Delicious Broccoli Salad made with bacon, sunflower seeds, red onion, and goat cheese mixed with a creamy Greek yogurt-mayo sauce. So good!
Broccoli Salad
Here’s a great way to get a cup of veggies into your meal, serve this fresh Broccoli Salad as a side with a sandwich, burger, or your favorite protein. It’s perfect as a side dish for a summer BBQ or potluck or a tasty lunch option. It’s easy to customize to your liking – try adding in some chopped nuts like almonds, raisins, or other dried fruit for extra flavor and texture. If you’re a broccoli lover and need more broccoli ideas, try this Italian Sub Broccoli Salad, Broccoli and Orzo, or this cozy Broccoli Cheese Soup.
This light and easy Broccoli Salad is from the new Downshiftology Healthy Meal Prep cookbook by Lisa Bryan, is the best broccoli salad recipe! Her book offers over 100 make-ahead recipes that can be frozen or repurposed into different meals. I polled my audience on Instagram to see which recipe they wanted me to share from her book, and this one was the winner. I’m so glad because I really enjoyed it!! Her recipe has this as 4 servings, but I made it 8 1 cup servings which is perfect for a side dish. If you want to have it as a main you can double the portion.
A Healthier Broccoli Salad
This healthy salad recipe uses many nutritious ingredients:
- Broccoli is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, potassium, and folate.
- Sunflower seeds are a good source of healthy fats, protein, and nutrients, like vitamin E and selenium.
- Goat cheese is a lower-fat alternative to other types of cheese and is a good source of protein and calcium.
- The Greek yogurt in the dressing boosts the protein content and gives the salad a creamy texture without adding too much fat.
Broccoli Salad Ingredients
- Bacon: Use real bacon. I like center cut because it’s leaner. Bacon bits would also work in a pinch.
- Broccoli: Cut a head of broccoli into bite-sized florets.
- Red Onion: For flavor.
- Dried Cranberries: Unsweetened dried cranberries add a touch of tartness and sweetness.
- Raw Sunflower Seeds: Add healthy fats, nutrients and texture.
- Goat Cheese: for creaminess
- Broccoli Salad Dressing: Greek yogurt and mayonnaise (light or regular) make an easy creamy dressing.
How to Make This Easy Broccoli Salad Recipe
- Lean Center Cut Bacon: Cook the bacon in the skillet or place the bacon on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 15 to 20 minutes at 400°F.
- Vegetables, seeds and cheese: In a large bowl combine broccoli florets, red onion, cranberries, seeds, and cheese.
- Light Dressing: Stir the mayo and yogurt in a small bowl. Pour the dressing over the broccoli mixture, and add the crumbled bacon.
What to Serve with Broccoli Salad
This salad recipe would go great with any almost protein, like burgers, pork chops, chicken, or steak. I also like it on its own for an easy lunch.
How long does broccoli salad last in the fridge?
Broccoli salad will last up to 4 days an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Variations:
- Broccoli: If you prefer to blanch your broccoli, you can by boiling it for about 1 minute. Drain it, rinse it with cold water to stop it from overcooking, and dry it before mixing the broccoli with the other ingredients.
- Fruit: Swap dried cranberries for raisins, dried dates, or diced apples.
- Vegetarian Broccoli Salad: Omit the bacon.
- Seeds: Substitute sunflower seeds with pumpkin seeds, walnuts, or pecans.
- Cheese: Sub goat cheese with feta or shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
- Dairy Free: omit the goat cheese and use dairy free yogurt.
More Broccoli Recipes You’ll Love:
- Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad with Capers
- Sesame Orange Broccoli
- Broccoli and Cheese Tots
- Roasted Broccoli with Smashed Garlic
- Broccoli and Orzo
Broccoli Salad Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 slices center cut bacon
- 1 large head broccoli florets , sliced into bite-sized pieces
- ⅓ cup diced red onion
- ½ cup dried unsweetened cranberries
- ½ cup shelled raw sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup crumbled goat cheese
- ½ cup mayonnaise, I used Hellman's Light
- ¼ cup plain fat free Greek yogurt, dairy-or dairy-free
Instructions
- Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy and browned, about 4 minutes on each side.
- If you prefer to bake it, bake on a sheet pan in a preheated 400°F oven to (200°C) 15 to 20 minutes, until crispy
- Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool. Chop or crumble.
- While the bacon is cooking, in a large mixing bowl, combine the broccoli florets, red onion, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, and goat cheese.
- In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and yogurt.
- Add the bacon and dressing to the mixing bowl and toss to combine.
