Description
Our classic bacon broccoli salad recipe is one of my favorite salads for summer! This easy recipe is always a hit at barbecues, picnics, and potlucks. (Gluten-Free, Paleo-Friendly)
Ingredients
Scale
FOR THE BROCCOLI BACON SALAD:
- 1 lb. broccoli florets, cut into small pieces (about 8 cups)
- 6-8 oz bacon, cooked & crumbled
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries, raisins, or cherries
- 1/2 cup roasted, salted sunflower seeds or toasted almonds
- 3-4 Tablespoons finely minced red onion
FOR THE BROCCOLI SALAD DRESSING:
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (or more, to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (or more, to taste)
Instructions
- First, Make The Dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, cider vinegar, maple syrup, and salt and pepper. Whisk until smooth. Taste and add more salt or pepper, as desired. (Note: the dressing will take on some of the other flavors in the salad once combined, so don’t be tempted to go crazy on seasonings in the dressing)
- Combine. In a large bowl, combine broccoli florets, crumbled bacon, cranberries, sunflower seeds, and onion.
- Drizzle With Dressing and stir to combine.
- Chill, If You Can. Ideally, I recommend chilling this salad in the fridge for 1-2 hours to let the flavors meld and the broccoli soften a bit. You can make the salad up to 8 hours ahead of time. (Note: if making ahead of time, I recommend adding the sunflower seeds right before serving, so they preserve their crunch.)
- Serve & Store. Enjoy this salad cold. Leftover broccoli salad will keep in an airtight container 2-3 days in the refrigerator. (It will soften with time, so each day it’ll be softer.)
Notes
- A LITTLE FOOD SAFETY REMINDER. I love serving my broccoli bacon salad at barbecues, potlucks, and picnics, but it’s important to remember that salads like this need to be kept chilled and can only stay out 1-2 hours at most before bacteria will start to grow.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 1 cup salad
- Calories: 213
- Sugar: 10.5 g
- Sodium: 290.9 mg
- Fat: 14.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 16.5 g
- Fiber: 3.1 g
- Protein: 6.2 g
- Cholesterol: 11.3 mg