Broccoli salad with crispy bacon, sunflower seeds and cranberries

For a salad that can consistently surprise and delight you, look no further than this simple, unassuming broccoli salad. It may be easy to make, but this salad recipe is loaded with flavor. It’s simultaneously crispy, creamy, sweet, and savory. And did I mention bacon is involved? The mayonnaise-based dressing ties everything together, and I “up” the creaminess factor by adding a little yogurt. It adds just the right sweetness and tang.

serves: 6

Ingredients

• 8 slices bacon
• 1 large head of broccoli, florets sliced into bite-size pieces
• ⅓ cup (43g) diced red onion
• ½ cup (60g) dried unsweetened cranberries
• ½ cup (62g) shelled raw sunflower seeds
• ¼ cup (28g) crumbled goat cheese
• ½ cup (110g) mayonnaise
• ¼ cup (57g) plain Greek yogurt (dairy or dairy-free)
  
  

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Arrange the bacon slices on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until crispy. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate to drain and cool.
   
   
2. While the bacon is cooking, in a large mixing bowl, combine the broccoli florets, red onion, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, and goat cheese.
   
   
3. In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and yogurt. Add the bacon and dressing to the mixing bowl and toss to combine.

Storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.

Dietary Swaps

The beauty of a broccoli salad is that it’s easy to customize. Bacon, dried fruit, cheese, and seeds are usually involved, and you can tweak each of these to your dietary preference. Feel free to use raisins instead of dried cranberries or slivered almonds instead of sunflower seeds. You could also make this salad dairyfree by eliminating the goat cheese and using a nondairy yogurt. Feel free to remove the bacon to make this dish vegetarian.

Helpful Tip

If you’re wondering what to do with the broccoli stem, spiralize it! You can spiralize it just as you would a zucchini. It’s delicious!

Serving size: 2 cups (203g)
Calories: 352
Fat: 27g
Saturated fat: 6g
Carbs: 18g
Fiber: 6g
Sugar: 5g
Protein: 11g
Cholesterol: 27mg
Sodium: 299mg