Get ready for a broccoli salad experience that will redefine your expectations!
The secret? A luscious sour cream dressing, so good you'll want to make a double batch.
Prepare to uncover a recipe that will transform broccoli salad from side dish to star attraction.
Ingredients
For the Broccoli Salad, I'm using the following ingredients, and you'll need them, too! Grab 1 large or 2 small heads of broccoli—we're gonna chop 'em up!
Next up, you'll want 150g (that's 5 oz) of lean bacon, chopped. Bacon makes everything better, right? Plus, ¼ cup of flaked almonds—or any nuts you like! And don't forget 2 shallots, scallions, or even red onion, but make sure they're finely chopped. This salad has a refreshing taste, so the ingredients work well together!
For the Sour Cream Dressing, I've got ⅓ cup of sour cream, and I use low-fat to keep things a bit lighter. Then, 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil—it adds a nice smoothness!
Also, ¼ tsp of garlic powder, or a tiny ½ clove of minced garlic—your call! A zesty 2 tsp of apple cider vinegar, or white wine vinegar if you are feeling fancy. Finally, 2-3 tbsp of milk to get the right consistency, 1 tbsp of Dijon mustard, ¾ tsp of sugar, salt, and pepper!
Instructions
First up, I am mixing the sour cream dressing ingredients together in a bowl. I'll adjust the salt and pepper to taste later—and then I'm setting it aside for 20 minutes to let those flavors mingle & develop their friendships! It's like a little flavor party happening!
Next, I'm cutting the broccoli into smaller florets. It's like giving the broccoli a haircut, LOL! I'm blanching the broccoli in boiling water or steaming it till it's just cooked. You want it tender, yet still crisp, like a perfect high-five. Gotta drain it in a colander and cool that broccoli down under tap water. Let's shake, shake, shake that colander so all the water leaves. Just like the *Asian Side Salad*, ingredients like almonds can add a delightful crunch.
Toast the almonds in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until they're golden. Cook the bacon in a skillet over high heat until crispy. Drain that bacon on paper towels. Finally, I toss everything together in a bowl, and drizzle with dressing. Serve in bowl.
Recipe Notes
Though I prefer making this with garlic powder because it is milder—and smoother—than fresh garlic, fresh garlic works just fine too, just let the dressing rest for at least 30 minutes. This gives the garlic time to mellow out, so it's not too overpowering!
Want to switch things up? You can swap the sour cream for yogurt. But, make sure you grab the full-fat kind—that creamy yogurt is a must! If you only have low fat, don't worry, just add a splash more olive oil to keep it creamy; otherwise, the dressing is too tangy.
Make sure you don't skip toasting the almonds. This also adds a yummy nutty flavor.
Nutrition Information
Swapping ingredients can change the flavor, but what about the nutritional stuff? I've got you covered! With this salad, you're looking at around 180 calories per 170g serving.
Let's break it down. You'll get about 10g of carbs – that's only 3% of your daily intake! Plus, a solid 11.7g of protein, which is awesome!
Now, for the fats: 10.7g total. Saturated fat is at 2.4g, polyunsaturated is 8.3g, and cholesterol is 29mg. Sodium clocks in at 346mg – keep that in mind if you're watching your intake.
Fiber? You're getting 3.5g, a good little boost. And sugar is low, just 3.2g. Not bad, right? I mean, it's broccoli salad – but with bacon! What isn't good?!
Cook Mode
I bet you're ready to get cooking, and I couldn't agree more!
So, you wanna jump into Cook Mode? Awesome! This feature keeps your screen from sleeping while you're busy chopping and stirring. No more having to awaken your phone with broccoli-covered fingers – yay!
Touch the Cook Mode button.
Now everything runs smoothly—no screen fade-outs at the pivotal dressing-pouring moment. I've gotta say, it's super handy when you're juggling multiple steps, and wanna avoid sticky phone screens. Imagine halfway through toasting almonds, your screen goes dark?! Nightmare material.
Let's get cooking; I know you'll nail it!
Short Recipe Version
Broccoli Salad With Sour Cream Dressing****
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
- 1 large head broccoli, cut into florets
- 1/2 cup red onion, diced
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions:
- In a large bowl, combine broccoli florets, red onion, cranberries, and sunflower seeds.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together sour cream, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper.
- Pour dressing over broccoli mixture and toss to coat.
- Sprinkle with toasted almonds before serving.
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Information (Per Serving – Estimated):
- Calories: 250
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
- Sodium: 200mg
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 4g
- Sugar: 12g
- Protein: 6g