If you’re craving a hearty broccoli salad but don’t want the sugar and carbs that often go with it, then you’ll love this recipe for low carb bacon broccoli salad. It’s also suitable for a keto diet.
Broccoli is a keto-friendly veggie that’s high in fiber and rich in nutrients. Its a cruciferous vegetable which means that it helps support liver function and detoxification.
A cup of broccoli contains only 6 grams of carbs, 2 of which are fiber, leaving you with only four grams of net carbs.
This low carb bacon broccoli salad recipe from Sarah of CJs Kitchen is refreshing and easy to make. It’s the perfect side for grilled meats, although you can choose to eat the salad by itself.
Recipe notes
You can use ready crumbled bacon for this recipe if you prefer. It can save a bit of time but it’s best to warm it through in a frying pan with a little butter first to help release the flavor.
The broccoli slaw that you find in packs in the salad section of the supermarkets adds a different texture to the salad. It may contain a little carrot but it’s not usually enough to make any difference to the overall carb count.
Although the recipe calls for red onion you can use white if that’s all you have but the red makes a nice contrast to the salad and looks more interesting. You don’t need a lot of red onion to give the salad a real flavor boost.
Sarah likes to use the 21 herb seasoning from Trader Joes but you can use your favorite herb seasoning. Try different ones when you make this salad to change the flavor.
Regular deli broccoli salad is usually sweet from the sugar that’s added but that would be too many carbs for a low carb ir keto diet so if you want a bit of sweetness you can add a few drops of a low carb sweetener such as stevia.
This salad looks best if you can grate the cheese thickly so it shows up better. Thinly grated cheese can get lost. You could use cubed cheese instead if you prefer.. Be sure to get a strong flavored cheese to add to the flavor.
The pumpkin seeds give the salad some nice additional crunch but you can use other seeds such as sunflower seeds if you prefer.
The salad is best if refrigerated overnight but 4 hours is sufficient if you don’t have the time. Probably best to remove it from the fridge for 30 – 60 minutes before serving to allow it to come to room temperature for the best flavor.
For another similar salad try this Tasty Low Carb Broccoli Salad Recipe. And if it’s broccoli you love then try this Keto Broccoli and Cheese Soup Recipe. For more salad recipes get inspiration from my round up of these 14 Keto Salad Recipes.
Low Carb Bacon Broccoli Salad
Makes 14 servings
Ingredients
- 5 cups chopped raw organic broccoli
- 8 – 10 slices of cooked organic, nitrate free bacon, crumbled
- ⅓ a medium-sized red onion
- 1 cup ready made broccoli slaw
- 2 tbsp sugar free, low carb ranch dressing of your choice
- 1 cup thickly grated or cubed organic cheddar cheese
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup good quality keto mayonnaise
- 2 tsp garlic herb seasoning
- 1 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- Liquid, sugar-free keto sweetener (optional)
- 1 tsp Redmond Real Sea Salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Directions
1. Place the chopped broccoli in a large bowl and add the finely chopped red onion.
2. Add the broccoli slaw and cooked bacon. Mix well together.
3. Next make the dressing. Place the full fat mayonnaise in a small bowl and add your choice of herb seasoning, salt and pepper, ranch dressing. Add the apple cider vinegar to thin the dressing. Add a few drops of sweetner if you like.
4. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix well.
5. Next, add the cheddar cheese and pumpkin seeds and mix really well again.
6. Place in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight. Remove about an hour before serving to allow to come to room temerature. Toss well again before serving.
Refer to this video to guide you in preparing this low carb bacon broccoli salad.
