This BROCCOLI SALAD WITH BACON is my idea of perfection. It’s crunchy and full of flavor – perfect for bringing to a barbecue or a side for any night of the week.
Summer is coming (thank goodness), and that means it’s nearly barbecue season. And barbecue season means broccoli salad season!
I don’t know about you, but that’s my favorite time of the year.
We put in a pool a few years ago and ever since, backyard life is the only life for me.Of course, we live in the middle of Illinois, so the weather is terribly unpredictable and we’re only able to use the pool from mid-May through mid-September, but that just makes that time even more fun and precious.
There is nothing better than taking a nap in the pool on a quiet weekday, except for maybe having a backyard full of people and something delicious on the grill every weekend.
Along with our keto coleslaw and keto deviled eggs, this low carb broccoli salad recipe is always a hit! Same goes for our cauliflower potato salad (also with cheddar and bacon…are you sensing a theme??).
Recipe for broccoli bacon salad:
The usual broccoli salad recipe seems to have a sweeter sauce that’s full of sugar. This one does not!
I went with a ranch dressing for the sauce and I think you’ll love it. I mean, who doesn’t love dipping broccoli in ranch dip?
You could also use my homemade ranch dressing this recipe!
This cold broccoli salad starts with a bunch of chopped, fresh broccoli.
You’ll add in a whole heck of a lot of cheddar cheese chunks. You could use shredded cheddar, but I really like the chunks because they seem more decadent and filling.
Next up, add in some sliced almonds. They add some great flavor and the texture is perfect.
I normally add in red onions as well, but if you have onion haters around, you can totally skip this.
Oh, did I forget one of the most important ingredients?? Bacon!
This is broccoli salad with bacon, so we can’t forget that.
I use a half of a pound of bacon and fry it crisp. It lends the perfect salty, smoky bite to this keto broccoli salad.
Keto broccoli salad is the perfect summer side dish!
You can serve this alongside some burgers, grilled chicken, or steak.
I make it all year long and keep a bowl on hand for snacking. Yes, I eat this healthy broccoli salad as a snack through the week. Weird, but delicious.
If you like this broccoli salad, you might like my avocado egg salad too!
Give this one a try and let me know…is this the best broccoli salad recipe ever or what?
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Broccoli Salad with Bacon
This low carb broccoli salad is the perfect side dish for any barbecue. It’s full of so much good stuff that I have a hard time not eating the whole bowl.
Ingredients
- 8 cups chopped broccoli florets
- 6 ounces sharp cheddar, cut into small cubes
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- ¼ cup thinly sliced almonds
- 8 slices bacon, fried and crumbled
- ½ cup mayo
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons ranch seasoning mix
- 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
Instructions
- Add the broccoli, cheddar, onion, almonds, and bacon to a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- Add the mayo, sour cream, ranch seasoning, and vinegar to a small mixing bowl and stir well.
- Pour the dressing over the broccoli salad and stir well to coat.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
If you’ll be serving this recipe at a later time, store the bacon separately so it doesn't become soggy. Top with bacon just before serving.
This recipe lasts for up to 4 days in the fridge, though the broccoli does become softer the longer it sits.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 267Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 555mgCarbohydrates: 7gNet Carbohydrates: 5gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 12g
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Can you use actual ranch dressing instead of a packet?
Sure!
It would be nice to know the serving size unless I missed it somewhere
The nutrition is based on this serving 10. I didn’t measure by volume.
Do you use the dry ranch packet seasoning??
Yep!
I added cucumber and sunflower seeds, was so delicious
Great additions!
Hey, I love all your recipes! I’m making this salad tonight, but I will add a couple of tablespoons(or more) of G.Hughs sugar free honey mustard- it will give it that sweet kick usually found in the traditional cold broccoli salad- maybe shaved parm instead of cheddar.Thankyou!
Sounds like a great addition. 🙂
FANTASTIC idea!! Thanks for sharing ~ I was trying to figure out how to tweak it to have a little sweet something!!
THANK YOU FOR THIS RECIPE! I HATE raw broccoli as it’s too hard & lacks flavor so I lightly cooked the florets in 2 inches of water with salt, pepper, & 2 cloves of minced garlic. I then drained the florets & added ice cubes and ice water to stop them from cooking further.
I cut the cheddar into much smaller cubes (saves calories from too much cheese) and followed the recipe (minus adding a little salt & pepper to kick up the flavor once done).
I see why you like this salad! It is delicious. Can’t wait to share it with others (with lightly cooked broccoli, not raw).
I was curious how it would turn out with slightly blanched broccoli!!
How tender was the broccoli??
Like could you easily push a fork through it??
Depending on actual water temp could determine how long to cook it. So trying to get an idea of the texture.
Thank you ~
Where are the instructions for the homemade ranch seasoning mix?
Hi Barbara! You can use the seasoning packet with the mayo, sour cream, and vinegar or you could use my homemade ranch dressing.
Do you put the dressing in right away if you’re not going to eat it right away? I know you said to hold out the bacon. Thanks.
The dressing should be fine right away, but you could hold out if you’re worried about it.
if using frozen thawed broccoli,would you blanch it?
I would not make this with frozen broccoli. The texture won’t be right.
Hi, is there anything you would recommend to swap for the sliced almonds if you aren’t a fan of nuts? Thanks for all your great recipes!
Not sure how you feel about sunflower seeds, but those would be another good choice. Otherwise, you could leave them out.
This was delicious! I added an extra tsp. vinegar (used apple cider vinegar) and a single serving packet of Stevia.
The nutritional stats at the top of the recipe differ from those at the bottom. Which are right?
Sorry about that! The ones at the bottom should be correct as they’re calculated automatically when I input the ingredients. I’ve removed the other – those were there before my recipe card could do the calculation. 🙂
Made this last night and it was a big hit, even among our high-carbing friends 🙂
Do you leave the broccoli raw or cook first?
Thanks!
Teresa
The broccoli is raw.
Substituting Greek yogurt for the mayo/sour cream… would that be okay with the vinegar?
Should be fine! 🙂
Is there measurements for a smaller portion
You could halve the recipe if you wanted.
could you use shredded cheddar instead of cubed?
Sure! Whatever you like would be fine.
We loved this salad. A definite keeper!!
My husband doesn’t eat cold cheese of any kind. What could I use in the place of the cold cheese?
I suppose you could just leave it out.
What is the reason for the white vinegar can it be left out?
It gives it a tangier flavor and cuts the richness a bit. You can leave it out if you like.
Shredded carrots?
Would it be alright to use pecans instead of almonds?
Sure!
This is the best broccoli sald I have ever tried!! This will be my summer salad for sure. I do switch up nuts to Sunflower seeds from time to time.
Sunflower seeds would be perfect here! 🙂