Deli-Style Broccoli Salad for Passover is a tangy-sweet, creamy side salad in the style of the one sold in New York delis.
This dairy-free and vegetarian salad is simple to make, crunchy, and absolutely delicious.
It’s parve, so it makes a great side to any main, dairy or meat!
This broccoli salad is made from 4 ingredients and a delicious dressing.
The blend of amazing flavors makes it the perfect side for any meal during the week of the holiday!
And it refrigerates well, so you can make it ahead!
Serve it to family or guests.
Or, if you’re invited out, bring it along to give to your host!
It looks like an impressive salad, but it’s so easy to make!
And, since it doesn’t contain any matzo meal, you can have it even on the day of the seder!
What does it mean when recipes say “to taste” about an ingredient?
When recipes say “to taste,” it means that you can put in as little or as much as you like to your own taste. Some recipes have many ingredients that a cook can adjust to their own taste when cooking (not so much when baking though).
The best way to calculate what your taste is with a recipe that you are not yet familiar with is to first taste the dish and then add the “to taste” ingredient GRADUALLY, a little at a time—a splash of this or a pinch of that—until the dish is just the way you like it. Make sure to stir the ingredient after each time you add it so that the flavor will distribute evenly and become part of the dish. Then taste again. Repeat until you reach your personal preference.
Note: If you plan on using the recipe again, it is highly recommended to make a note of what and how much you added so that you can refer to it next time.
What does it mean when a recipe says that an ingredient is “optional”?
If an ingredient is “optional,” it means that you can add it in or not based on your own preference. An optional ingredient can be flavor related (i.e., salty, sweet, spicy, etc.), appearance related (garnish), or even something like nuts or chocolate chips in baking.
What does “savory” mean?
“Savory” refers to foods that are not sweet, such as foods that taste salty, spicy, or herbal.
Keep-in-the-cupboard kosher for Passover Pantry Essentials
As I learned to prepare more and more recipes for Passover, I also learned which basics and seasonings are good to have on hand to have the ability to make a dish on short notice—especially during the holiday—and not have to run out to the store or borrow from a neighbor.
While I will admit that I am not always prepared when one of my kids will ask for eggplant parmesan or something at the drop of a hat (which they have done), I dislike having to postpone making something just because the ingredients needed to make a reasonable meal were not readily available.
So, I maintain a selection of what I consider “kosher for Passover pantry essentials” in my kitchen during the week of Passover.
While, of course, most item will not be needed just for any one recipe, at least some of them are needed for most recipes, and you would be surprised how many recipes can be made just with this list. So, if you make sure to have whatever you use regularly on hand, it can really save you time and effort.
Everyone has their favorite recipes, preferred seasoning, and just whatever they like to use to cook. Your own list should certainly reflect your own cooking tastes and style. Just make sure that everything is Kosher for Passover (or KLP—Kasher L’Pesach, in Hebrew) and if you are Ashkenazi, that list will be shorter than if you are not.
Make sure to check with a qualified rabbi if you have any questions.
Food on Passover
Torah-observant Jews do not eat chametz (the fermented products of five grains: wheat, spelt, barley, oats, and rye).
In addition, Torah-observant Ashkenazi Jews do not eat kitniyot (or kitniyos as pronounced in Ashkenazi Hebrew). These include legumes, corn, rice, and similar foods that were deemed forbidden to eat by rabbis in the medieval period and are still not eaten today. Sephardi and Mizrachi Jews do not follow this tradition.
Many observant Ashkenazi Jews will not even eat the derivatives of these kitniyot, while others do (each family holds their own traditions regarding this).
Then, there are Ashkenazim who don’t eat “gebrokts” (or gebrochts).
Gebrokts (gebrochts) means “broken” in Yiddish, and in this case refers to matzo that has absorbed liquid. Not eating gebrokts is observed by many in the Hasidic Jewish community and Ashkenazim who have taken on this tradition, where they basically don’t mix anything wet with matzo.
So, things like matzo sandwiches, fried matzo, and even matzo balls are a no-no for them.
There is a joke that sums it all up:
On Passover, we should remember people who have little to eat on this holiday. They are called Ashkenazim.
Over the years, I have learned to adapt “normal” food for Passover so that my family won’t complain about boring, tasteless, or repetitive meals.
I find that having good food and variety makes the week of Passover a very pleasant experience, and I hope this recipe will help make yours just that!
A Little About Broccoli
Broccoli is part of a group called “cole” crops, which also includes Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, and collard greens.
It began growing in the Mediterranean over 1500 years ago and was grown in the Roman Empire. By the 18th century, it had spread throughout Europe and was brought to North America by Italian immigrants sometime in the 19th century.
Broccoli is considered to be a healthy vegetable. It contains vitamins, nutrients, and fiber, and it is low in calories!
Broccoli Salad for Passover
A dairy-free and vegetarian broccoli salad just like in the deli, but kosher for Passover.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds of chopped frozen broccoli (or broccoli flowerets) *
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup of shelled chopped walnuts
- 1/4 - 1/3 diced red onion (depends on how much onion flavor one likes)
Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise, kosher for Passover
- 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons vinegar, kosher for Passover
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Pour chopped broccoli, dried cranberries, diced onion, and walnuts into a mixing bowl to make the salad.
- In another bowl, combine, mayonnaise, granulated sugar, vinegar, and salt to make the dressing.
- Mix the dressing into the salad until it is all covered.
Notes
* You can use fresh broccoli too of course - just boil for a few minutes (only until a fork can just go through)
MAKE SURE ALL INGREDIENTS ARE KOSHER FOR PASSOVER.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 474Total Fat: 38gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 32gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 1616mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 6gSugar: 21gProtein: 8g