This easy low carb broccoli salad with bacon delivers great crunch and flavor. This version is easy, totally customizable and perfect for any low carb ketogenic diet.
This raw broccoli salad has been around forever. I think the first time I had it was for my engagement party 20 years ago, which my mother so graciously hosted at home. It was a very small affair with only family and a close friend in attendance. Hey, East Coast Family, we all miss you!
The traditional version of this easy, low carb broccoli salad with bacon calls for raisins, but we enjoy subbing cranberries. The dressing calls for sugar, but we find that by subbing erythritol, xylitol or stevia, we get the same great sweetenss for less carbs. And, because this recipe is dairy-free, I know this is something my daughter can have. Toppings are always fun and we add toasted sesame seeds, toasted sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds or even toasted nuts, for a crunch factor.
This is one of my go-to salads in the Summer because it goes with most mains. Also, my kids like broccoli and are guaranteed to eat it. This recipe makes a lot, but we eat it with our lunches and dinner and I have been know to have it for breakfast, too. My friends can always count on me to bring this easy, low carb broccoli salad with bacon to all of our gatherings. Why? Well, it’s my favorite!
Do you have a favorite version on this salad? How do you make it yours?
This amazing Low Carb Broccoli Salad with Bacon is 2.4 net carbs per serving
[Disclosure: This recipe contains affiliate links.]
Easy Low Carb Broccoli Salad With Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 pound broccoli florets about two big heads and stalks cut and trimmed
- 1/4 pound bacon
- 1/2 bunch green onion
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 3 tablespoons Swerve or powdered erythritol or stevia glycerite to taste
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Optional:
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries, raisins, dried currents, gogi berries, chopped walnuts, slivered almonds, pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.
Instructions
- Cook and crumble the bacon.
- Trim and cut broccoli into bit sized pieces.
- Slice the scallions.
- Mix the ingredients for the dressing.
- Assemble and toss with dressing just before serving. Garnish with your favorite topping. Makes 8 cups with 1 cup per serving. Net Carbs 2.4 g.
Notes
Nutrition
Hi, can I make it a day ahead? Or it’s better fresh?
Hi Miszela. I often have everything prepped ahead the day before and park it in the fridge. Then, I stir it all together an hour before serving or just before. It’s better eaten the first day, but is still good the next day. -Kim
So easy to make and taste so good!
Wonderful taste
This is the best keto salad ever. It’s perfect for summer bbq’s and potlucks. Even my non-Keto nephew loved it. There certainily weren’t any leftovers!
Made this with dried cranberries and sliced almonds it was amazing. Looking forward to trying it again with sunflower seeds.
Big hit with my husband and I. I used this as a side dish to keto chicken parmigiana and we both couldn’t believe our meal was completely low carb. So delicious. Will become a family regular.
This is a great “base” recipe and can be easily tweeked to suit your own tastes! I like to do broccoli and cauliflower and used finely sliced leeks and toasted almonds in it. (Toast the almonds in the skillet you used to fry the bacon in!!) for us we left the cranberries out… Once I made the basic dressing I added a tad more vinegar to it (because I’m just a tart sorta gal) and freshly ground black pepper and Natures Seasoning to it. My husband and son LOVED it! And I did too! Thank you lots for the recipe!!
I’ve made this 4-5 times and it is AWESOME!! It’s even better if you crisp your own bacon…and Swerve to taste. Love this. Thank you so much. I double it every time, thinking there will be some left over at family gatherings….NOPE…. ALL GONE!
How much is one serving
Hi Livia. In step 5 it says the recipe makes 8 cups with 1 cup per serving. Enjoy. -Kim
IS the sesame oil you call for toasted or regular sesame oil?
I would use toasted sesame oil, Tracy. -Kim
I didn’t add any sweetener at all. I added a half cup of diced tomatoes to add sweetness. It was delicious!
I’m wondering about the macros listed for this recipe. Freire cranberries are pa led with sugars and are included in the Ingtedients. I chose to leave them out.
Hi Robin. I originally used MasterCook to calculate the macros on this recipe. I just updated it on Fatsecret.com. I omitted the dried cranberries. My nutritional info did have an error. Thank you for challenging me on it as I try to provide accurate info, but do make mistakes from time to time. Honestly, I sprinkle the cranberries on my kids servings, but leave them off of mine. I think you would also like the Amish Salad on the site which has cheddar cheese in it. Thanks again. -Kim
I make this often, I typically add cauliflower because I like the mix…….
Keeps asking for email address even though I entered it
Hi Judy, are you referring to the comment section or the Newsletter signup? Thanks for the info. -Kim
SOOOO yummy! Just as good if not better than the regular recipe. Love the hint of sesame oil! Thank you!!
I printed this recipe two weeks ago, and I’ve already made it THREE times. So easy, and SO delicious. I used sunflower seeds in place of the dried berries as I enjoy a little crunch. So damn good. And, because I love most anything sesame, a titch more sesame oil.
I’m Keto, and I love, love, LOVE this recipe.
Can I use regular mayo on Keto for this recipe
Yes you can, Angela. However, make sure that you choose a mayo that has zero carbs per serving. Many mayonnaise brands add sugar. There will be some people that will disagree with my saying to use store bought mayo because of all the icky ingredients contained in them. If you aren’t into making your own mayo (it literally takes 2 minutes), then store bought is fine. -Kim
Just above the Ingredients in the Nutrition Facts section you have written that it is 290 kcal, which is 29000 calories. I assume that is incorrect. This recipe looks great! I am planning to make this for dinner tomorrow.
Hi Nick. I see that on every recipe. I think the recipe card programmer changed something. I’ll contact him and let him know about the problem. Thanks for bringing it to my attention! Enjoy this broccoli salad, we really love it. -Kim
Delicious! I keep it keto so no cranberries. Super easy. Husband always asks me to make it.
I used to make a salad like this all the time. I had not made it in ages though and thought I couldn’t now that I try and eat low carb. Well it was just the sugar and dried cranberries in my old recipe that added so many carbs! And it’s fine without. The sesame oil is a great addition! I did put a teeny bit of honey in my dressing so I guess mine has a gram or so more carbs per serving. But nothing like my old recipe. Thanks!
This was delicious i also added parmesan cheese shreds and sunflower seeds I will be making this again.
Just love this recipe! I added shredded Parmesan cheese and small pieces of extra sharp cheddar cheese. We love cheese as you can tell. I only used 3/4 cup of mayonnaise for that’s all I had at the time, and it came out great! The cheese must have added that little extra umph. Thank you so much.
I love how you made this your own with the addition of Parmesan and cheddar cheese. I often use less dressing than the recipe calls for. I don’t like my salads drowned in dressing! Lol. I’m happy you enjoyed the recipe. Have a nice week. -Kim
Hi Kim! So happy I found you through a friends FB post! I noticed this recipe calls for 3 tablespoons of Swerve. I don’t use any other sweetener aside from sugar, raw sugar or honey. Would the same amount of sugar or raw sugar be too sweet? Thanks so much :)
Absolutey, Yvonne. If you are not low carb, you can sub real sugar in any of the recipes. If you don’t like things sweeter, try using half the amount of sugar at first, then go from there. The Sesame Oil is a little sweet and gives a very pleasant flavor to the dressing. Enjoy the recipe and nice to meet you. -Kim
Dried cranberries typically have sugar. Did you use sugar free? If so, where did you find them(sugar free dried cranberries)
I used regular cranberries, Jen. Honestly, there is so little per serving that I don’t worry about it. I DO have sugar-free cranberries that I purchased from Amazon. The bag is HUGE and they are sliced and very dry. There are many recipes for drying your own cranberries and I may try that and see how it goes. I like the little bit of sweetness that the cranberries provide, but you can leave them out. I have also used dried currants, which are very small. -Kim
I tweaked it a bit. Used white onion because t was what I had on hand, also added diced chicken and diced Colby cheese. I also used cauliflower and added a little mustard to the dressing. Then for added flavor I toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds with a little coconut oil and used as garnish. One of the best recipes I have ever tasted. Xo thanks for the inspiration.
I love how you made this your own, Erin! Have a great week. -Kim
To save time I buy a bag of broccoli slaw mix @ Costco and use it instead of chopping heads into bite size florets. All the rest is the same (I did switch from xyla to Stevia after we got a dog, I like it with xyla much better tho) and I tend to overuse (overdose) on the bacon . . . yum it’s always a family favorite!
How many net carbs per serving?
Hi Annette. It’s two carbs per serving. I always post the net carbs above the recipe card (most recently in purple text). -Kim
Yummy. Thank you for sharing your recipe it’s delicious. The dressing I use is olive oil a package of stevia balsamic vinegar and apple cider. It’s a non-dairy option. I wait until just before I serve it and I add 1 cup of cutting half seedless red grapes, toasted sunflower seeds and almond slices toasted, I like to have a couple cups of cherry tomatoes on the side for anybody that wants to add them. I also make available acai condiment dressing of yogurt that has lemon curd and lemon zest mixed in it. Great for just dipping your fork into and then going in for the salad. Pretty diabetic friendly is I’m a type 2. That’s the only reason that I omit the mayonnaise. Names of four cups of broccoli heads cut up diced.
Great! Thanks for sharing your version, Laura.
I love brocoli. I have a question, what is the size serving? A cup?
Thank you, love your recipies
Hi Cynthia. I don’t remember the serving size, but I am making this recipe tomorrow. I’ll reply again when I have. -Kim
Hi Cynthia. I updated the recipe. I always make it for a crowd, but I changed the quantities to better suit a family. The serving size is 1 cup. I cut my broccoli florets into smaller sized pieces and included a little of the stem part, too. I used 3 medium-large sized crowns. I double checked the quantities as I made it this morning and made adjustments. I never use all of the dressing, but others do. Any leftover dressing I use in a regular salad. Enjoy. -Kim
I use equal parts of broccoli and cauliflower! Some shredded sharp cheddar cheese adds a little tang, too!
I like your tweak, Patti. Thanks for sharing. -Kim
I made the bacon and broccoli salad for a cook out to make sure I had something diabetic friendly. I was so surprised the family loved it. My daughter’s neighbor asked if he could take some home. He lives by himself so I let him take the rest of it. My daughter was shocked cause he never asks if he could take anything home. That made my day and no body new it was diabetic. Thanks for the recipe it’s a keeper
Fantastic, Joyce. I’m glad it was a hit! Thanks for leaving a comment and letting me know! Have a great day! -Kim
I used to make this salad w the raisins & sugar all the time! When I’d bring it to a party people would look at me like I was crazy & I’d say close your eyes and eat it! If course they loved it! It was awesome! I never thought of subbing cranberries for the raisins- will definitely be doing that soon! I also quickly blanch my broccoli to keep it green. So much prettier that way! Thanks for returning this recipe to my repertoire!!
Hi Cici. It’s always a popular salad. I like how you blanched the broccoli to green it up. I’m sure that it took the edge off the hardness of the broccoli, too. Nice! Thanks so much for leaving a comment. Have a nice day. -Kim
Kim I see Cici blanched the broccoli. Could I use cooked frozen (cooled of course)
I know that some people do, Sharon. My opinion is that frozen broccoli gets mushy. This is supposed to be a crunchy raw salad. I have a recipe for Amish Salad that uses raw cauliflower (softer) and raw broccoli. You could leave the cauliflower raw and quick blanch the broccoli? Ultimately it’s up to you, what ingredients you have and what your taste/dietary concerns are. The dressing, however, is very good. You can also mix with Ranch dressing or Blue cheese. -Kim
Oh my gosh, swerve and mayonnaise? I need to try that. :)
Hahaha. Thanks Linda! It’s a great salad. Sweeten it up how you like! Have a great weekend. -Kim
Hi Sarah. This looks amazing. I noticed in your notes you mentioned using cranberries. I don’t see them in the recipe. I found some low sugar sweetened ones, and am making this today, so will make a guess. Anyway, thanks for the recipe!
Hi Diane. I used to put raisins and cranberries in my salad. I still do sometimes for the kids. The recipe calls for 1/4 cup, but 2 tablespoons is great, too. -Kim
What is the measure of one serving?
Hi Diane, great question. It depends entirely on how big the pieces or broccoli are. I didn’t measure in a measuring cup when I shared the recipe, but about a 1/3-1/2 of a cup? It makes about 4 cups (going on memory here as I tend to make it in the Summer). I hope this helps. -Kim
This broccoli salad looks delicious! My husband and I have transitioned to eating more of a keto diet. We are taking diary and gluten issues into consideration as well. It’s exciting to find recipes to accommodate all three.
Hello Jessica! Thank you. I hope you both find success with the change and resolve your gluten and dairy issues. Take care! -Kim
I just made this for my family. My toddler Maria at the broccoli and bacon. She won’t always eat broccoli so I think we’ll be making it again… :)
Hi Robin! It’s such an easy recipe, right? I love that you can change it up and yours – or more palatable for kids. I’m glad Maria like it. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment and have a great weekend! -Kim
That looks SO GOOD!!! Yum!!!
Thanks Gingi! Hope you and the new baby are doing well. -Kim
How lucky that your kids love broccoli! This looks so delicious :) I don’t have kids, but may need to make it for myself ;)
Hi Sarah. Thanks. You’re right, I AM lucky that my kids are good eaters. Thanks for your compliment. :) I just saw your recipe for tomato soup and was floored by it’s decadence. Wow! Thanks for stopping by. -Kim
It looks delicious!! In my opinion bacon makes everything better. My kids also love broccoli so I need to try this soon. Pinning!
Oriana – I know what you mean! I HEART bacon. The great thing about this salad is that you can put as much of your favorite ingredient in it and it always tastes great! I hope your kids love it as much as mine do! Thanks for a great comment! -Kim