Creamy lemon dressing, crunchy broccoli, and crispy bacon make this Keto Broccoli Bacon Salad Recipe the perfect trio of flavor and textures. Serve it for a healthy keto lunch or side dish.
Hey Foodies!
Yep, you read that correctly. Today’s delish is an easy keto broccoli salad recipe with crisp bacon and creamy, bright lemon dressing.
This salad really has it all: crunchy and salty warm bacon crumbles. Crisp and healthy chopped broccoli, carrots, and onions. And a creamy and tart lemon dressing to tie everything together.
It’s an ideal summer side dish, light lunch, or keto dinner recipe.
Related:
And as usual, I’ll be covering all my strategies to make this dish perfect from the get-go. I’ve made it my mission today to help you make the best broccoli salad recipe ever, so keep reading ’cause it gets crazy delish.
If you don’t have all of the ingredients on hand, don’t worry, I have some helpful ingredient swaps that ensure your dish is just as flavor-packed as the original broccoli bacon salad recipe.
Plus, I’ll give you my recommendations for how to turn this quick and easy side dish into a satisfying meal.
And if you’re looking for a Paleo or Whole30 recipe, you’re in the right place. I’ll tell you how to easily transform this low carb broccoli salad into a meal that complies with most diets.
But if you’re really just here for the bacon, do not miss my strategy for the crispiest oven-baked bacon you’ll ever make. Use it to add flavor to this Keto broccoli salad, or really any dish you make!
If you’re ready to get cooking, here are my best Tips & Tricks to make the best broccoli salad recipe:
Tips & Tricks for this Keto Broccoli Bacon Salad Recipe
1. Which ingredients can we change in this easy Keto broccoli salad recipe?
For the full cruciferous experience, you can make this salad with half broccoli and half cauliflower. Simply treat the cauliflower just like broccoli in the recipe.
Or, if broccoli just isn’t your thing, then swap it out completely for cauliflower. The salad will be just as healthy, crunchy, and low-carb.Â
If you don’t have walnuts, another keto-friendly nut will happily take their place. Try chopped toasted pecans, macadamia, or brazil nuts for healthy fats and crunch.Â
2. What to serve with Keto broccoli bacon salad
This summery easy keto broccoli salad recipe pairs well with most proteins as a crunchy side dish. I love it as a side with grilled chicken, pork, beef, or a flavorful fish like salmon.
For a complete keto menu that’s packed with cheesy goodness, whip up a quick batch of my low-carb Cheesy Chicken Fritters.Â
3. How to make this low carb broccoli salad Paleo & Whole30
This recipe is already naturally low-carb and packed with good-for-you veggies and protein. With a few simple swaps, you can turn it into a Paleo and Whole30-compliant recipe.
Substitute the mayo and sour cream in the creamy lemon dressing with a dairy-free paleo yogurt. Plain coconut yogurt will make a delicious substitution. The dressing will have a nice coconutty flavor.
You can also add a chopped apple to balance the flavors a bit if you like. Otherwise, the recipe is already gluten-free and grain-free and packed with healthy fats.Â
4. Best way to make extra crispy bacon (if you want to make the best broccoli salad recipe)
Call me the queen of crispy bacon, because I know the exact recipe for perfectly crisp bacon. And I’m thrilled to share it with you!
Here is the foolproof method for how to make the best crispy bacon ever:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Arrange the slices of bacon in a parchment paper-lined baking tray, without overlapping.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Lower the heat to 300°F (150°C) and continue to cook for 5-7 minutes more, until the bacon is dark in color and crisp. Keep an eye on it over the last few minutes to avoid burning!
- When the bacon is done, transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb the excess fat and get even crispier.
Tip: When it’s cool, chop the bacon into bite-sized pieces and sprinkle it over your savory broccoli salad.Â
5. How to cook broccoli for the salad
If your tummy is a bit sensitive to raw veggies, there’s no reason not to still enjoy this crunchy salad.
Broccoli is quick and easy to cook. The best way to make crisp-tender broccoli that’s soft, flavorful, and bright green is to blanch it:
- Simply bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
- Add the broccoli florets all at once and cook for about 2 minutes, or until the veggies are bright green.
- Immediately drain the pot and run the broccoli under cold water to stop the cooking process.
- When they’re cool, let the veggies drain in a colander before adding them to your serving bowl and tossing with the remaining salad ingredients.
More Keto Recipes to Try
That’s all I have for you today, Foodies. It’s time to get your oven preheated and start making extra crispy bacon to bring the crunch to your next salad.
And if you love this Low Carb Broccoli Salad recipe video and want to see more, please Subscribe to my Youtube Channel. See you there!
Keto Broccoli Bacon Salad Recipe
Equipment Needed
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 8 oz (226g) bacon
- 1 large or 2 small broccoli heads - about 5 cups
- 1 large carrot - grated
- 1/2 small red onion - 1/4 cup thinly sliced
- 1 small red bell pepper - diced
- 1/2 cup (55g) walnuts or pecans - coarsely chopped
For the Creamy Lemon Dressing:
- 1/2 cup (120ml) mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup (120ml) sour cream
- 2 tbsp lemon juice - freshly squeezed
- 1/2 tsp sea salt - or to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper - or to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a large oven tray with parchment paper.
- Arrange the bacon rashes on the prepared tray.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350°F (175°C) and bake for 5-10 minutes more.
- Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb the extra fat. When cool, crumble the bacon into small pieces.
- In a small jug, whisk together all dressing ingredients.
- Taste and adjust with salt and pepper. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
- Cut the broccoli into florets. Chop the florets into bite-sized pieces and transfer to a large salad bowl.
- Grate or thinly slice the carrot and red onion.
- Dice the red bell pepper and coarsely chop the walnuts.
- Add all of the ingredients to the bowl with the broccoli.
- Top with crumbled bacon.
- Add in the dressing and toss well to combine.
Recipe Notes
- For easy and tasty ingredient swaps and substitutions, see Tip #1.Â
- I've listed my favorite serving suggestions and menu pairings to accompany your keto broccoli salad in Tip #2.Â
- Tip #3 includes exactly how to make this low carb broccoli salad recipe Paleo and Whole30-friendly.Â
- For my secret trick to extra crispy bacon, don't skip Tip #4.Â
- And if you're not a fan of raw broccoli, Tip #5 includes my favorite way to cook it quickly.Â
Nutrition
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Dying to know where you got this dress!?
Hi Erin,
It’s not a dress, it’s a jumpsuit 🙂
I got it a few years ago from Asos.com