I don’t know who first decided to combine raw broccoli, bacon, onions, and raisins in a creamy mayonnaise dressing, but I’m certainly not upset about it. There are lots of recipes for broccoli salad but I wanted to create a healthier broccoli salad. The original version is a little calorie-heavy, especially for a salad, with all the mayonnaise and bacon. How long it takes: 20 minutes, but allow an extra hour for chilling time. The salad has better flavor if it has a chance to marinate. Equipment you’ll need: large mixing bowl, measuring cup Servings: 8 Some of you may be thinking, what’s broccoli salad without the bacon? Don’t worry, my philosophy is everything in moderation (except popcorn), so I didn’t ditch the bacon. For me, bacon is a once-in-awhile treat so I go ahead and splurge once in awhile Now, that being said, you can certainly skip the bacon. My mom is NOT a bacon fan so she substitutes toasted sunflower seeds and I have to say that sunflowers seeds are really good in this salad, too.
About This Broccoli Salad Recipe
So you may be wondering, how is my recipe for broccoli salad any healthier than the original? Good question! Secret ingredient in the dressing. Instead of mayonnaise, I use plain Greek yogurt, usually lowfat or nonfat. Skipping the mayonnaise reduces the fat content of the salad and you really won’t notice the difference. I substitute yogurt for most of or all of the mayo in my creamy dressings. Try my healthy coleslaw or dill potato salad. Stays true to the classic salad. Other than the lightened-up dressing, this recipe is pretty true to the deli salad you find in grocery stores. Fresh broccoli, red onions, crispy bacon, chewy raisins — they’re all in there. They each bring their own unique qualities to the salad and the combination is a home run every time. Another little secret. If you’re not a fan of raw onions, be sure to read my tip about how to eliminate the some of the strong flavor. Even though my husband doesn’t care for raw onions, he loves this salad. He still tries to pick around the red onions but he said, “I ate one by accident and they aren’t too bad.” High praise, indeed.
Recipe Tips
Reduce the bite of onions. If you soak the chopped onions in ice water for about 10 minutes before adding them to the salad, it takes the aggressive bite out of them. They stay crisp and have just the right amount of onion flavor. Red onions are a great addition to this salad even if you think you don’t love raw onions! For a different onion flavor, you could try pickled red onions. Add extra flavor to the dressing. The dressing recipe includes celery seeds which have a very distinctive celery flavor. It’s a little drift from the classic deli-style broccoli salad, but try it, and I bet you’ll love it too. Be sure to buy the tiny brown seeds; celery salt is not the same thing. Try jumbo raisins. I loooove these jumbo raisins. You can use any old raisins but these add a special something and are extra chewy and juicy. Make it vegetarian. If you want to leave out the bacon, add roasted sunflower seeds for a nice crunch. Sometimes I use both!
More Broccoli Recipes You’ll Enjoy
Broccoli Cauliflower Salad (a delicious variation of broccoli salad) Lemon Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup Air Fryer Broccoli Roasted Broccoli Recipe (learn how to make the best roasted broccoli)
Storage Tips
Broccoli salad keeps well in the fridge for up to three days. The broccoli will soften slightly and the bacon won’t be as crisp but the salad still really does taste excellent. Quick-Start Guide!
