Forget Ranch: Broccoli Gets A Flavor Boost With An Old-School Dressing Everyone Forgets About
Let's face it — ranch has been at the front of the salad-dressing pack for a long time. The dairy-based sauce has to have a good PR team — it's a go-to for wings, raw broccoli, and so much more. Perhaps it's time for another saucy salad topper to have a go? Like Catalina dressing, for example.
Catalina dressing is essentially a paprika-spiked vinaigrette augmented with ketchup, and before you judge the delicious mid-century dressing for that one ingredient, jam is a common addition in flavorful vinaigrettes. In Catalina dressing, ketchup serves the same purpose, adding fruitiness, extra sweetness, and the eye-catching red that makes the dressing memorable. That color is also one of the reasons the condiment works well with broccoli — the pop of orange against deep green elevates salads, while the dressing's warm paprika spice and sweetness is a counterpoint to the savory and bitter notes of broccoli.
How to make Catalina dressing at home — and the salads to serve it with
While you can buy Catalina dressing premade, including from its original producer, Kraft, it's not on all grocery store shelves. It's also super easy to make a homemade batch with cupboard staples. The basic ingredients for Catalina dressing are two parts each of white sugar, wine vinegar, and a neutral oil and one part ketchup. Seasonings can include paprika, onion powder, and Italian seasoning. Just chuck everything in a blender and blitz until it's emulsified. Some people also add finely chopped onion for freshness, Worcestershire sauce for umami, or garlic powder for savoriness.
Catalina dressing works as a dip for broccoli florets just like ranch does, but it's lighter, fresher, and sweeter, bringing out different notes in the vegetable. It also goes well with roasted broccoli and adds a sweet-and-sour element to a simple broccoli and cauliflower salad. For a creamy dressing, mix bright-red Catalina with mayo or Miracle Whip for a richer, softer flavor and a beautiful pink color — it tastes particularly fantastic with raw broccoli's intensely earthy flavor.
When you're putting together your Catalina-dressed broccoli salad, stick to the usual salad tips and tricks. Bring in some crunch with nuts or seeds (such as pecans, walnuts, pepitas, or sunflower seeds); add punchy flavor with cheeses like shredded sharp cheddar or crumbled blue; incorporate savory smokiness with crispy bacon or diced ham; and don't be afraid to play with the mix of fresh vegetables and fruits. Toss in ingredients like carrots, cucumbers, scallions, radishes, oranges, or blueberries. As long as broccoli is the base, it's going to work with sweet and tangy Catalina dressing.
