This Giada De Laurentiis-Approved Twist on Her Iconic Broccoli Salad Turns It Into a Full Meal

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There are some recipes we find ourselves turning to again and again, and Giada De Laurentiis, author of Giada’s Italy and Everyday Italian, creates lots of our favorites. But over time, we’ve been known to put a twist or two on her recipes, always thinking in the back of our mind that she wouldn’t approve. Or would she? De Laurentiis recently shared her reaction to one fan’s rendition of the Food Network star’s warm broccol and brussels sprouts salad on TikTok, and it turns out that the fan’s twist is totally Giada-approved.

#duet with @erinliveswhole this salad is THE BEST!! That dressing 🤤

♬ Makeba – Jain

Much of the recipe is the same. It starts with a base of roasted broccoli and roasted shredded brussels sprouts, and the salad is topped with chopped medjool dates and salted almonds. But unlike De Laurentiis’ salad, which is more of a light lunch or side dish, this fan twist is topped with shrimp, turning it into a full meal.

Clarkson Potter.

The recipe creator sautes shrimp in butter and Calabrian chili paste, for a spicy, protein-packed topping (get the paste at Giadzy or Target). Another twist? The dressing. De Laurentiis’ dressing is a blend of lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, and Calabrian chili paste; but adding honey to the dressing, like the fan did, is totally Giada-approved and adds a spicy-sweet-tangy balance to the whole salad that will keep you going back for bite after bite.

Tutto Calabria.

The combination of the roasted broccoli and brussels sprouts, spicy shrimp, chewy dates and crunchy almonds, and a topping of Pecorino Romano makes this a dinner salad you’ll find yourself dreaming about durning the day. And are we the only ones who can’t stop thinking about tossing the whole thing with some pasta for an even heartier meal?

It just goes to show that it’s okay to trust your instincts when it comes to changing up a favorite recipe, even one that comes from a certified celebrity chef. If De Laurentiis says it’s okay, then we’re totally on board, too!

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