Crunchy broccoli is tossed with sweet raisins, crisp turkey bacon, roasted sunflower seeds, onion, and a homemade, light dressing. This broccoli salad eats like a meal and is the perfect summer salad to try tonight!
It’s no secret that broccoli is one of those foods that you either love or hate. But when it’s combined with turkey bacon, cheese, and a delicious dressing, who can resist? This broccoli salad is the best broccoli salad you can ever make. It is perfect for potlucks or backyard barbecues. And it’s so easy to make that you’ll be able to whip up a batch in no time.
Love hearty salads? We do too! Check out this Chicken Caesar Pasta or this Chicken Bowtie Pasta Salad which are equally delicious for a warm, summer night.
Why I Love this Broccoli Salad
Flavorful – If you love meals that make your taste buds dance, this salad is for you! The sweet raisins, salty sunflower seeds, savory bacon, and light dressing is perfection.
Quick to Make – Love to make dinner before work? We do too! You can prep all the ingredients for this ahead of time, mix, and store this.
Easily Customizable – Love traditional bacon? Use that! Prefer lots of shredded cheese? Go ahead and load it on! This salad is pretty flexible making it a recipe winner for our family of five.
Broccoli Crunch Salad Ingredients
Bacon – We used air fried Godshall’s Turkey Bacon. However, we have made this with traditional bacon as well with delicious results.
Cheese – This salad doesn’t need shredded cheese, but it is tasty before serving. You can use any type of shredded cheese you prefer.
Raisins – You can use either traditional raisins or golden raisins in this salad-both are delicious!
Onion – Red onion is the better onion to use for salads for color and flavor.
Broccoli – We used traditional broccoli that we briefly blanched.
Mayonnaise – The creamy element for the dressing.
Vinegar – While you can use a cider vinegar, we prefer white champagne vinegar because it is flavorful and not as strong.
Lemon – Fresh lemon juice provides a nice tang to the dressing.
How to Blanch Broccoli for Salad
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2. Cut the broccoli florets into small pieces removing most of the stems.
3. Add small batches of the broccoli to the boiling water and let cook for 30 seconds. This will take the broccoli color from a dull green to a vibrant, bright green. It will also make the broccoli slightly tender. I used a slotted spoon to remove each batch.
4. Remove the broccoli from the water and place in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.
5. Strain and set aside until using.
How long Does Broccoli Salad Last?
Store you broccoli salad in the fridge in an airtight container. Stored properly in the refrigerator, it should last 3-5 days. If you notice the salad starting to brown or wilt, it is time to toss it.
To extend the life of your broccoli salad, you can try adding a bit more acidity to the dressing. This will help to prevent the growth of any harmful bacteria and keep your salad tasting fresh.
You cannot successfully freeze this salad, but you can freeze freshly blanched broccoli.
Refreshing Summer Salads
Looking for some refreshing summer salads to enjoy? Check out these delicious recipes that are perfect for hot weather! With a variety of flavors and textures, there is something for everyone!
- Strawberry Spinach Salad with Feta
- Chicken Salad with Green Grapes
- Crab Pasta Salad
- Greek Cucumber Salad
- Zesty Crab Salad
Broccoli Salad with Turkey Bacon
Equipment
- 5-quart stockpot
- cutting board & knife
- large mixing bowl
- wooden spoon
- Refrigerator
- Air fryer
- slotted spoon or colander
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Godshall's Turkey Bacon cooked until crisp
- 2 pounds broccoli crowns stems removed, blanched for 30 seconds, and cooled.
- ½ cup sunflower seeds
- ½ cup raisins
- ⅓ cup red onion diced
- ½ cup cheddar shredded
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line turkey bacon in the air fryer basket. Cook bacon for 8-10 minutes or until crisp. Once cooked, chop the bacon into small pieces.
- Add the chopped bacon to a large mixing bowl with the broccoli, onion, raisins, and sunflower seeds.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, and vinegar. Pour over the salad ingredients.
- Mix, wrap, and store the bowl of salad in the refrigerator for one hour to allow the flavors to meld.
- Add cheddar cheese before serving! Enjoy!
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