Ina Garten Broccoli with Garlic

Ina Garten broccoli with garlic takes 45 minutes and just broccoli, slow-cooked garlic and olive oil to make a bright, crisp-tender cold salad. Save this easy broccoli salad for potlucks, summer cookouts or holiday tables, because it's a make-ahead side dish with few ingredients.

Plunge the blanched broccoli straight into ice water, because that stops the cooking and locks in the bright green color. Skip it and the florets keep steaming, turn dull and go soft.

Ina Garten calls this one of the simplest and most popular salads in her first cookbook, and the garlic is why. Cooking the cloves slowly in olive oil until browned and tender gives you a sweet, mellow garlic oil that you can make weeks ahead.

Source: The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook (1999)

Ina Garten Broccoli with Garlic

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Course: SaladCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Calories

270

kcal

Crisp-tender broccoli gets tossed in sweet, soft garlic and a spicy garlic-infused olive oil. Served cold or at room temperature, it stays bright green and crunchy.

Ingredients

• 1 head garlic, peeled (about 16 cloves)
  

• 1 cup good olive oil
  

• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  

• 4 stalks broccoli, cut into florets (8 cups of florets)
  

Directions

• Cook the garlic: Put 1 head of peeled garlic (about 16 cloves) and 1 cup olive oil in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cook uncovered over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes until the garlic is browned and tender.
• Season the oil: Turn off the heat and stir in 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Pour it right away into a heat-proof container to stop the cooking, then let it cool to room temperature.
• Blanch the broccoli: Cut 4 stalks of broccoli into florets, about 8 cups, and boil them in a large pot of salted water for 2 to 3 minutes. They should be crisp-tender, so drain them well.
• Chill in ice water: Plunge the drained florets into a large bowl of ice water until completely cool. This sets the bright green color, so drain them well again.
• Toss the salad: In a large bowl, toss the broccoli with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 cup of the garlic oil and 8 or more cloves of the cooked garlic. Taste for seasoning, then serve cold or at room temperature.

Tools for this recipe

• Cuisinart MultiClad Pro 3-quart saucepan, Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, Pyrex 3-piece glass mixing bowl set, Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 3 lb. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I make the garlic oil ahead of time?

Yes, and Ina says the cooked garlic keeps for weeks in the refrigerator. Store it in a sealed jar, then bring it to room temperature before tossing so the oil pours easily.

Do I have to use the whole stalk of broccoli?

Not at all. Ina likes to leave about an inch of stalk on each floret, but you can use only the florets if you prefer. Either way, keep the pieces similar in size so they blanch evenly.

How long does the broccoli salad keep?

It tastes best the day you make it, while the broccoli is still crisp and green. Leftovers keep in the fridge for a day or so, though the color fades as the garlic oil sits on the florets.

Can I use less oil or fewer garlic cloves?

You only use 1/4 cup of the garlic oil in the salad itself, so the rest is a bonus for other dishes. If you want a milder salad, add fewer cloves, but the cooked garlic is soft and sweet rather than sharp.

What's the most common mistake with this salad?

Overcooking the broccoli is the big one. Blanch it for just 2 to 3 minutes and chill it right away, since mushy, olive-colored florets are what you get when the ice bath gets skipped.