Deli-Style Broccoli Salad Recipe | Healthy Side Salad With Bacon Bits (2024)

Bless This Mess Recipes Side Dishes and Salads Salads

By Melissa

on Nov 05, 2018, Updated Feb 15, 2024

Jump to Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Deli-Style Broccoli Salad made with all your favorites like bacon, onion, cranberries, and more, plus a secret tip! This nutritious salad recipe is the best side dish for any gathering.

Deli-Style Broccoli Salad Recipe | Healthy Side Salad With Bacon Bits (2)

Table of Contents

  • Healthy Homemade Broccoli Salad Recipe
  • Tips and Tricks for Making Broccoli Salad:
  • Deli-Style Broccoli Salad Recipe

Healthy Homemade Broccoli Salad Recipe

This recipe is one of my favorites to take to a picnic, party, or family dinner because everyone loves it and it always hits the spot. Don’t save the recipe for the warm months either; it’s great for family dinners during the holidays, too! I’m planning on this for our Thanksgiving menu and I’m more than excited about it.

This broccoli salad recipe tastes just like the kind you get from the deli and is packed with sunflower seeds, onion, dried cranberries, and bacon. If you’d like, you can also add things like grated carrots or cubed cheddar cheese or you can leave it just how it is. It’s a great side dish for feeding a crowd and I have included make-ahead instructions in the tips and tricks section, too.

Do you have to cook the broccoli for broccoli salad?

My secret to making perfect broccoli salad is to blanch (or cook) the broccoli for just one minute before making the salad. The broccoli turns a gorgeous bright green, it’s still tender crisp but the stems aren’t nearly as hard as when the broccoli is left uncooked. It’s an added step to the recipe but it’s one that I feel like makes a huge difference in the end product. Just be sure to let the broccoli drain well before using so you don’t have extra moisture in your finished salad.

Tips and Tricks for Making Broccoli Salad:

  • You can add other things that you like to this salad such as crumbled feta cheese or cheddar cheese.
  • If you are making this salad ahead of time, prepare all of the ingredients but keep the dressing separate from the rest of the salad. Add the dressing right before serving.
  • Blanching the broccoli makes the broccoli tender crisp and perfect for eating in a salad. I think it’s much better this way than just using raw broccoli. Be sure the cooked broccoli is not wet before using (you can do this step well in advance so that it has time to dry).
  • I bought this strainer basket to go in my Instant Pot and it happens to fit right in my stove-top stock pot, too. I just added my broccoli to the strainer, dipped the whole strainer into the boiling water for one minute, and then pulled it out and stuck it right in my water bath. It made the blanching process really easy!
Deli-Style Broccoli Salad Recipe | Healthy Side Salad With Bacon Bits (3)

Craving more? Subscribe to Bless this Mess to get new recipes, meal plans, and a newsletter delivered straight to your inbox! If you try this recipe, let me know what you think! Leave a comment, pin it, and don’t forget to tag a picture #blessthismesseats on Instagram. I love to see your kitchen skills in action!

Print

Deli-Style Broccoli Salad Recipe | Healthy Side Salad With Bacon Bits (4)

Deli-Style Broccoli Salad

5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star

5 from 1 review

  • Author: Melissa Griffiths – Bless this Mess
  • Total Time: 16 min
  • Yield: 810 servings 1x
Print Recipe

Description

Deli-Style Broccoli Salad made with all your favorites like bacon, onion, cranberries, and more, plus a secret tip! This nutritious salad recipe is the best side dish for any gathering.

Ingredients

Scale

  • 8 cups small broccoli pieces
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 3 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • salt and pepper to taste (I used 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper)
  • 1/2 cup salted sunflower seeds
  • 3/4 cup dried sweetened cranberries
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped sweet or red onion
  • 1/2 cup crumbled bacon (about 6 pieces cooked)

Instructions

  1. In a pot of boiling water, blanch the broccoli for one minute. Remove the broccoli from the hot water and put it straight into an ice bath to stop the cooking. When the broccoli has cooled down, remove it from the ice water bath and place it in a colander. Let the broccoli drain while you prepare the rest of the salad.
  2. To make the dressing, add the mayo, sour cream, vinegar, sugar, and salt and pepper to a small bowl. Stir well to combine.
  3. When the broccoli is well drained and no longer wet, add the broccoli to a large bowl. Add the dressing, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, onion, and bacon. Stir to combine and adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Serve right away.

Notes

  • You can add other things that you like to this salad such as crumbled feta or cheddar cheese.
  • If you are making this salad ahead of time, prepare all of the ingredients but keep the dressing separate from the rest of the salad. Add the dressing right before serving.
  • Blanching the broccoli makes the broccoli tender crisp and perfect for eating in a salad. I think it’s much better this way than just using raw broccoli. Be sure the cooked broccoli is not wet before using (you can do this step well in advance so that it has time to dry).
  • I bought this strainer basket to go in my Instant Pot and it happens to fit right in my stove-top stock pot too. I just added my broccoli to the strainer, dipped the whole strainer into the boiling water for one minute, and then pulled it out and stuck it right in my water bath. It made the blanching process really easy!
  • Prep Time: 15 min
  • Cook Time: 1 min
  • Category: Side
  • Cuisine: American

Broccoli salad is a great recipe to take to a party, and here are a few other great party-ready recipes:

There you have it, one very simple but delicious side that you can make all year long, take to a party, or even show up to a nice holiday dinner with. I can’t wait for you to make it and see just how easy it is to make and enjoy.

Deli-Style Broccoli Salad Recipe | Healthy Side Salad With Bacon Bits (5)
Deli-Style Broccoli Salad Recipe | Healthy Side Salad With Bacon Bits (6)

About Melissa

Read More About Me

You May Also Like:

Salads

Beet Salad

Salads

Avocado Salad

Condiments, Marinades, & Spreads

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Condiments, Marinades, & Spreads

Blue Cheese Dressing

Deli-Style Broccoli Salad Recipe | Healthy Side Salad With Bacon Bits (2024)

FAQs

What does broccoli salad contain? ›

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy. Broccoli Salad is a quick salad full of fresh crisp broccoli, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, and bacon bits. It's all tossed in a really easy creamy homemade dressing.

Why does my broccoli salad get watery? ›

Extra water on the broccoli can make for a runny mixture. The same goes for rinsing your broccoli! Make sure you give your broccoli adequate time to dry after rinsing. You get enough moisture from the dressing mixture that any extra water will make your salad too watery.

How many calories are in broccoli salad? ›

One serving (3.5 oz 100g) of broccoli salad has 103 calories (48 calories from fat). A Serving of it contains 5.3g total fat (0.6g saturated fat), 15mg cholesterol, 278mg sodium, 176mg potassium, 7.9g total carbohydrates (1.3g dietary fiber) and 5.9g protein.

What are the ingredients in broccoli? ›

Broccoli is an excellent source of vitamins C, K, and A. It also contains several important minerals, such as potassium, calcium, and iron. Broccoli contains several antioxidants, including vitamins C and E, β-carotene, and various flavonoids [12,13].

Can you eat broccoli raw in a salad? ›

The bottom line. Broccoli is a nutrient-packed vegetable that can be eaten safely either raw or cooked. Cooking may enhance the antioxidant activity of broccoli, but it may also reduce its content of certain heat-sensitive nutrients, such as vitamin C and sulforaphane.

Why do you soak broccoli in water? ›

The natural nooks and crevices in broccoli and cauliflower are the perfect hiding spot for dirt, germs and even little bugs. Get your cruciferous veggies squeaky clean by filling a sink with cold water and then soaking them for a few minutes.

How to make raw broccoli taste good? ›

Broccoli has a simple taste that can be paired subtly with lemon pepper, or salt and black pepper, or combined with bold flavors like balsamic vinegar, basil, and fresh ginger. These common flavors will add to natural taste of the broccoli, and can even be combined with other raw vegetables to make a salad.

Why do you blanch broccoli for salad? ›

The short cooking time brings out the natural colors in the fruit or vegetable before they can turn a displeasing color (because no one wants to eat ugly broccoli!). By stopping the cooking process, the color-changing enzymes are deactivated and the vegetable maintains its vibrant color.

How many calories are in a deli broccoli salad? ›

There are 320 calories in 1 serving of Jason's Deli Broccoli Salad. * The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Is broccoli a carbohydrate, fat, or protein? ›

Raw broccoli contains almost 90% water, 7% carbs, 3% protein, and almost no fat. Broccoli is very low in calories, providing only 35 calories per cup, or 90 grams (g).

What does broccoli contain? ›

Broccoli is high in many nutrients, including fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, iron, and potassium.

What is broccoli composed of? ›

Nutrition. Raw broccoli is 89% water, 7% carbohydrates, 3% protein, and contains negligible fat (table).

What does a bowl of salad contain? ›

Salad may be combination of vegetables or may be in combination with pulses, greens, dry fruits, nuts etc. It may be either seasoned with oil or fat, or with some other dressing. They can also be accompanied by fish, meat, poultry and many other ingredients.

What does a vegetable salad contain? ›

Vegetable salads may be marinated or sauced mixtures of raw or cooked vegetables. They are commonly based on tomatoes, green beans, cucumbers, beets, and mushrooms. Cole slaw (from the Dutch kool, “cabbage”) is made of shredded or chopped cabbage with a mayonnaise or vinegar-based dressing.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Lakeisha Bayer VM

Last Updated:

Views: 5573

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (69 voted)

Reviews: 92% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Lakeisha Bayer VM

Birthday: 1997-10-17

Address: Suite 835 34136 Adrian Mountains, Floydton, UT 81036

Phone: +3571527672278

Job: Manufacturing Agent

Hobby: Skimboarding, Photography, Roller skating, Knife making, Paintball, Embroidery, Gunsmithing

Introduction: My name is Lakeisha Bayer VM, I am a brainy, kind, enchanting, healthy, lovely, clean, witty person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.