BACON AND BROCCOLI SALAD

Bacon and Broccoli Salad is made with walnuts, raisins, and onion in a simple, sweet, and creamy dressing. This salad is the perfect side dish for most meals and is a wonderful choice for potlucks and parties!

My favorite way to eat veggies is to add bacon. Bacon makes everything better…even broccoli! Most of us have enjoyed some version of this salad at some point, but this one is my favorite!

Why we love this Bacon and Broccoli Salad

• Simple ingredients. You only need 5 ingredients in the salad and 4 ingredients for the dressing. The whole salad can be made in less than 10 minutes!
• Delicious. It may not seem that broccoli, onion, bacon, raisins, and walnuts go together, but I promise that somehow this combination of flavors and textures works so well!
• Perfect for parties and potlucks. This salad can easily be made ahead of time, and it’s always a crowd-pleaser.

INGREDIENTS IN BACON AND BROCCOLI SALAD

Broccoli: You will need 1 large bunch of broccoli, washed, patted dry, and then chopped into bite-sized pieces. To save time, you can use a bag of pre-washed and chopped broccoli.

Onion: Dice a small red onion to add to the salad.

Bacon: The recipe calls for 4 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled. To be completely honest, I usually double that amount. There’s no such thing as too much bacon!

Raisins: Raisins add texture and sweetness to the salad. You can swap these out with dried cranberries (Craisins) if you prefer.

Nuts: Adding chopped walnuts or pecans adds a wonderful crunch. If you are making the salad more than a day in advance of serving, wait to add the nuts so that they don’t get soggy.

DRESSING

Mayonnaise: The recipe calls for light mayonnaise, but regular mayonnaise works as well.

Plain nonfat yogurt: You can use regular yogurt or Greek yogurt. If you use Greek yogurt, the dressing will be thicker.

Sugar: Just a little bit of sugar sweetens up the dressing.

Vinegar: Plain white vinegar works well, but you can use apple cider vinegar if you want a little more flavor in the dressing.

HOW TO MAKE BACON AND BROCCOLI SALAD

Full instructions can be found on the recipe card below, but here are a few tips for making the salad.

• Use a blender to make the dressing. You can mix the ingredients with a whisk or a fork, but a blender or blender bottle will ensure that the dressing is completely smooth.
• Time-saving tips. If you’re short on time, you can purchase pre-washed and chopped broccoli. You can also buy pre-cooked bacon crumbles so that you don’t have to cook and crumble the bacon for the salad.
• Let the salad chill before serving. You can serve the salad immediately after making it, but the flavors meld and intensify if you make the salad at least a few hours in advance.

Storage and Leftovers

To store bacon and broccoli salad properly, it should be placed in an airtight container. This helps maintain freshness and flavor.

Refrigeration

• Chill Time: The salad can be refrigerated for up to 3-5 days. If the salad has dressing, it may last shorter. Keep dressing separate if possible.

Freezing

Freezing is not recommended for this salad. The texture of broccoli and bacon might change, leading to a less desirable taste when thawed.

Cooking the Bacon

For the best flavor and texture, bacon should be cooked until crispy. First, select high-quality bacon; thick-cut options tend to yield the best results.

1. Pan-Frying: Place bacon strips in a cold skillet. Turn the heat to medium and allow the fat to render slowly, turning occasionally.
2. Oven-Baking: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Lay bacon strips on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for easy cleanup. Bake for 15-20 minutes, checking for crispiness.

Once cooked, place the bacon on paper towels to absorb excess grease. Finally, chop or crumble the bacon into bite-sized pieces for easy mixing in the salad.

Alternative Ingredients

This salad is easy to modify. Some of these swaps are a little bit healthier, and some of them are just based on preference.

• Turkey Bacon: A leaner alternative to traditional bacon, offering similar taste with fewer calories.
• Cauliflower: Can replace broccoli for a different texture while maintaining crunch.
• Greek Yogurt: A healthy option to substitute for the plain yogurt in the dressing, adding protein and creaminess.

Other possible additions include nuts for extra crunch, or different cheeses like feta or goat cheese for unique flavor profiles.

More delicious salad recipes to try:

• Berry Spinach Salad and Garden Vegetable Caprese Salad are two salads that I make over and over again – they are both amazing!
• I know that salads should have veggies in them, but my favorite ‘salads’ are made with fruit and/or Jello. Orange Creamsicle Salad and Raspberry Fluff Jello Salad are both super easy to make and two of the most popular recipes on our site!
• Pasta salads are delicious too. Pizza Pasta Salad and Copycat Ruby Tuesday Pasta Salad are simple and filling enough to serve as a main course.

Bacon and Broccoli Salad is made with walnuts, raisins, and onion in a simple, sweet, and creamy dressing. This salad is the perfect side dish for most meals and is a wonderful choice for potlucks and parties!