Salad de Broccoli Traditionnelle

This broccoli salad is topped with a creamy Greek yogurt dressing and raisins, sunflower seeds, and bacon.

I’m sharing a recipe inspired by one of my life’s most important women: my mom.

My best memories of my mother are in the kitchen. She was always cooking something and I was often in the kitchen… I was probably just stealing bites from her creation, but I like to think I helped!

She taught me to cook and ignited my passion for food and cooking. I’ll always be grateful.

We haven’t seen each other much this year, which has been difficult. I can’t wait to reunite with you, Mom!

I’ve always loved recreating childhood dishes, but now I’m even more addicted! It allows me to relive special moments and stay connected to my family even when we are separated.

Growing up, my mom made a broccoli salad for every occasion. I’ve already shared a vegan broccoli salad with a creamy cashew dressing, but I recently craved the classic version. It’s just like the broccoli salad I grew up with, but lighter!

After one bite, I was transported back to my childhood, helping my mother prepare this salad for a family barbecue. It’s so like hers!

Broccoli Salad Ingredients

• Broccoli florets, pre-chopped or whole heads In either case, chop the florets into bite-sized pieces. Making the salad easier to eat and distributing the dressing.
• I used Simple Truth pork bacon, but turkey bacon would also work well if you want to cut back on the fat.
• It’s okay to use raw or dry-roasted sunflower seeds. Roasting adds flavor and crunch.
• I love Simple Truth raisins.
• Red onion – adds color and onion flavor.
• Greek yogurt replaced mayo to increase protein and reduce fat.
• Apple cider vinegar – I use apple cider vinegar for salad dressing because of its health benefits and flavor.
• Honey or maple syrup – A touch of sweetness to balance out the other ingredients.
• A good salad dressing needs sea salt and black pepper.

Recommendation: I love Kroger’s Simple Truth products. One of their most popular products is Simple Truth, a natural, organic line free of 101+ artificial preservatives. So you know exactly what you’re getting!

Changes & Notes

• Raw broccoli – Use only fresh, raw broccoli. No frozen or cooked broccoli in this recipe! Try this roasted broccoli quinoa salad for a salad with cooked broccoli.
• Version vegetarian – Vegans can omit the bacon or use tempeh or coconut bacon.
• Dairy-free version – Use dairy-free Greek yogurt. When I need a dairy-free option, I use coconut milk yogurt. Like Greek yogurt, it works well.
• It may be optional to add cheese, but my mom’s version does not, so I am sticking with it! If you want to add cheese, use shredded cheddar.

Food ingredients include:

• 3 slices of cooked bacon, pork or turkey bacon work
• 5 cups chopped broccoli florets, about 2 large heads
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 3/4 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup diced red onion
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• 1 Tablespoon water
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• sprinkle of garlic powder

Instructions: 

1. Cook bacon: If you haven’t already, cook bacon as directed. I prefer to bake it, but it can be made in a skillet on the stovetop or in the microwave.
2. Dressing: Salt, pepper, and garlic powder are mixed into the yogurt in a small bowl.
3. Combine: Stir in broccoli, sunflower seeds, raisins, red onion, and bacon.
4. Cover and refrigerate: Preserve for 3-4 hours before serving. This salad tastes better after it has sat overnight.

Broccoli Salad Storage

Refrigerate this broccoli salad for up to five days. It’s normal for the raisins to absorb liquid or for the sunflower seeds to soften. It’ll still be tasty.

Notes

Preheat oven to 400°F for baking bacon. Place the bacon on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Cook for 20 minutes or until the bacon is crisp. Then transfer it to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the bacon grease.