Description
A light and filling broccoli salad meal prep that’s easy to pull together with the beautiful and fresh combinations of fresh broccoli, savory bacon, and creamy dressing. This broccoli salad is easy to make and full of bright flavors, perfect for make-ahead lunches!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Salad:
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked crisp and chopped
- 1 pound fresh broccoli (about 1 medium head), rinsed and cut into small florets
- 1/4 of a medium red onion, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup)
- 2 Jalapeños, seeded and finely diced (optional)
- 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
For the Creamy Dressing:
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Cook Bacon: Cook the bacon until crisp using your preferred method (skillet, oven, or microwave). Drain the bacon on paper towels. Once cool enough to handle, chop or crumble it into small bits.
- Prepare Vegetables & Cheese: Wash and cut the broccoli into small, bite-sized florets. Finely chop the red onion. Seed and finely dice the jalapeños (if using). Shred the cheddar cheese.
- Make Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt (or sour cream), apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until smooth and well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Combine Salad: In a large salad bowl, combine the broccoli florets, chopped red onion, diced jalapeños (if using), shredded cheddar cheese, and most of the cooked bacon bits (reserve some for topping, if desired).
- Dress Salad: Pour about two-thirds of the prepared dressing over the broccoli mixture. Toss well to coat everything evenly. If the salad seems a little dry, add a bit more of the dressing until it reaches your desired creaminess. (See notes for meal prep).
- Serve or Store: Serve the salad immediately or divide it into meal prep containers. Garnish with reserved bacon bits before serving or storing.
Notes
- Broccoli: Use fresh broccoli cut into small florets for the best texture. Blanching the broccoli briefly (1-2 minutes in boiling water, then plunge in ice water) can soften it slightly if you prefer less crunch, but raw is traditional for this style.
- Bacon: Thick-cut bacon provides nice texture.
- Jalapeños: Seed and dice finely. Adjust amount or omit based on heat preference.
- Dressing: The dressing combines mayo and Greek yogurt for creaminess with less fat than all-mayo versions. Sour cream can be used instead of yogurt.
- Meal Prep Tip: For best results and to prevent sogginess, store the dressing separately from the salad ingredients in your meal prep containers. Combine and toss just before eating. The salad (undressed) will keep well for 3-4 days.
- Storage: If dressed, store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. The broccoli may soften slightly.