tasty, and even works when tomatoes aren’t in their prime because the roasting improves the flavor! Have a great week too! 😊
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Looks luscious except for the onions. I’ll leave them off. 🙂
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Good morning Marlene! It would be just as good without the onions I think. I’ll be making it again soon! Have a great day! 😊
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This makes me wish I had a kitchen (mine is under construction) so I could give it a try. I will have to bookmark it for later.
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Sounds good! Enjoy your new kitchen when it’s done! 😊
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Catching up on your posts this morning and so glad to find this one. I have a bunch of cherry tomatoes I bought that I need to use and this just might be the trick. I have never roasted them what I am open to new ideas for old favorites.
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It’s a great way to use them! I have another post where I showed roasting them with lots of garlic, herbs and more. They also freeze well and make great additions to soups, stews, pasta and anything else that could benefit from a little flavor boost!
I will make this this week using some fresh green beans instead of broccoli. 😊
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Thanks for the additional suggestions.
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