Italian Broccoli Salad
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Packed with bold flavor, this Italian Broccoli Salad will earn a spot in your regular rotation. With fresh, crunchy broccoli, bold Italian ingredients, and a bright, vinegary dressing, it’s a fast, make-ahead, pantry-friendly salad that’s perfect for a grab-and-go lunch or party menu!
Why This Recipe is a Keeper!
This Italian Broccoli Salad recipe delivers on both flavor and function. Inspired by a New York Times recipe, this salad hits that rare sweet spot between bold flavor, great texture, and practicality, all the things that make a recipe worth repeating.
This Italian Broccoli Salad recipe is:
- Easy! No fancy knife skills are required–just some simple chopping, mixing, and done.
- Bright and full of texture! With crisp, fresh broccoli and punchy ingredients like pepperoncini and olives, this Italian Broccoli Salad delivers bold flavor.
- Make-ahead friendly! I was amazed at how well this salad held up! It’s as delicious on day #2 as it is when freshly made.
- Versatile! This Italian Broccoli Salad is perfect for potlucks, picnics, casual entertaining, or a grab-and-go lunch.
- Healthy-ish!
Whether you’re meal-prepping for the week or bringing a dish to share, this Italian Broccoli Salad shows up every time.
How to Make Italian Broccoli Salad:
Recipe Ingredients:
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this broccoli salad recipe. The exact quantities are on the recipe card below.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:
- Broccoli: No need to blanch it, which is a timesaver. The bright, vinegary dressing softens the raw edge and enhances the natural sweetness of broccoli. Use the stems for little to no waste; simply peel off any tough outer layer, then chop the tender inside.
- Shallot: Shallots have a delicate garlic flavor and are a member of the onion family. They grow in clusters or bulbs, resembling a head of garlic but with fewer cloves.
- Pepperoncini: Pepperoncini are Italian chile peppers that are generally mild, though some can be hot.
- Salami: You can use Milano, Genoa, Calabrese, or a combination.
- Provolone: Provolone is a semi-hard Italian cow’s milk cheese that works well diced into salads because it holds up to acidic dressings, such as the one in this broccoli salad recipe.
- Chickpeas: Also called garbanzo beans. Adds additional protein for a heartier salad. Drained and rinsed canned Great Northern or cannellini beans can be substituted.
- Kalamata Olives: Kalamata olives are almond-shaped and have a deep purple-brown to black hue. If using pitted Kalamata olives, check them for pit fragments as they’re mechanically pitted.
- Red Wine Vinegar: I recommend using red wine vinegar over white wine vinegar or any other vinegar because of its bold, fruity flavor, which stands up to the broccoli and other bold ingredients in this salad.
Step-By-Step Instructions:
- Gather and prep all the ingredients.
- Place the shallot in a small sieve and rinse under cool tap water. Set aside to drain.
- Place the broccoli in a large mixing bowl. Generously season to taste with salt and black pepper. Add the garbanzo beans, pepperoncini, olives, and salami and toss well.
- Drizzle the olive oil over and toss until the ingredients are well coated. Add the red wine vinegar and lemon juice and toss again. Taste and adjust with additional vinegar, and/or salt and black pepper. Fold in the cubed cheese. Let stand 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.
Chef Tips and Tricks:
- There’s no need to do any special cutting or chopping of the broccoli. The texture should be rough and varied. Don’t waste any little broccoli bits left on the cutting board — toss them into the salad.
- Rinsing the shallot will remove some of the raw edge and soften it slightly so it’s not overwhelming or competing with the broccoli.
- You can get away without the lemon juice, but it adds subtle depth and keeps the vinegar from tasting “one-note.”
- Season in layers. Lightly salt the broccoli first, then adjust after everything is combined. Salty ingredients, such as the pantry ingredients used here, can sneak up on you.
- This Italian Broccoli Salad holds up very well. However, letting it sit out for 20 to 30 minutes, or adding a splash of vinegar or olive oil, can wake it right back up after chilling.
Recipe FAQs:
Although I haven’t tested this recipe with cauliflower, I think it would be fine to substitute it for broccoli.
No, you don’t need to unless you want to. If you do, be sure to generously salt the water and have an ice bath ready to set the color.
If you’re serving it for an occasion, I would make it the day of your event. You can have everything prepped (including chopping the broccoli), then combine 30 minutes before your guests arrive, since it does need to sit a bit for the best flavor. After combining everything, it can stay at room temperature for up to 2 hours.
Serve with:
- Italian-Stuffed Artichokes Recipe
- Summer Vegetable Parmigiana
- Shrimp Scampi with Artichokes
- Chicken Milanese
More great salad recipes you’ll love!
- Sicilian Cauliflower Salad
- Cauliflower Antipasto Salad
- Lemony Lentil Salad
- Green Bean Salad Recipe with Mustard Vinaigrette
Get all my side salad recipes at Side Salad Recipes – From A Chef’s Kitchen.
Italian Broccoli Salad
Ingredients
- 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced into rings (1/2 cup)
- 1 to 1 1/2 pounds broccoli crowns, coarsely chopped into 1/2 to 1-inch pieces (8 cups)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 can (15-ounce) garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup sliced pepperoncini, (approximately 4 large) drained
- 1/2 cup halved and pitted Kalamata olives
- 2 ounces salami, such as Genoa, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 4 ounces Provolone cheese, cut into small cubes
Instructions
- Place the shallot in a small sieve and rinse under cool tap water. Set aside to drain.
- Place the broccoli in a large mixing bowl. Generously season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- Add the garbanzo beans, pepperoncini, olives, and salami and toss well.
- Drizzle the olive oil over and toss until the ingredients are well coated.
- Add the red wine vinegar and lemon juice and toss again. Taste and adjust with additional vinegar and/or salt and black pepper.
- Fold in the cubed cheese.
- Let stand 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.
Notes
- Drained and rinsed canned Great Northern or cannellini beans can be substituted for the chickpeas (garbanzo beans).
- No special cutting needed—rough, varied pieces add great texture. Toss in any small bits, too.
- A quick rinse of the shallot softens the raw edge so it doesn’t overpower the salad.
- Lemon juice is optional, but it adds depth and keeps the vinegar from tasting one-note.
- Season in layers. Lightly salt the broccoli first, then adjust after mixing—briny ingredients add up quickly.
- This salad holds up beautifully. Let it sit 20–30 minutes before serving, or add a splash of vinegar or olive oil after chilling to wake it up.
- If serving for an occasion, make it the day of. Prep in advance, mix 30 minutes before serving, and let it sit. Room temperature is fine for up to 2 hours.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are automatically calculated using unbranded products and are estimates only. Actual results may vary based on ingredients used and portion sizes. Adjust as needed for dietary restrictions, allergies, or health concerns.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Great salad!
True confessions – I used poppyseed dressing, but it was all delicious – a meal!
Hi, Sam, Thanks so very much and happy you enjoyed! Sounds delicious; poppyseed dressing certainly changes the personality of the salad, but I’m glad it worked for you!