This straightforward broccoli salad combines contemporary broccoli with raisins, sunflower seeds and bacon all tossed in a creamy Greek yogurt dressing. It’s the proper facet dish for potlucks and summer season cookouts!
My mother used to make broccoli salad for each gathering rising up and it was one in all my absolute favorites, so I believed I’d recreate it however with a lightened-up twist!
When testing this broccoli salad recipe, I took one chunk and was shortly taken again to a reminiscence of being within the kitchen with my mother making this salad for a household cookout. It tastes so much like her model. I do know you’re going to like this one!
Why I Love This Salad
- Lightened-Up – I made this broccoli salad a tad lighter by utilizing Greek yogurt as a substitute of mayo for the dressing.
- Versatile – Nice for any event, from household dinners to bigger summer season gatherings.
- Make-Forward Pleasant – Tastes even higher after sitting for a couple of hours, making it a unbelievable possibility for meal prep or as a make-ahead facet.
- Customizable – Straightforward to tweak primarily based in your preferences or dietary wants.
Basic Broccoli Salad Elements
- chopped broccoli florets – you should use pre-chopped florets or purchase full heads. Both method you’ll wish to chop the florets into tiny, bite-size items. This helps distribute the dressing and makes the salad simpler to eat. Be sure you’re utilizing contemporary, uncooked broccoli. Frozen or cooked broccoli received’t work for this recipe! For those who’re in search of a salad with cooked broccoli do that: roasted broccoli quinoa salad.
- bacon – for a extra basic broccoli salad taste use pork bacon, however turkey bacon would work nice too if you wish to scale back the energy and fats.
- sunflower seeds – I desire roasted and salted, however you should use dry roasted or uncooked. Roasted tends to have extra taste and crunch. Be at liberty to additionally swap the sunflower seeds with almonds, walnuts or pepitas if that’s what you may have readily available.
- raisins – add a pleasant contact of sweetness and balances the savory flavors of the bacon and broccoli. Be at liberty to swap the raisins for dried cranberries if you need. Or you’ll be able to simply make this broccoli cranberry salad.
- pink onion – the pink onion provides a pop of shade and oniony taste.
- Greek yogurt – as a substitute of mayo, I used plain Greek yogurt to up the protein and scale back the fats within the creamy dressing.
- apple cider vinegar – apple cider vinegar is my go-to vinegar for salad dressing due to it’s well being advantages and I really like the flavour it provides right here. Don’t have ACV readily available? Use contemporary lemon juice as a substitute!
- honey or maple syrup – a touch of sweetness to stability out the remainder of the dressing components.
- sea salt and black pepper – two necessities for a tasty salad dressing.
Recipe Variations
- Vegetarian – You’ll be able to omit the bacon or strive utilizing tempeh bacon or coconut bacon.
- Dairy-free – Use mayonnaise or a dairy-free Greek yogurt. I personally like utilizing coconut milk yogurt after I want a dairy-free possibility. It’s thick like Greek yogurt and works nice.
- Add cheese – Some variations of basic broccoli salad embrace cheese, however my mother’s model doesn’t so I’m sticking with that! If you wish to add cheese, be happy so as to add in shredded cheddar cheese, feta cheese or goat cheese.
How you can Make Broccoli Salad
Prepare dinner bacon: I like cooking it within the oven (see notes within the recipe card), however you can even prepare dinner it in a skillet on the stovetop or within the microwave.
Create dressing: In a big bowl, whisk collectively yogurt, honey, maple syrup, salt and pepper.
Mix components: In a big bowl, whisk collectively yogurt, honey, maple syrup, salt and pepper. Add broccoli, sunflower seeds, raisins, pink onion and bacon to the bowl and stir till nicely mixed.
Cowl and chill: Cowl container and chill within the fridge. Let sit for no less than 3-4 hours earlier than serving. In a single day works nice too as this salad tastes higher after it has had time to take a seat.
Recipe Suggestions
- Lower your broccoli small: Make sure that to chop your broccoli into small, bite-size items to assist distribute the dressing and make the salad simpler to eat.
- Chill earlier than serving: You’ll be able to completely get pleasure from this salad instantly, however I like to recommend letting it sit within the fridge for no less than 3-4 hours or in a single day earlier than serving. This provides the broccoli time to melt and absorb the flavors of the dressing.
What to Serve With Broccoli Salad
This broccoli salad recipe makes for a beautiful facet dish for dinner or a light-weight lunch possibility, however it’s additionally an ideal facet for potlucks and cookouts. Listed here are some concepts on what to serve alongside this salad:
How you can Retailer Broccoli Salad
This broccoli salad will last as long as 5 days in an hermetic container within the fridge. It’s possible you’ll discover that the raisins take up a few of the liquid or the sunflower seeds soften however that’s okay! It is going to nonetheless be scrumptious.
Extra Salad Recipes to Attempt
Make sure to take a look at all my broccoli recipes in addition to my full assortment of salad recipes.
This publish was initially revealed on March 3, 2021 and republished on April 8, 2024.
