Crunchy romaine salad with toasted pecans and broccoli
This one comes straight from Ethan's childhood — his mom would make it and it never hung around for too long at the church potluck.
It's not your typical green salad. It's sweet, crunchy, a little toasty, and way more fun to eat. Toasted pecans and buttery ramen pieces take the place of croutons, and a tangy-sweet vinaigrette ties everything together in a way that makes it feel like a solid side dish that competes with the other treats at the potluck while still being full of fresh veggies.
When to make this salad
Broccoli, romaine, and green onions all hit their stride in Iowa starting around June, which makes this a perfect early-summer salad.
The dressing takes about two minutes to shake together in a jar. The rest is mostly just chopping. You can have this on the table in under 30 minutes.
What to look for in broccoli
Fresh broccoli should be deep green with tightly closed florets — no yellowing, no sliminess. If the cut end of the stem looks dry or cracked, it's been sitting for a while. When you get it from us on our online store or at the farmers market, it's coming out of the field that week, so you're starting with the good stuff.
If you see broccolini available, grab it. It's a little more tender and slightly sweeter than a full crown of broccoli, and it works beautifully here.
Storage tip: Broccoli keeps best unwashed in the fridge, loosely wrapped or in a bag with a little airflow. It'll hold for about a week but is best used in the first few days. For more tips on keeping your farm veggies fresh longer, grab our free Vegetable Storage Guide.
Swaps and substitutions
Instead of romaine: Any sturdy green works here. A mix of romaine and kale is great if you want something with a little more structure. Check out our creamy kale caesar salad with chickpeas if you're new to using kale in salads.
Oil: Canola works great here. You could also use a neutral vegetable oil or light olive oil — just nothing too strong-flavored, since the dressing is meant to be light and sweet.
Crunchy salad with toasted pecans and broccoli
Ingredients:
Dressing:
¼ cup white sugar
½ cup canola oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 tsp soy sauce
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Salad:
1 (3 oz) package ramen noodles
¼ cup unsalted butter
1 cup chopped pecans
1 large crown broccoli or 1 bunch broccolini, chopped into bite-size pieces
1 head romaine lettuce, chopped into bite-size pieces
4 green onions, finely chopped
Directions:
Add the sugar, canola oil, red wine vinegar, soy sauce, salt, and pepper to a jar. Seal and shake until well combined. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Break the ramen noodles into small pieces. Discard the flavor packet.
Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the pecans and ramen pieces and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and let cool.
Add the broccoli, romaine, and green onions to a large bowl. Add the cooled pecan and noodle mixture and toss to combine.
Drizzle dressing over the salad to taste and toss to coat. Serve immediately.
