Broccoli Crunch Salad with Bacon
Is there anything better than a good broccoli salad? It goes with anything and is perfect all on its own. This Broccoli Crunch Salad with bacon and grapes is especially wonderful and the poppy seed dressing takes it over the top. You don’t want to miss this recipe!
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The BEST Broccoli Crunch Salad
If broccoli is one of your favorite veggies, this easy broccoli crunch salad is for you. While traditional flavors are always great, this recipe is a bit different but also super amazing.
The crunchy texture, flavorful bacon, sweet grapes, colorful carrot ribbons, roasted almonds and poppy seed dressing make the best combination. It is the perfect go-to salad recipe and is always a crowd pleaser.
What goes into this Recipe
- Fresh Broccoli- Purchase bags of broccoli that have already been cut into florets or cut down a couple of large heads of broccoli.
- Crisp Bacon- Cook your own or purchase it already cooked from the grocery store.
- Grapes- Cut ripe grapes in half and add to the salad for a spectacular sweet flavor. Red grapes are my favorite but green grapes can also be used.
- Roasted and Salted Almonds- Using roasted nuts in this salad not only adds great texture but the flavor is so much better than a raw almond.
- Poppy Seed Dressing- The combination of dressing ingredients creates a wonderful dressing that goes great with all of the other ingredients.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
Almonds- Cashews, pistachios and pecans are all great substitutions for roasted almonds. Sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds are also a super delicious way to get amazing crunch and flavors.
Bacon- Instead of freshly cooked bacon or bacon slices from the store, use a good quality bacon its.
Grapes- Instead of fresh grapes use sweet raisins, golden raisins or dried cranberries. Other fresh fruits like chopped apples, pomegranate seeds and mandarin slices are also a fun twist.
Green Onion- Add chopped red onion or shallots for a bit more onion flavor.
Salad Dressing- If you prefer something other than poppy seed dressing, use a store bought coleslaw dressing or an olive oil based dressing. A store bought poppy seed dressing can also be used to save time.
Other Additions- Cubes of cheddar cheese, shredded purple cabbage and cauliflower florets all add a great taste and texture to this salad
How to make a Broccoli Crunch Salad
1. Start by making the tangy dressing. Combine a cup of mayonnaise, granulated sugar, apple cider vinegar {or red wine vinegar} and poppy seeds in a medium bowl. Whisk to combine and add enough milk to make it pourable and set aside.
2. Combine all the raw broccoli florets, carrot ribbons, chopped bacon, halved grapes, roasted almonds and green onion in a big bowl. Add about half of the creamy dressing and stir to combine the ingredients until all of the ingredients are coated. Season with kosher salt and black pepper but remember to take into consideration the salty bacon and almonds.
3. Stir the salad and 3/4 of the dressing together until all of the ingredients are coated in dressing {add more dressing if needed}. Refrigerate until it is ready to serve.
Expert Tips
- Cut the broccoli down into smaller pieces so they are bite sized. Even if you are using broccoli florets from a package they will need to be trimmed a bit.
- Purchase bacon that is already cooked from the grocery store. This saves so much time and makes the salad come together quickly.
- Save the broccoli stem to cut down and add to this Broccoli Cheese Soup. That keeps down on waste and adds great flavor to the soup.
- Serve the salad with a slotted spoon. This will allow you to get just enough dressing.
- Make this dish the day ahead of serving. It just gets better and better with time.
Recipe FAQs
The best way to store crunchy broccoli salad in an airtight container for 3-4 days. It is best once the flavors combine the next day which makes it a wonderful make ahead dish.
You can also prep all of the ingredients separately and combine right before serving.
This delicious salad is the perfect side dish for any occasion, especially family gatherings. Take it to a summer BBQ, serve with your weeknight dinner or take on summer picnics. It is so versatile and goes wonderfully with steak, chicken, pork chops, fish and burgers.
Yes! Cooking it in the oven is a great way to get extra crispy bacon. Lay the bacon onto a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes at 420 degrees or until the bacon is perfectly baked. Add the bacon to a paper towel lined plate to remove excess grease and chop into thin slices.
Do you love fresh salads? Try these recipes…
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Broccoli Crunch Salad with Bacon
Ingredients
- 24 ounces fresh broccoli florets {cut into small pieces if needed}
- ¼ cup roasted & salted almonds {chopped}
- 10 slices bacon {cooked & sliced}
- 40 small grapes {cut in half}
- 1 small carrot {shredded or ribbons}
- 2 large green onions {thinly sliced}
Poppy Seed Dressing:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons milk
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds
Instructions
- In a medium bowl combine all of the dressing ingredients and whisk until smooth.
- Combine broccoli florets, chopped almonds, sliced bacon, grape halves, shredded carrot and green onion in a medium bowl. Pour 3/4 of the dressing over salad and stir to cover. If the salad needs additional dressing, add remaining dressing and stir again.Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
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Notes
- To save time you can buy the bags of pre-cut broccoli {although I still like to break it down into smaller florets} and pre-shredded carrots.
- Purchase bacon that is already cooked from the grocery store. This saves so much time and makes the salad come together quickly.
- Serve the salad with a slotted spoon. This will allow you to get just enough dressing.
- Make this salad a day ahead of time. It gets better as it sets.
