Lick-The-Bowl-Clean Bacon-Broccoli Salad

Debber's Note:

First time I had this at a church potluck, another lady and I were nearly fighting over the last serving--it was SO good! So we took the empty bowl and went looking for the owner to BEG for the recipe. Here it is!

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

Salad

• 8 slices bacon
• 3 bunches fresh broccoli (and cauliflower)
• 6 green onions (or one large onion)
• 1/2-1 cup raisins
• 1/2-1 cup nuts (cashews are the best!)

Dressing

• 1 cup mayonnaise (no substitutes)
• 1/2 cup white sugar (or less)
• 1 1/2-2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Directions:

1. Fry the bacon; break into pieces; set aside.
2. Trim broccoli stems, cut into 1/2 - 1-inch pieces; cut flower ends into small pieces, too; put into a large serving bowl.
3. Slice green onions into the broccoli (large onion should be chopped).
4. Add raisins and nuts to the broccoli and onions; tossing well.
5. Add bacon now or wait until serving time if you don't like it to get soggy-ish.
6. DRESSING: Mix dressing ingredients in a small bowl until sugar dissolves.
7. Add dressing to the broccoli mixture; stir well to coat everything.
8. If you didn't add the bacon earlier, add it now.
9. Best served at room temperature.
10. OPTIONS: Leave out the raisins or nuts or bacon--just don't leave them all out at the same time. Instead of 3 bunches of broccoli, add some cauliflower--very pretty, too!

Reviews

[forthefunofit]

This salad was absolutely delicious! I used cauliflower florets too and omitted the raisins. It turned out wonderful. This is so easy to make too. Thanks for posting.

[littleturtle]

Quick and easy and very good. I scaled everything back for 1 1/2 lbs of mixed broccoli and cauliflower florets, leaving out the raisins and using the higher amount for the vinegar. If I leave out the raisins again next time, I'd double the cashews or add something else salty and crunchy. I think sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds or pine nuts would all be good too. I was worried the dressing would be too sweet, so I cut back by about 2 teaspoons of sugar (equivalent to about 2 tablespoons less for the full recipe) and that worked well. Thanks for sharing.

[elsokolj]

Made this already few times; did not have bacon so I replaced bacon with leftover Italian sausage thinly sliced. Also I replaced nuts (can not bring them to nut-free school with chick peas)