Bacon Broccoli Salad

Content… Creamy Broccoli Salad with Bacon Recipe Ingredients How to Make It Recipe Variations Tips and Tricks Make-Ahead Instruction Serving and Storage Instructions FAQs What to Serve More Broccoli Recipes to Try Conclusion Watch How to Make It

Creamy Broccoli Salad with Bacon

Cranberries, almonds, and bacon – their flavors may be contrasting yet come out delicious and harmonious when combined, especially with its luscious creamy dressing. They all perfectly complement exquisite broccoli florets. So heavenly, indeed!

It’s also a complete package, a win-win – yummy, healthy, and very nourishing. You can experience all this goodness with less than 15 minutes of prep time. Wow!

Recipe Ingredients

Adding to the best part of this easy Broccoli Bacon Salad is its fair list of ingredients. You only need 10, to be exact, including salt and pepper. Oh yeah!

1. Veggies – I say this salad is satisfyingly healthy because of the broccoli and onions. Both are rich in fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Plus, their bright colors will make our broccoli salad very enticing and inviting. 😋
2. Bacon – Crispy bacon bits for the win! You can fry them until the desired crispiness or try this easier version, Oven Baked Bacon, for effortless crispy goodness. 😉
3. Cranberries or Raisins – Or why not add them both? Oh yes! You’ll love the added sweetness from cranberries and raisins. They are like your sweet rewards with healthy benefits, too. 😉
4. Almonds – Any of your favorite nuts, such as pecan, cashew, walnuts, or macadamia, are appetizing in our salad. 😍 Sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds are excellent substitutes to make a nut-free version of this salad.
5. Dressing – Our dressing is made with honey, mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, and seasoned with salt and pepper. Pretty simple, yet it makes a fantastic accent to our salad. 👌

Tip: If you don’t have white wine vinegar, you can easily replace it with apple cider or balsamic vinegar. Lemon juice will work like magic, too. 😉

How to Make Bacon Broccoli Salad

Prep the Bacon and Broccoli

1. Cook the Bacon – Set a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, frequently stirring, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Set aside. (Photo 1)
2. Prep the Broccoli – Wash and drain the broccoli, then cut them into bite-size pieces. (Photo 2)

Make the Dressing

3. Combine and Mix – In a small mixing bowl, add all the ingredients for the salad dressing (mayonnaise, honey, white wine vinegar, salt, and pepper). Whisk them together until the mixture is nice and smooth, then set aside. (Photos 3-4)

Coat and Toss

4. Mix the Ingredients – Add broccoli, red onion, bacon, and cranberries to a large mixing bowl. Pour salad dressing over broccoli and bacon salad and toss until everything is coated evenly with the dressing. (Photos 5-7)
5. Refrigerate – Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and refrigerate the salad until ready to serve.
6. Add Almond Slices and Serve – Before serving, set aside some almonds to garnish the salad. Mix the remaining almonds into the salad. Then put it into a serving bowl or platter and garnish with the reserved almonds. Serve cold or room temperature. (Photo 8) Note: You can make this salad up to this point several hours ahead of time.

Recipe Variations

1. Cheesy – Oh, you’re gonna love it with shredded cheese, too. I highly recommend sharp cheddar because it’s tastier. 😉
2. Mayonnaise-Free Version – Can’t eat eggs? Then try our Bacon Broccoli Salad with sour cream, plain yogurt, or Greek yogurt for dressing. And you’ll enjoy them with the same creamy goodness for sure. 😍
3. Meatless – Swap bacon with more veggies for a healthier version of our delightful salad. You can add corn, cherry tomatoes, green peas, and bell peppers.
4. Keto-Friendly Version – Replace the honey with a keto-approved sweetener for a low-carb version. Then skip the raisins and opt for strawberries, blackberries, or blueberries for a fruity addition, and you’re good to go.

Tips and Tricks

1. You may blanch your broccoli florets to get rid of their raw taste while keeping them fresh and crunchy.
2. Broccoli stems are edible, too. You peel the thick skin and keep the middle part to add more crunch to our salad.
3. For an even better salad, I suggest refrigerating it for a few hours to let all the flavors set in.

Make-Ahead Instruction

It would be best to prepare this salad a day ahead to let the flavors meld and set in. But don’t add the almond just yet, as they may lose their crispiness the longer they soak in the dressing. I suggest keeping the salad in an airtight container or covering the container tightly with a cling wrap to keep it fresh.

Tip: If making this salad several days ahead, it is best not to add the dressing just yet. Instead, store the dressing in a separate container and add it at least two hours before serving to let the veggies fully absorb and blend with the flavors.

Serving and Storage Instructions

This salad also tastes good with a lighter dressing, such as a vinaigrette or an olive oil-based dressing. Serve it as a side to equally mouthwatering entrees, like Roast Beef or Roast Chicken, and you’ll have an elegant meal in no time. 👌

Don’t worry if you happen to have leftovers because that means more salad for later! Woohoo! They store just fine in a clean, dry sealed container, and they will stay fresh in the fridge for three days.

Tip: Leftover dressing makes a perfect dip for roasted veggies and tortilla chips. It can also be used as a spread for your sandwiches and wrap. 😋

FAQs

What to Serve with Bacon Broccoli Salad

Our salad here can stand on its own because it’s a complete meal with protein and veggies. But, of course, it’s even better with any of these exceptional main entrees below for a more filling meal. 😉

1. Baked Crispy Chicken Legs
2. Smoked Pork Chop
3. Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf
4. Baby Back Ribs
5. Smoked Prime Rib

More Broccoli Recipes to Try

1. Broccoli Cheese Soup
2. Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
3. Broccoli Mac and Cheese
4. Beef Broccoli Stir Fry
5. Spicy Roast Garlic Broccoli

Conclusion

I’m pretty sure having broccoli as the main ingredient for this salad is convincing enough to try this recipe, primarily because it’s known for its low-calorie and high vitamin C and calcium content. Are you hungry for more deliciously healthy recipes? Then feel free to sign up for my newsletter to stay up to date. ❤️

Watch How to Make It

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