Keto Broccoli Bacon Salad: Fresh & Flavorful
This Keto Broccoli Salad With Bacon is a delicious low-carb side dish everyone will love, especially in the summer! Made with fresh broccoli, crispy bacon, cheddar cheese, and more, it has all the flavors you could want from a keto salad!
How to make keto-friendly broccoli salad
This homemade broccoli salad is the perfect keto side dish! I love how fresh and crunchy it is. Coated in a creamy sweet mayo dressing, it is especially great for outdoor barbecue and grilling season! I love to pair this salad with my Oven Baked Chicken Drumsticks, which would also be great on the grill!
Broccoli salad ingredients:
- Fresh broccoli– Broccoli salads are best when using fresh broccoli florets cut away from stalks. Frozen works too, but it may not come out as crisp.
- Bacon– The bacon plays a huge role in flavor and adds fat, which is great for keto.
- Cheddar cheese is very popular in salads, and the cheddar here is the perfect creamy addition.
- Mayonnaise + lemon juice, + sweetener make for a slightly sweet, creamy dressing with an acidic bite from the lemon. See my go-to sweetener options below. You could also substitute miracle whip or possibly even plain Greek yogurt.
- Pecans– Add more healthy fats and some crunch.
- Red onion– Red onion is key. It adds a mild but sharp bite.
Is Bacon Broccoli Salad Low Carb?
Traditional broccoli salads may add raisins, cranberries, or candied walnuts, which are all high in sugar. This keto broccoli salad recipe calls for low-carb ingredients and is only 5g of net carbs per serving.
How to Make Broccoli Bacon Salad with Cheese
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and toast pecans on a small baking sheet on parchment paper for 5-7 minutes. This will bring out the incredible flavor in the pecans. 
Step 2: Chop the bacon into small pieces, then fry in a skillet. Drain on paper towels.
Step 3: Blanch your raw broccoli by adding it to boiling water for 30-45 seconds and immediately placing it in ice water. Then strain well. (Excess water will make your salad limp and watery.)
Step 4: In a large bowl, whisk together mayo, sugar-free sweetener, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. I like to use Besti Monkfruit with allulose powdered sugar. (Other sweetener options could be Swerve Confectioners or Lakanto Monkfruit Powdered at the same measurement.)
If you prefer, you can make homemade keto mayo.
Step 5: Add the broccoli mixture with chopped onion and cheese cubes to the broccoli salad dressing mixture bowl, then stir to combine. Chill for 3 hours or overnight in the fridge so the dressings can marinate the salad. Before serving, stir in half the crumbled bacon, then add the rest of the bacon and the chopped pecans on top for garnish! Now you have the perfect side dish. Enjoy!
Tips to Make the Best Broccoli Bacon Cheddar Salad
Fresh ingredients: Go for vibrant broccoli florets and other ingredients at their absolute freshest.
Best way to cut the broccoli: To ensure that it blanches evenly and blends well with the other ingredients, chop it into small, bite-sized florets.
Add the cheese just before serving: To maintain the freshness and distinct texture of the cheese, sprinkle it over the salad just before serving. This ensures the cheese remains flavorful and doesn’t become soggy from prolonged contact with the other ingredients.
Season with salt and pepper: Taste the salad before serving and add salt and pepper as needed to enhance the overall flavor. Be mindful of the saltiness of the bacon when adding additional salt.
Fresh vs. frozen broccoli
I recommend using fresh broccoli for your salad because it provides the most crunch! For this recipe, I added raw broccoli florets to boiling water for a very short period, followed by dunking it in ice water. This is called blanching. Blanching aims to maintain the bright green color, texture, and flavor.
If you choose frozen broccoli florets, your salad won’t be as crunchy or crisp, but it will still taste delicious. That said, you should blanch your frozen broccoli, which helps bring it back to life.
Can I Use Bacon Bits?
It’s totally up to you. I would suggest looking for real pieces of bacon instead of imitation.
What About Different Kinds of Cheese?
Opt for a cheese that complements the flavors of broccoli and bacon. Cheddar, feta, gorgonzola, or even shredded Parmesan are excellent options. Consider the intensity of flavor you desire and select the cheese accordingly.
Can this be made ahead of time?
Yes. I recommend making this broccoli bacon salad recipe at least a few hours before so the dressing has time to infuse the veggies. Remember that the longer the broccoli sits in the dressing, the softer it will become. If you want a super crisp salad, serve it within 3-24 hours of making it.
Is Broccoli Bacon Salad keto-friendly?
Yes, it is! Broccoli is a super popular keto vegetable because it’s high in fiber and low in carbs. Broccoli has about 2 net carbs for every 1 cup of broccoli. One serving of this recipe contains 7 grams of carbs and 2 grams of fiber, making it 5g of net carbs. This summer salad is a great option for the keto diet.
Other ingredients you can add to your salad:
Many broccoli salads have dried fruit like cranberries or raisins, but if you’re eating low-carb, you’ll want to avoid them due to the high sugar content. Instead, think about adding nuts, seeds, fresh herbs, spices, and low-carb vegetables. Here are a few fantastic add-ins:
- sunflower seeds
- chopped walnuts
- slivered or sliced almonds
- pumpkin seeds
- fresh chives
- peppers
- ranch seasoning
- pine nuts
- fresh dill
- add sour cream to the dressing mixture
- use flavored vinegar in place of lemon juice, such as apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
How to Store
Refrigerate promptly: After preparing or serving the salad, refrigerate it to keep it fresh and safe to eat. Broccoli bacon salad is best consumed within 2-3 days of preparation.
Use an airtight container: Transfer the salad to an airtight container or a sealed food storage bag. This helps to maintain its freshness and prevents it from absorbing odors from other foods in the refrigerator.
Separate the dressing: If the salad has already been dressed, it’s best to store it separately. Keeping the dressing separate prevents the salad from becoming soggy.
Refresh before serving: If the salad appears slightly wilted or dried out, refresh it before serving. Add a little extra dressing, toss gently, and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Can it be frozen?
It is not recommended, as freezing can cause the ingredients to become mushy and lose their texture. Additionally, mayonnaise or creamy dressings in the salad may separate and become watery when t.hawed
What can I serve with my keto broccoli salad?
You can eat this low-carb broccoli salad recipe for lunch, bring it to a potluck in bulk, or eat it for dinner as a healthy side dish alongside keto main dishes like a delicious ribeye steak, Keto Fried Chicken Nuggets, or my Keto Bunless Hamburger Recipe.
How to Store
More Keto Salad Recipes & Dressings:
- Keto Cobb Salad
- Keto Taco Salad
- Keto Chicken Salad
- Low Carb Hot Bacon Dressing
- Keto Cauliflower Salad Recipe
- 75 Best Keto Salad Recipes
Keto Broccoli Salad
Ingredients
- 5 ½ cups fresh broccoli 2-3 crowns, chopped into bite-size pieces
- 8 slices of bacon
- 4 oz sharp cheddar cheese cut in small cubes (smaller than the cubes you can buy pre-cut)
- ¼ small red onion, chopped finely
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup mayo
- ¼ cup Wholesum Yum Monkfruit Blend with Allulose Powdered (or Swerve Powdered and Lakanto Monkfruit Powdered would also work)
- 2 TB fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- ⅛ tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the pecans on a small baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Toast them in the preheated oven for 5-7 minutes. This will bring out the incredible flavor in the pecans. Keep an eye on them to avoid burning.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and fry the bacon. Cook until it turns crispy and golden brown. Once cooked, remove the bacon from the skillet and place it on paper towels to drain excess grease. Chop into small pieces.
- Fill a pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add the broccoli florets to the boiling water and blanch them for no longer than 45 seconds. This brief blanching process helps to retain the broccoli's vibrant color and crispness. Immediately transfer the blanched broccoli to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain the broccoli and ensure it is thoroughly dried.
- In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, sweetener, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. If preferred, you can make homemade keto mayo. Stir the ingredients together until well combined, creating a creamy dressing mixture.
- To the bowl of dressing mixture, add the blanched broccoli, diced onion, and cheese. Gently toss the ingredients together to ensure they are evenly coated with the dressing.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or transfer the salad to an airtight container. Refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours, preferably overnight. This chilling period allows the flavors to meld together, resulting in a more flavorful salad. It tastes best if you can marinate it overnight.
- Before serving, stir half of the crumbled bacon, ensuring it is well distributed throughout the salad. Then, add the remaining bacon and the toasted, chopped pecans on top as a garnish.
- Give the salad a final gentle toss to mix all the ingredients. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary, adding more salt, pepper, or lemon juice according to your preference.
Video
Notes
- You can use fresh or frozen broccoli florets, but the fresh will give you a crunchier salad.
- sunflower seeds
- chopped walnuts
- slivered almonds
- pumpkin seeds
- fresh chives
- peppers
- ranch seasoning
- pine nuts
- fresh dill
- add sour cream to the dressing mixture
- use flavored vinegar in place of lemon juice, such as apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
Nutrition
Delicious! I used broccoli and cauliflower.
Sounds like a winner to me.
Can you just use fresh broccoli and not blanch?
Yes, although blanching makes the broccoli a bright green color and tenderizes it just a tiny bit.
But, if you had rather not that is up to you.
Do you really need a sweetener?
You are welcome to leave it out if you prefer, but I can’t guarantee the final result of the recipe.
Does it have to be powdered? I almost just dumped in my granular monk fruit then realized it says powdered…
Powdered would dissolve better.
I left out the sweetener and pecans and it’s super delicious!
I love broccoli salad. This looks delicious!
Do you think this is freezable? I would love to make a big batch and freeze half….
I don’t think it would freeze well.
I understand that you must gear your recipes to most of your followers, however, as a person who is cooking for one it is a real pain to have to reduce each ingredient down to one. I must say even numbers are easier to par down put when the servings are 5, 7 or even 9 most of the time I just say forget it. I know that usually, and I am not say that you do but most of the time the odd numbers are to bring the carb amount down. Just wanted to voice my frustration. I also must say that I have found quite a few recipes that sound great on your site.
In the number of servings on the recipe card you can toggle the arrow to change the recipe to however many servings you’d like and the corresponding measurements will change with it.
Excellent recipe but a lot more prep time than 5 minutes😅Very tasty
Glad you enjoyed it! Prep time I know takes different for everyone.
There are 7 servings but what is the serving size?
I don’t measure exactly, I just eyeball and divide it evenly.
is the calories amount for 1 serving or the whole batch?
The nutritional information is per serving.
Made this for exactly as written for dinner side dish. It is fantastic tasting, thank you!
Your recipes are delicious and when try these I feel very excited. Thank you so much for your support.
I’ve been making a similar recipe for years, and it’s one of our favorites! Mine isn’t sweetened, adds cauliflower and water chestnuts or chopped celery, and doesn’t have cheese.
That sounds like a great alternative. Thanks for sharing.
I use a keto ranch dressing on this. It is soyummy
Great idea! Thanks for sharing.
I would like to try this recipe, but was wondering if the sweetener is necessary? I am from the Netherland and the monk fruit sweetener is hard to get or very expensive. Can I just leave it out?
I’ve only made it as is, so I am not sure how it would turn out without it. It’s worth a try.
Great recipe! I tweaked the salad dressing a little as my husband hates lemon (weirdo) so I used apple cider vinegar and also a tablespoon of bacon grease – it was amazing!
Wow! That sounds super yummy! Thank you:)