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This Broccoli Crunch Salad is a great new spin on the classic side dish! Fresh broccoli, apples, and bacon come together in a creamy lemon poppyseed dressing for a veggie-boosted side that will stand up lovingly on any dinner table, BBQ spread, or family potluck.
Sometimes, we just need a really good broccoli salad. When world events are spinning outside of what we’d consider a healthy level of control and understanding, we need something (anything) that we can do that fells well and good. We can hug our families tight, follow our gut and civil conscious as we try to move the awareness + policy needle, we can give of our resources, and we can cook. Whenever I need to process something, I turn to two things: the gym and the kitchen. The gym and the kitchen never let me down. I can always walk away having produced something while I also processed lots of somethings. It’s where I reflect on my attitude, on how to be a good steward of my time here on this sweet earth, and where I walk away with slightly more clear ideas on what I can do moving forward.
NOT that I have all the answers (I really don’t) and not that food is a cure-all (unless, maybe we’re talking s’mores bars), but outwardly processing is also how I process inwardly.
You with me?
I knew you would be.
SO, broccoli crunch salad. Let’s dig in.
Broccoli salad can quickly turn towards boring and sad, unless we pour a little extra love (in the form of bacon and apples). Making this salad actually is therapeutic. So much slicing, chopping, whisking of a lovely dressing, and tossing of beautiful, healthy ingredients. We have broccoli for our base, apples for a touch of crisp sweetness, walnuts for a satisfying buttery crunch, bacon for bacon, and poppy seeds for festivity and entertainment as you ask your dinner guests if you have anything in your teeth. Chop, whisk, toss and serve. I may not have all the answers, but I have tenacity, hope, and the ability to make this nourishing Broccoli Crunch Salad.
Bonus notes: you can make this little salad your own by tossing in:
- blue cheese crumbles (yasss)
- chilled pasta (for a yummy carb boost)
Enjoy!
Broccoli Crunch Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 heads broccoli chopped into florets (about 6 cups florets)
- 1 small red apple sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 5 slices of bacon cooked and crumbled
- 1/2 purple onion diced
For the dressing:
- 3/4 cup avocado oil mayo
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice about 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons honey omit for Whole 30
- 1 teaspoon poppyseeds
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the broccoli, apple slices, walnuts, bacon, and purple onion.
- In a small bowl, whisk all of the ingredients for the dressing, then pour over the broccoli mixture and toss to coat.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 2-3 days.
Kim says
Just made this without bacon and with red wine vinegar instead of lemon juice, because I didn’t have either of those things, and I blanched my broccoli for a minute… wow! So delicious. I’ll be making this one again. I’m not a huge fan of broccoli salads but had broccoli to use up and thought I’d give it a shot, and I don’t regret it! It’s salvaged my work lunch for the day, because I forgot that I brought some and then was pleasantly surprised!
Alison says
I love broccoli salads and I think this is my new favorite!
Sibongile Nzimande says
This looks yummy!
Kelly says
Definitely going to try this one! Thanks!
Brandi Schilhab says
It’s a GOOD one!! Enjoy, Kelly!
Kelly says
Looking forward to trying this!
Jo Hazarika says
I made this salad today after watching your colleague on Insta stories yesterday. Wow, thumbs up from the whole family, it’s going to be a regular for us!
Brandi Schilhab says
So glad you guys loved it! I had leftovers for lunch today…it’s so good!
Sunny says
Just made this after watching it get made on Instagram. I subbed chia seeds for poppyseeds because that’s what I had and it turned out so good! Pretty much like every recipe I have tried from y’all!!
Brandi Schilhab says
That’s so great to hear, Sunny! Thank you for sharing this with us!
Molly says
One of my absolute favorite go to recipes! I make it at least every other week during the summer. Love to have a clean broccoli salad recipe!
Brandi Schilhab says
That’s SO great to hear, Molly!!! We’re glad you love it!
Lindsay says
This is SO good! It’s a healthier take on the mayo-heavy, cheese-laden southern style dish I grew up with. It’s fresh and full of flavor. I love that I can make a batch of this and that we can enjoy if over the course of almost a week.
Brandi Schilhab says
Agreed!!! It seems to get better each day, too! We’re glad you love it!
Leah says
Yum!
This was the hardest part of dinner tonight – can of baked beans, and grilled chicken. Easy summer dinner.
Melissa Guevara says
We love an easy summer dinner! Glad you enjoyed. Thank you for taking the time to share with us. -Team F&F