(Gluten-Free, Grain-Free & Dairy-Free, with Low-Carb Option)
Jump to RecipeThis sweet summery broccoli salad is just that…sweet and summery! It is one of my favorite salads to bring to a summer party or holiday get together. Maybe it’s because I have a love affair with broccoli! It’s one of my favorite vegetables.
More Broccoli Please!
I probably serve broccoli as a side dish at least once a week and perhaps more! What can I say? It tastes so good topped with butter and sprinkled with garlic and salt. But there are so many other ways to eat it…roasted, grilled, steamed and even raw.
The nutrients you receive from broccoli will depend on whether you eat it raw or cooked. There are benefits to eating it both ways, so let’s have a look.
Raw Broccoli
Many people advocate always eating broccoli raw for very good reasons. In fact, one of the main reasons broccoli has earned the position at the top of the “superfood” list is because it contains a healthy dose of sulforaphane, a compound that stimulates the body’s detoxifying enzymes that may fight cancer. It also helps fight inflammation and oxidative stress. Unfortunately, cooking broccoli locks sulforaphane in, making it unavailable to your body.
In addition, broccoli is an excellent source of vitamins A, C, K, folate, calcium and manganese. These vitamins help keep bones strong, prevent free radicals from forming in the body, and slow the aging process, among others benefits.
If you do decide to cook your broccoli, be sure not to over-cook it, as this will result in a loss of water-soluble vitamins, like B and C, in addition to sulforaphane. But if sulforaphane becomes unavailable when broccoli is cooked, and nutrients are lost, then why on earth would we want to cook it?
That’s a great question!
Cooked Broccoli
As it turns out, broccoli, and other cruciferous vegetables, also contain insoluble fibers that can, for many people, cause bloating, gas, and other digestive problems. By cooking these vegetables, the fibers are broken down and softened, making the vegetables more digestible.
Therefore, it is beneficial to many folks to gently cook broccoli to retain much of its nutrients, while also making it more digestible. The best methods of cooking broccoli include steaming, blanching, roasting and stir-frying. Boiling broccoli should be avoided, as the most nutrients are lost with this cooking method.
Making The Salad
For this recipe, I use the following ingredients:
Salad:
- Broccoli Florets, fresh or frozen
- Dried Cranberries or Raisins
- Cashews, roasted & salted
- Bacon
- Red Onion
Dressing:
I usually start this recipe by preparing the bacon. I know many people that prefer to fry strips of bacon and then crumble it. I prefer to chop my bacon up before frying, while it’s very firm from being frozen or well refrigerated. Firm bacon fat is much easier to chop! The bacon can then be fried for easy use, without having to crumble hot, greasy bacon.
I prepare the broccoli, next. You can most certainly use chopped, fresh, raw broccoli in this salad. However, I am one of these people that does not digest the fibers well, unless they are cooked a bit! So, I prefer to use fresh or frozen broccoli that has been blanched in boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes.
Next, prepare your salad dressing. Simply put all of the ingredients in a small bowl and either whisk them together or use an electric hand mixer or immersion blender to combine the ingredients well.
Finally, combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Mix them well and store the salad in an air-tight container for 4 hours or overnight. This allows the flavors to fully meld together, making a more flavorful salad.
How Do You Make This Salad Low-Carb?
If you are following a ketogenic or low-carbohydrate diet, you can easily adjust this recipe to accommodate your needs. It’s as easy as eliminating the dried cranberries or raisins and replacing the sweetener in the dressing. I prefer to use Powdered Monk Fruit sweetener, as it has the least amount of aftertaste. I have made this salad plenty of times with these variations and it is still delicious!
What To Serve It With
This summery salad goes really well with barbecued foods. Try it with burgers and hot dogs, grilled chicken or steak, or even your favorite fish. I have taken this salad to a few fourth of July celebrations and it is always a hit! I hope it’s a hit at your next summer meal or holiday celebration! Enjoy!
Sweet Summery Broccoli Salad (Gluten-Free, Grain-Free & Dairy-Free, with Low-Carb Option)
Equipment
- Small Bowl
- Large Bowl
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Cutting Board
- Sharp Knife
- Whisk
- Mixing Spoon
Ingredients
- 1 Pounds Broccoli Florets, fresh or frozen
- ¼ Cup Dried Cranberries or Raisins
- ¼ Cup Cashews, roasted & salted
- 4 Ounces Bacon, cooked & crumbled
- ½ Small Red Onion, finely sliced
- ½ Cup Mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1½ Tbsp Raw & Unfiltered Honey
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and honey. Mix well with a whisk, electric hand mixer or immersion blender; set aside.
- If using frozen broccoli, blanch in boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes; strain.
- Place broccoli, cranberries (or raisins), cashews, bacon bits, and onion in large bowl.
- Pour dressing over broccoli mixture; stir well until evenly coated.
- Refrigerate salad for 4 hours, or overnight, before serving.
Notes
- Calories 256.7
- Total Fat 20.7 g
- Saturated Fat 3.3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat 0.0 g
- Cholesterol 19.8 mg
- Sodium 241.1 mg
- Potassium 1.8 mg
- Total Carbohydrate 14.2 g
- Dietary Fiber 2.0 g
- Sugars 9.5 g
- Protein 4.0 g
Have you made this Sweet Summery Broccoli Salad? What did you serve it with? Please share below.
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