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Home Recipes by Type Salads
30 30 Minutes or Less GF Gluten-Free

Healthy Broccoli Salad

4.54
/5
1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
18 Comments
Jump to Recipe Video
By: Rachel GurkPosted: 07/12/2017Updated: 01/27/2023

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

A deli classic, made easier on the waistline! You'll love this healthy broccoli salad, it's an absolute crowd pleaser at any barbecue. And don't worry, it still has bacon! Get the easy salad recipe on RachelCooks.com!

A deli classic, made easier on the waistline! You’ll love this healthy broccoli salad, with or without bacon. It’s a crowd pleaser at any barbecue and it keeps well in the fridge.

Recipe Overview

Why you’ll love it: The dressing is made with yogurt instead of mayonnaise. You won’t be able to tell the difference.

How long it takes: 20 minutes, but allow an extra hour for chilling time. The salad has better flavor if it has a chance to marinate.
Equipment you’ll need: large mixing bowl, measuring cup
Servings: 8

Broccoli salad with bacon, raisin, onion.
Table of Contents
open
  • 1 Recipe Overview
  • 2 About This Recipe
  • 3 Recipe Tips
  • 4 Storage Tips
  • 5 More Salad Recipes
  • 6 Get the Recipe: Healthy Broccoli Salad Recipe

I don’t know who first decided to combine raw broccoli, bacon, onions, and raisins in a creamy mayonnaise dressing, but I’m not mad about it. There are lots of recipes for broccoli salad but I wanted to create a healthier broccoli salad. The original version is a little calorie-heavy, especially for a salad, with all the mayonnaise and bacon.

Some of you may be thinking, what’s broccoli salad without the bacon? Don’t worry, my philosophy is everything in moderation (except popcorn), so I didn’t ditch the bacon and I didn’t substitute turkey bacon.

(To be honest, I don’t really like turkey bacon. I like turkey sausage, ground turkey, turkey breasts, turkey tenders, turkey tenderloin, whole turkey, but for some reason, it’s a no go with turkey bacon. For me, bacon is a once-in-awhile treat so I go ahead and splurge on the real thing.)

Now, all that being said, you can certainly substitute turkey bacon if you like, or skip the bacon entirely. My mom is NOT a bacon fan so she substitutes toasted sunflower seeds and I have to say that sunflowers seeds are really good in this salad, too.

Broccoli salad on a blue and white plate.

About This Recipe

So you may be wondering, how is my recipe for broccoli salad any healthier than the original? Good question!

It’s all in the dressing. Instead of mayonnaise, I use plain Greek yogurt, usually lowfat or nonfat. Skipping the mayonnaise skinnies down the fat content of the salad and you really won’t notice the difference. I substitute yogurt for most of or all of the mayo in my creamy dressings. Try my healthy coleslaw or dill potato salad.

Other than the dressing, this recipe is pretty true to the classic salad you find in grocery stores. Fresh broccoli, red onions, crispy bacon, chewy raisins — they’re all in there. They each bring their own unique qualities to the salad and the combination is a home run every time.

If you’re not a fan of raw onions, be sure to read my tip about how to eliminate the some of the strong flavor. Even though my husband doesn’t care for raw onions, he loves this salad. He still tries to pick around the red onions but he said, “I ate one by accident and they aren’t too bad.” High praise, indeed.

Broccoli salad on a platter.

Recipe Tips

  • If you soak the chopped onions in ice water for about 30 minutes before adding them to the salad, it takes the bite out of them and makes their flavor less strong. They are a great addition to this salad even if you think you don’t love raw onions! Or you could try pickled red onions for a different onion flavor.
  • I loooove these jumbo raisins. You can use any old raisins but these add a special something and are extra chewy and juicy.
  • The recipe includes celery seeds. It’s a little drift from the classic deli-style broccoli salad, but try it, and I bet you’ll love it too.
  • If you want to leave out the bacon, add roasted sunflower seeds for a nice crunch. Or do both!

Storage Tips

Broccoli salad keeps well in the fridge for up to three days. The broccoli will soften slightly and the bacon won’t be as crisp but the salad still really does taste excellent.

More Salad Recipes

Panzanella Salad Recipe – perfect summer salad!

Asian Salad – Crunchy & Flavorful!

Kale and Pear Salad with Yogurt Dressing

The Best Potato Salad Recipe (easy & creamy!)

Browse All

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Healthy broccoli salad with bacon and red onion.
Recipe

Get the Recipe: Healthy Broccoli Salad Recipe

4.54 from 32 votes
Prep Time: 20 minutes mins
Additional Time: 1 hour hr
Total Time: 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
8 servings
Print Rate Recipe
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A deli classic, made easier on the waistline! You'll love this healthy broccoli salad, with or without bacon.

Ingredients

  • 6 cups (heaping) coarsely chopped fresh broccoli (3 crowns or 1 large head)
  • ¼ cup diced red onion (½ large red onion)
  • ½ cup crumbled or chopped cooked bacon, optional (8 slices)
  • 1 cup raisins (regular or golden)
  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon celery seed (not celery salt!)
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine broccoli, onion, bacon, and raisins.
  • In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together dressing ingredients: yogurt, honey, vinegar, salt, celery seed, and pepper. Taste, and add additional salt and pepper to taste.
  • Pour dressing over broccoli and stir to combine until all broccoli is coated with dressing.
  • For best flavor, refrigerate for at least one hour. Stir again before serving.

Notes

  • To take the bite out of onions and make their flavor less strong, soak the chopped onions in ice water for 10 to 15 minutes. Drain them well before adding them to the salad.
  • If you prefer, use turkey bacon, or leave the bacon out altogether. Roasted sunflower seeds are a great substitute.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1cup, Calories: 269kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.05g, Cholesterol: 25mg, Sodium: 348mg, Potassium: 487mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 440IU, Vitamin C: 62mg, Calcium: 70mg, Iron: 1mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Author: Rachel Gurk
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  1. Olivia says

    November 10, 2020 at 11:35 am

    I made this and it came out so good. Made it three times now! I leave out the bacon and add grapes. 

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      November 11, 2020 at 7:03 am

      I’m so glad to hear it! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment.

      Reply
  2. Kristine says

    May 25, 2020 at 11:12 pm

    This is a keeper! I used what I had in the house: plain regular yogurt, celery salt (needed to double the amount), dried cranberries and toasted sunflower seeds instead of bacon. It was so easy and turned out great! Even my teenage son liked it!

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      May 28, 2020 at 4:49 pm

      Yum! Great swaps! So glad you liked it, thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!

      Reply
  3. Charlotte H says

    June 22, 2019 at 6:05 pm

    This was a really good recipe that was easy to make! I’m vegan, so I left out the bacon, and added chopped pecans instead. I also used Silk Cultured Coconut in place of the yogurt. It was fabulous!

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      June 23, 2019 at 12:34 pm

      I’m so glad to hear it! Thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a comment with your adaptations!

      Reply
  4. Melissa says

    April 19, 2019 at 11:17 am

    I’m making this for Easter. Super excited. I know you got a little push-back about the bacon, but I’m with you. Thanks for the recipe!!

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      April 19, 2019 at 3:52 pm

      Bacon for life! ;) I joked the other day that a certain cookie flavor changed my life and my son (he’s six) said: “A food can’t change your life! Except that one time when I tried bacon.” I agree with him. I hope you love this salad!

      Reply
  5. Barbara Koblinsky says

    February 11, 2019 at 5:27 pm

    Actually pork is an unclean meat because of the way the pig digests its food. Read…The Makers Diet. He explains why we shouldn’t eat pork. Plus pohs are actually very intelligent animals.

    Reply
  6. Jenny Brown says

    November 6, 2017 at 1:45 am

    I don’t know how this salad can be described as “healthy” when it includes bacon, a known carcinogenic. It is also a product that causes horrible animal suffering. This salad is perfectly nice without it !

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      November 6, 2017 at 6:31 am

      You are welcome to leave the bacon out of this recipe if eating it doesn’t fit in well with your beliefs.

      Reply
    • Kristen Brown says

      September 7, 2018 at 6:39 pm

      Uncured, pasture raised and humanely butchered bacon is actually a healthy source of protein/fat.

      Reply
      • Rachel Gurk says

        September 9, 2018 at 7:55 am

        Very true! Everything in moderation, right? :)

        Reply
    • Barbara KoblinskyB says

      February 11, 2019 at 5:24 pm

      I totally agree with you. It is also not a clean meat because of the way a pig digests their food. They are intelligent animals also and scream when being butchered.

      Reply
  7. Melissa Griffiths says

    July 13, 2017 at 5:18 pm

    Broccoli salad is my love language!!! This looks so good!

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      July 13, 2017 at 10:26 pm

      Thank you!!!

      Reply
  8. cakespy says

    July 12, 2017 at 6:24 am

    “Don’t worry, it still has bacon!” LOL! This looks incredible!

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      July 12, 2017 at 7:06 am

      Life without bacon is not a life I want to live. ;)

      Reply

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