Broccoli, Bacon, and White Bean Salad is delicious, substantial, and unusual. The cherries give it perfect pops of sweetness; raisins might be just as good. Makes a great lunch, and packs well.
Ingredients for 4 large, main-course servings
1 large bunch of broccoli
Salt
1/3 – 1/2 of a 1-pound bag of dried cannellini beans
1/2 lbs uncured, dry-rubbed, peppered bacon
White wine
1 bay leaf
1 medium carrot, unpeeled, cut into large segments
1 large celery stalk, unpeeled, leaves intact, sliced into thirds
1 small, red onion
1/4 – 1/2 of a medium red bell pepper, in small dice
1/2 cup dried cherries
1½ oz. shaved Parmesan (a generous 1/3 cup)
1½ oz. shaved Romano (a generous 1/3 cup)
1/4 cup best-quality olive oil, plus more to taste
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp cumin
Zest and juice of 1 medium lemon (see notes)
Red pepper flakes, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
How to do it
- Fill a 12-inch, deep-sided (2½ inches) skillet half to two-thirds full with water and bring it to a boil. Salt it heavily. Meanwhile, prep the broccoli.
- To prep the broccoli, trim off the florets, leaving them with no more than 1-inch stems. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the stalks; slice them on the bias into 1/4-inch slices. Set aside, keeping the florets and stalk slices separate.
- Prepare an ice bath – not for you, for the broccoli.
- Cook the florets in the boiling, salted water to perfectly tender, about 4 minutes. Once the florets are done, remove them from the water with a Chinese spider and let them soak in the ice bath until fully cool. Remove from the ice bath to a colander and set aside. Meanwhile, repeat these steps with the sliced stalks, which may take 5-6 minutes to cook.
- Pour the still-hot cooking water over the beans, cover them, and let them soak for an hour or overnight. Meanwhile, cook the bacon.
- To cook the bacon, use high-quality kitchen shears to cut the strips widthwise into 1/4-inch strips. Cook them in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate. Optionally, deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine and reserve the pan’s contents (see notes).
- Strain the beans and cover them with fresh water, at least an inch above the bean level. Add bay, carrot, celery, and 1/2 of the onion, unchopped. Cover the pot, and bring the water to a boil over medium heat, about 15 minutes. Turn heat to lowest setting and cook the beans, covered, until tender, about 45 minutes. Strain. Discard the veggies and bay. Meanwhile dice the remaining onion into small pieces and prep any remaining ingredients.
- Toss everything together, somewhat gently so not as to break up the beans, with two large, silicone spoons, tasting as you go. Correct salt.
Good both at room temperature and cold.
Notes
Like any salad, the quantities of individual ingredients are up to you, and substitutions are limited only your imagination and particular tastes. I suggest adding some tuna or salmon.
Can you cook the broccoli in a different sort of pot? Yes.
Can you use canned beans? Or course. However, dried beans, if you cook them carefully and season them well, have a better taste and texture. And of course they’re a fraction of the cost.
You don’t have to strain the bean-soaking water. You can cook the beans in it. And in fact, once you’re done cooking, you could save that liquid and use it for another purpose, like soup.
If you can’t make your own dry-rub bacon, (sigh), get it at Whole Foods. Can you substitute cured bacon? To me, uncured bacon tastes more like pork belly than cured bacon does, and so in this dish, it contributes texture and umami, but it’s not overtly baconlicious – and I like that. But of course you can use cured. I recommend thick-cut if you do, and perhaps go a bit lighter with the amount. Does it have to be peppered? Yes.
Should you use cherry-flavored cranberries instead of dried cherries? Absolutely.
Be careful with the lemon juice. Because you’re also using zest, a little juice will go a long way. I recommend adding it a bit at a time, and probably staying away from more than 2 Tbs.
The taste of the olive oil really comes through in this salad, so you want something delicious. If you’re adventurous, swap out some of the olive oil with the rendered bacon fat.
Broccoli, Bacon, and White Bean Salad
Credit for images on this page: Make It Like a Man! Thank you, Kesor. This content was not solicited by anyone, nor was it written in exchange for anything. This post was inspired by “Broccoli and White Bean Salad,” from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics, pg. 172. New York: Clarkson Potter, 2007.
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This is really lovely! I love the combination. It’s like a broccoli salad, but better and healthier and without that awful sugary dressing. Fabulous!
Thanks, Mimi!
I love the flavors of this salad, Jeff. I’ve never heard nor thought of peeling broccoli stalks, but, of course, that would make them so much more tender. Thanks for that! Nice recipe and completely helpful hints, much appreciated!
Yeah, just the large, main stalk. I think a lot of people just throw it away. But it’s delicious.
Delicious and unusual is my favorite combination! I love the sound of these ingredients together. Totally works for me.
Thanks, Valentina!
The add of cherries is unexpected, but you are right, it does give the dish a perfect pop of sweetness. And bacon? the more, the merrier :-))
angiesrecipes recently posted…Strawberry Streusel Slices
I thought exactly the same thing as I added them, but they were wonderful in this salad.
Jeff, this sounds sooo good. Your Broccoli, Bacon, and White Bean Salad is a meal in itself and one that’s not going to destroy one’s waistline or pocketbook. We still have some dried cherries from last years harvest, so they now have a home. Thanks for sharing this great sounding salad. It will be made and eaten within a fortnight.
Ron recently posted…Åhus and an absolutely perfect Cosmopolitan…
Excellent! Enjoy!
Taste and texture. That’s a perfect salad to me and this one fits the bill. Do you think it would hold up for a day or two? I’m going to Florida for 3 days and I have to leave Ken and his mom alone in my kitchen while I’m gone. I think they’d appreciate opening up the fridge and seeing this looking back at them. GREG
It will! It did. I ate for about four days, and it was fine – no serious change in quality.. The onions get stronger over time, so unless you really love them, go lite if you plan to eat it leftover.
This looks wonderful, and a quick check revealed I have every single ingredient in the house. Oddly, I picked up cherries on a whim last weekend, so this will be on the dinner menu tonight or tomorrow.
Sweet!
Great dish — neat combo of flavors and textures. I do broccoli and white beans all the time, but haven’t added bacon to the mix. But I will! Thanks.
John / Kitchen Riffs recently posted…Slow-Cooker Mexican Shredded Chicken
Any time, John.
Great office lunch ! Thank you !
2pots2cook recently posted…Pecan Cannelloni
Great idea!
Delicious!
Jackie recently posted…Gnocchis à l’ail des ours, crème au comté
Thanks!
I love broccoli but I never tried to add it to my salads, I’ll give it a try! Have a nice day!
Not parisienne recently posted…Tarte aux fraises rapide
I love it in salads, so long as it’s been blanched first.
I love the combo of ingredients you’ve included in this one! While I love broccoli and white beans, it would be a hard sell for my husband. But since you added bacon, I think he’d be all over this salad. And I love that you added dried cherries. What a tart and tangy addition!
Leanne | Crumb Top Baking recently posted…Spicy Salmon Pasta Salad (Mayo-Free)
Thanks, Leanne!
I’ve used the same ingredients in salads but only a couple of them at a time. All of them together, though would be what my namesake said “too much of a good thing is wonderful.”
best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
I love that quote!
Some of my very favourite ingredients all in one place! What a great meal prep idea too! YUMMMM!
Dawn – Girl Heart Food recently posted…Cheesy Ground Beef Quesadillas
Thanks!
This recipe sounds delicious, Jeff! It would be perfect for a summer side dish. And you might have just inspired me to figure out how to make dry-rub bacon. I’m sure Laura will love that one when I tell her my new adventure. I’ll just blame you for that one. 🙂
David @ Spiced recently posted…Fried Chicken and Biscuits
I’ll accept the blame.
I make broccoli salad as well as a white bean salad. Now I’ve got to try your salad that is a combination of the two. Thank you Jeff for the delicious inspiration.
Karen (Back Road Journal) recently posted…The Best Potato Salad – My Mother’s Recipe
Sure thing!
Such a lovely salad and those flavors and textures together sound fabulous.
Easyfoodsmith recently posted…KESAR ELAICHI KULFI – केसर इलायची कुल्फि (Saffron & Cardamom Kulfi)
Thank you!
What a healthy salad <3 loved it. Thanks for sharing