This Healthy Broccoli Salad with Bacon is a classic summer salad. Broccoli, bacon, raisins, sunflower seeds and red onion are coated in a creamy, sweet and tangy dressing.
The best broccoli salad recipe needs to be light and easy and delicious, and this one has it all.
Plus it’s naturally Paleo and Whole30 friendly!
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Why this recipe works
Can broccoli salad with bacon really be healthy? Yep! This isn’t the typical kind of salad but even salads without lettuce can be good for you.
First of all, the main ingredient is broccoli. Broccoli is a vegetable and vegetables are healthy.
Case closed.
No, but really: broccoli is full of fiber, antioxidants and vitamins. It’s even packed with vitamin C. Who knew? And then you toss it with sunflower seeds (full of protein, healthy fats and vitamins), raisins (fiber, iron, calcium) and red onion (vitamins C and a lot of the B’s, potassium).
So far, so good, right?
But then there’s bacon (cue ominous sound effect: duh duh duuuuuh). Most people think the problem with bacon is its cholesterol and saturated fat. But neither of those are the nutritional boogeymen they once were.
To keep this a Whole30 salad recipe, use sugar-free bacon.
And finally, the dressing. It’s usually mayonnaise with vinegar and sugar. We’re still using mayo, but we’re using heart-healthy avocado oil mayonnaise. Luckily it tastes just like the real thing. Still using apple cider vinegar because it tastes great and is possibly very good for us.
And then there’s the sugar. Instead of dumping in a ton of refined white sugar, we’re using either maple syrup or apple juice (for the Whole30 version). The apple juice version won’t be quite as sweet as the maple syrup version (or as in a classic white sugar dressing) but it’s still great.
We’re not using a lot of sweetener – just enough to get that perfect sweet and tangy balance.
And that’s how you make a classic broccoli salad Paleo and Whole30 friendly!
What you need
Ingredients:
- 1 pound whole broccoli or broccoli florets
- 4 slices bacon – Check the labels to make sure it’s Paleo/Whole30 friendly, if necessary.
- ½ cup avocado oil mayonnaise – For a Paleo/Whole30 version, I like Chosen or Sir Kensington’s.
- 1½ teaspoons pure maple syrup (or pure apple juice for Whole30) – This is just enough to add a slight sweetness without being overpowering.
- 1½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar – Adding a little extra tang to the dressing helps balance the sweetness.
- ¼ cup toasted sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup raisins
- ¼ cup diced red onion
Equipment:
- a cutting board
- a chef’s knife
- a large saucepan
- a colander
- paper towels
- a dinner plate
- a medium skillet (10-12″)
- a medium mixing bowl
- measuring spoons (<– these are my favorite because they actually fit into spice jars)
- measuring cups
- a whisk
- a large mixing bowl
- a wooden spoon or spatula
How to make Paleo broccoli salad
Step 1: Cut the broccoli into bite-sized pieces. If using whole broccoli heads, cut off the florets. Slice off the bottom of the stalk. Slice lengthwise down one side of the stalk to remove the outer layer. Rotate the stalk onto the flat cut side and repeat until you’ve sliced off all of the outer layer. Cut the stalk crosswise into ¼” pieces.
Step 2: To blanch the broccoli (optional but recommended): Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Carefully drop in the broccoli. After 30-60 seconds (depending on how small you cut the broccoli; do not go longer than 60 seconds), drain the broccoli and plunge into a bowl of ice water. Let cool completely. Drain and dry on a towel or paper towels.
Step 3: Meanwhile, cook the bacon until just crisp. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate, then dice.
Step 4: In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, maple syrup or apple juice, and vinegar.
Step 5: Add the broccoli to a large mixing bowl. Add the sunflower seeds, raisins, diced red onion and bacon.
Step 6: Pour over the dressing and toss until everything is evenly coated. Serve at room temperature or chill in the fridge for at least an hour to serve cold. Stir occasionally to redistribute the dressing.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Since it’s a classic summer party salad, it’s obviously great with grilled foods: burgers, hot dogs, etc.
Serve it alongside other classic side dishes like coleslaw and baked beans. Or with a perfectly grilled steak. It would also be great next to some gluten-free fried chicken and gluten-free cornbread.
You can use other nuts or seeds for the sunflower seeds. Chopped almonds, pistachios, cashews, pecans, walnuts or hazelnuts would all be great. Pumpkin seeds would also work.
Don’t like raisins? Try dried cranberries (make sure they’re fruit-sweetened for Whole30) or chopped dates.
Don’t like red onion? Trust me, I get it. It can be too harsh. But it provides just enough zip here without being overwhelming. If you want to be sure, you can cover the diced red onion with cold water for 30 minutes, drain and pat dry. This will mellow their flavor.
Instead of maple syrup or apple juice you can use honey.
If you don’t want bacon, you could try turkey bacon. It’s not my favorite, but it would work fine here. Or leave the bacon out altogether.
You can make this Paleo and Whole30 broccoli salad up to 3 days in advance. Give it a good toss before serving to make sure everything gets evenly coated.
I do not recommend freezing this.
Other recipes you might like:
- Strawberry Cucumber Salad with Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing (Whole30, vegan)
- Burrata Salad with Peaches and Prosciutto
- Citrus Avocado Salad (Whole30 option)
- Creamed Kale (Whole30, Paleo, vegan)
- Almond Broccoli Soup (Whole30, Paleo, vegan)
Paleo Broccoli Salad (Whole30)
Ingredients
- 1 lb. whole broccoli or broccoli florets
- 4 slices bacon
- ½ cup avocado oil mayonnaise
- 1½ teaspoons maple syrup or apple juice (for Whole30)
- 1½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
- ¼ cup toasted sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup raisins
- ¼ cup diced red onion
Instructions
- Cut the broccoli into bite-sized pieces. If using whole broccoli heads, cut off the florets. Slice off the bottom of the stalk. Slice lengthwise down one side of the stalk to remove the outer layer. Rotate the stalk onto the flat cut side and repeat until you've sliced off all of the outer layer. Cut the stalk crosswise into ¼" pieces.
- To blanch the broccoli (optional but recommended): Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Carefully drop in the broccoli. After 30-60 seconds (depending on how small you cut the broccoli; do not go longer than 60 seconds), drain the broccoli and plunge into a bowl of ice water. Let cool completely. Drain and dry on a towel or paper towels.
- Meanwhile, cook the bacon until just crisp. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate, then dice.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, maple syrup or apple juice, and vinegar.
- Add the broccoli to a large bowl. Add the sunflower seeds, raisins, diced red onion and bacon.
- Pour over the dressing and toss until everything is evenly coated. Serve at room temperature or chill in the fridge for at least an hour to serve cold. Stir occasionally to redistribute the dressing.
Notes
- You can use other nuts or seeds for the sunflower seeds. Chopped almonds, pistachios, cashews, pecans, walnuts or hazelnuts would all be great. Pumpkin seeds would also work.
- Don’t like raisins? Try dried cranberries (make sure they’re fruit-sweetened for Whole30) or chopped dates.
- Don’t like red onion? Trust me, I get it. It can be too harsh. But it provides just enough zip here without being overwhelming. If you want to be sure, you can cover the diced red onion with cold water for 30 minutes and then pat dry. This will mellow their flavor.
- Instead of maple syrup or apple juice you can use honey.
- If you don’t like or want bacon, you could try turkey bacon. Or leave the bacon out altogether.
Jennifer Y Fisher says
I have invested in some digestive enzymes and will be making this shortly — hahah, seriously though cruciferous veggies, especially raw, just “sit” forever in my tummy , burp burp. Such a bummer because I love. I remember you said to blanche the broccoli first to help. Also, PS . . .raisins in anything wins me over.
Paleo Gluten Free Guy says
Yeah, I can eat raw broccoli but I’d rather not. The blanching really helps.
Erin says
I love that you were able to make it healthy! I’ve been trying to healthify a broccoli salad but it’s just not very good. 😉 Yours looks perfect!
Paleo Gluten Free Guy says
Thanks! I’m sure you’ll come up with something great. 🙂
Stacey Crawford says
This makes broccoli so much yummier with the bacon, the raisins, and the creamy dressing! I’m going to use the golden raisins next time if I can find some.
Paleo Gluten Free Guy says
Exactly! Golden raisins would be great in this, too.
Kelly says
Every bite of this salad is delicious! This will be great for Summer entertaining!
Paleo Gluten Free Guy says
Thanks! Yep, it’s perfect for that.
ChihYu says
Everything is better with bacon – this salad is SO GOOD! I love the creamy dressing and the flavor of the apple cider vinegar
Paleo Gluten Free Guy says
It’s true! Bacon makes everything better. 😉
Raia says
Broccoli… bacon… what’s not to love? 😉 I love that this doesn’t call for just plain raw broccoli, too. It’s kinda hard on the tummy, so it’s nice to see a recipe where the broccoli is blanched. Thanks!
Paleo Gluten Free Guy says
Yep. Raw broccoli is fine for some people but a quick blanch really makes a difference.
yang says
I totally agree with blanching broccoli for salad! This is a classic recipe, I love all the flovours you included.
Emma says
Yum, I love the sound and look of your recipe, I’m going to try your dressing out for my next salad!
Paleo Gluten Free Guy says
Thanks! Great idea – the dressing can work on a lot of different salads.
Jen Towkaniuk says
This is exactly what I was looking for to bring to my family’s Independence Day celebration! They have a way of making healthy foods unhealthy, so I have a feeling this will taste unhealthy enough to trick them into eating it and still keep me on track with my goals. Thanks!
Paleo Gluten Free Guy says
Awesome! I think you’re right. 🙂