Broccoli Caesar Salad Recipe

Prep broccoli

Trim broccoli into bite-sized florets so pieces are roughly uniform (about 6 cups). Rinse under cold water and drain well; pat dry with a towel or spin in a salad spinner.

Blanch and shock (optional for crisp-tender)

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add broccoli florets and cook 1 minute until bright green and slightly tender. Immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Drain and pat dry. (If you prefer fully raw broccoli, skip this step.)

Prepare other salad ingredients

While broccoli cools/drains, thinly slice the small red onion into half-moons (about 1/4-inch slices). Halve cherry tomatoes if using. Crisp-cook or warm the bacon and crumble into small pieces (4 slices yields about 1/2–3/4 cup crumbled). Toast sliced almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat 3–4 minutes until fragrant, stirring frequently; transfer to a plate to cool.

Combine salad components

In a large mixing bowl combine the broccoli, sliced red onion, cherry tomatoes (if using), crumbled bacon, toasted almonds, and 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan. Toss gently to combine and distribute ingredients evenly.

Mince the garlic finely or press through a garlic press. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup mayonnaise and 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt until smooth.

Add 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon anchovy paste, and the minced garlic to the mayo-yogurt mixture. Whisk until combined.

Slowly whisk in 2 tablespoons olive oil to emulsify the dressing. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust: add an additional 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice for more brightness, or 1/4 teaspoon more salt if needed.

If you prefer a thinner dressing, whisk in 1–2 tablespoons cold water until you reach the desired consistency.

Let dressing rest 5–10 minutes at room temperature to allow the flavors to meld.

Pour about half of the dressing over the salad mixture and toss to coat evenly. Add more dressing to taste, tossing until broccoli and add-ins are evenly coated but not swimming in dressing.

Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan over the tossed salad and give a final gentle toss. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or lemon juice as desired.

Serve immediately for the best texture. Alternatively, refrigerate covered up to 2 hours — bacon and almonds will retain some crunch, and flavors will meld. Serve chilled or at room temperature.