Recent broccoli florets mingle with crispy bacon bits, nutty pepitas, tangy dried cranberries and crunchy diced onions on this nourishing Broccoli Salad! Tossed with a lightened-up Greek yogurt dressing, it’d simply develop into your new go-to facet dish.
Want extra Summer season BBQ facet concepts? Listed below are a few of our favorites – Mexican Street Corn Salad, Creamy Potato Salad with Bacon or the basic Creamy Cucumber Salad.
Straightforward Broccoli Salad With Greek Yogurt Dressing
My mother used to make broccoli salad on a regular basis, and I used to be at all times desirous to gobble it up. I’d load it onto my plate till I barely had room for the principle course! The brilliant veggies, chewy pumpkin seeds and tart dried berries smothered in that creamy dressing—I may eat it day by day.
My mom’s model of this beloved facet dish featured a basic broccoli salad dressing made with mayonnaise, vinegar and sugar. Since that’s not precisely the healthiest condiment, I made a decision to recreate the feel and taste of the dressing in a extra nutritious manner. The consequence? Tangy-sweet perfection!
To make this dish much more irresistible, I invited crispy bacon bits to the social gathering. They add a salty, savory ingredient that goes so properly with the opposite components. As a lot as I adored my mother’s broccoli salad all through my youth, I’ve to confess that my model is superior.
What You’ll Want
You don’t want any fancy components to make this broccoli bacon salad – simply the essential parts under. Scroll all the way down to the recipe card for the corresponding quantities.
- Broccoli Florets: My mother used to make me reduce up all of the broccoli for her salads, and it was not a enjoyable expertise. However now that pre-cut florets are a factor, making this salad is an absolute breeze! Thank goodness for that.
- Bacon: Diced into chunks of your required measurement.
- Diced Crimson Onion
- Dried Cranberries
- Pepitas: Often known as hull-free pumpkin seeds.
- Greek Yogurt: Be sure that the yogurt is obvious. Any added flavoring will come via within the dressing.
- Dijon Mustard
- Honey: Uncooked, unfiltered honey is good.
- Apple Cider Vinegar
Ought to I Blanch the Broccoli?
Whether or not or not you blanch the broccoli is totally as much as you. Blanching includes submerging fruit or greens into boiling water for a short interval, then surprising these fruits or veggies with ice-cold water to cease the cooking course of. I like to go away my broccoli uncooked, however blanching it’s a nice possibility for these of you preferring your florets a little bit extra tender.
When you’d prefer to blanch your broccoli, you’ll have to organize a pot of boiling water. Add within the florets and submerge them for 1-2 minutes, taking care to not exceed the 2-minute mark. As soon as they’ve brightened in coloration and/or reached your required tenderness, take away them with a slotted spoon and switch them to a bowl of ice water.
Alternatively, you may transfer them to a strainer and run them underneath freezing-cold water. As soon as the broccoli florets have absolutely cooled, dry them off properly and get began in your salad.
The way to Make Broccoli Salad With Bacon
This mild and creamy salad comes collectively in two shakes. You simply should prepare dinner the bacon, mix it with the opposite components and toss within the dressing.
Warmth Pan: Warmth a skillet to medium-high warmth.
Prepare dinner Bacon: Add the bacon to the pan and prepare dinner it for 5-7 minutes, or till it’s good and crispy. Place the cooked bacon onto a plate lined with a paper towel to take away extra grease. You possibly can take away extra grease by urgent a second paper towel on high of the bacon if you happen to’d like.
Make Dressing: Add the greek yogurt, dijon mustard, honey and apple cider vinegar to a small bowl. Whisk till all the things is mixed, then set the dressing apart.
Assemble Salad: Add the broccoli florets, bacon, pink onion, cranberries, pepitas and dressing to a big bowl. Gently toss till the components are combined collectively and evenly coated within the dressing.
Ideas for Success
Let’s be certain your broccoli salad is essentially the most tempting dish on the desk. These useful ideas and methods will mild the trail!
- Don’t Over-Blanch the Broccoli: When you select to blanch your broccoli, keep in mind to not let it boil for longer than 2 minutes. As quickly as you see the florets flip a brighter shade of inexperienced, you may go forward and shock them within the ice water.
- Make the Onion Milder: Need to mellow out a few of the sharpness from the diced pink onion? Merely soak the onion items in very chilly water for 10-20 minutes, then dry them off and proceed with the recipe. It will improve their crunchiness as properly!
- Let the Bacon Cool: Maintain off on assembling your salad till the bacon has absolutely cooled. You don’t need any warmth to make its manner into the dish.
- Serve Instantly: This salad is finest served recent. When you’re not having fun with it immediately, maintain it within the fridge till you’re able to dig in.
Add-Ins & Variations
Customizing this salad couldn’t be less complicated. Get artistic and have enjoyable with it!
- Use Turkey Bacon
- Substitute the Dried Cranberries for Raisins
- Omit the Bacon & Use Maple Syrup As a substitute of Honey for Vegan Salad
- Use Asian Dressing or One other Favourite
- Swap Out the Pepitas for Completely different Seeds or Nuts
Serving Ideas
This hearty broccoli bacon salad is a superb companion for all types of most important programs, from Honey Garlic Shrimp Skewers to Mustard Crusted Pork Chops. When you’re serving it for an important day and in search of an extra facet, whip up this lightened-up Potato Leek Soup. You’ll be glad you probably did!
Already had a pairing in thoughts? Simply go for it – you truthfully can’t go fallacious right here.
The way to Retailer Extras
Leftover salad retains fairly properly within the fridge for as much as 3 days. Make sure to retailer it in an hermetic container.
Can I Freeze Broccoli Salad?
When you’d prefer to freeze your broccoli salad, plan to make and add the dressing after it thaws. I additionally suggest blanching the broccoli on this case as it can maintain up higher within the freezer.
Place your mixed salad components onto a baking sheet, cowl them loosely with parchment paper and flash-freeze them for about an hour, or till they’re stable. As soon as frozen, switch the salad to a freezer-safe container or storage bag and retailer it for as much as 4 months. Thaw it out within the fridge in a single day earlier than you add the dressing and serve it.
Broccoli Salad With Bacon
Description
Recent broccoli florets mingle with crispy bacon bits, nutty pepitas, tangy dried cranberries and crunchy diced onions on this nourishing Broccoli Salad! Tossed with a lightened-up Greek yogurt dressing, it’d simply develop into your new go-to facet dish.
Scale
Elements
- 8 cups broccoli florets
- 7 strips of bacon, diced
- 3/4 cup diced pink onion
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- 3/4 cup pepitas
- 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Directions
- Warmth a pan to medium-high warmth.
- Add the bacon to the pan and prepare dinner for 5-7 minutes, or till they’re crispy. Place cooked bacon on a paper towel lined plate to dry and let a few of the grease fall off.
- In a small bowl, add greek yogurt, stone floor mustard, honey, and apple cider vinegar. Whisk till mixed. Put aside.
- To a big bowl add broccoli florets, bacon, pink onion, cranberries, pepitas and dressing. Gently toss components till they’re combined collectively and the broccoli is coated with dressing.
- Serve.
Notes
- Makes 8-10 servings.
- To Retailer: Hold leftover salad in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days.
- To Freeze: Plan to make/add dressing after salad thaws. I additionally suggest blanching the broccoli on this case because it’ll maintain up higher within the freezer. Place mixed salad components onto a baking sheet, cowl loosely with parchment paper and flash-freeze for about an hour, or till veggies are stable. As soon as frozen, switch salad to a freezer-safe container and freeze for as much as 4 months. Thaw within the fridge in a single day earlier than including dressing and serving.
Vitamin
- Serving Dimension: 3/4 cup
- Energy: 137
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 157 mg
- Fats: 4 g
- Saturated Fats: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Ldl cholesterol: 7 mg
Key phrases: broccoli salad with cranberries, facet salad, broccoli salad dressing
Extra Wholesome Sides to Attempt
Need extra healthful facet dishes like this one? Begin with the next must-makes!
