This Keto Broccoli Salad is made with raw broccoli, bacon, cheese, and jalapeno pepper. It has a delicious sweet heat profile that will have everyone at your next family reunion potluck asking for the recipe! With only 3 net carbs per serving, this is a side salad that is perfect for the keto diet.
Everyone loves a side dish that is easily portable. This salad fits that description perfectly. It is also a salad that will disappear quickly, so making a big batch recipe is highly recommended. Pack it up in a loved one's lunch for an easy keto lunch salad, or serve it alongside a Cilantro Lime Grilled Pork Chop!
Picnics and potluck salad recipes
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I ate Broccoli Salad at many family reunions in my childhood. It was always a favorite of mine. I loved the sweet tang of cranberry with the savory and salty flavor combination. I wanted to replicate the flavor and not lose that sweet, salty, savory flavor combination.
This Broccoli Salad is not your typical picnic salad. To make this keto-friendly, I omitted the dried cranberries to remove the sugars. And, I substituted chopped macadamia nuts in place of sunflower seeds. One serving of this keto side dish recipe has 2.67 net carbs per serving (rounded up, 3 net carbs).
The combination of smoky bacon, spicy jalapeno, cheese, and slightly sweet mayo salad dressing is totally delicious and satisfying. This particular recipe cured my craving and satisfied my addiction to the sweet heat combination that I love so much!
Ingredients needed to make this keto side dish
Powdered Sugar-Free Sweetener: Monkfruit is my sweetener of choice, and this brand is my go-to. I use a powdered sweetener due to the fact it dissolves better than a granulated one does.
Fresh Broccoli: I like to buy the entire crown and break it down into bite-sized pieces. You will need a total of 4 cups of broccoli pieces.
Macadamia Nuts: I went with this nut because it is one of the better nuts for keto. It is high in good fats and low in carbs.
Bacon: I love good thick-cut bacon. The flavor of the crispy salty fat that melts in your mouth is irresistible. Using thick cut in this recipe is recommended for that reason alone!
Jalapeno Peppers: You want just enough jalapeno to give the salad a tiny hit of heat. Feel free to adjust to your own heat tolerance.
Mayonnaise: If you are strict keto, then be sure your mayo is sugar-free.
Cheese: I always shred my own cheese and always use a mild or sharp cheddar.
Storage Bowls with lids: This is my very favorite set of storage bowls!
Recipe Tips
- To save time, buy pre-cut broccoli.
- You may still want to break the broccoli florets into smaller pieces but still makes it more convenient.
- Buy pre-shredded cheese. For some dieters, the little bit of starch on the cheese doesn’t matter to them. It really only matters to those who are following a very strict ketogenic diet.
- Use pre-cooked bacon instead of cooking your own. Just microwave the pre-cooked bacon per package instructions to make it crispy before adding to the salad.
Make this Keto Broccoli Salad your way
- Use roasted chopped pecans, walnuts, almonds, or sunflower seeds in place of the macadamias.
- Make it dairy-free and omit the cheese. To make it visually appealing, add ½ cup shredded carrot to the salad in place of the cheese. Be sure to adjust the carb count accordingly
- If you prefer cooked broccoli, you can blanch the broccoli and let it cool before assembly.
- The sweetener is optional here. I added it to replace the little bit of sweetness you get with the cranberries in the original broccoli salad recipe. If your good without it, that's fine, just omit it.
- If you really miss the cranberries, you can use no sugar added dried cranberries. They will not increase the carb count by much.
Other low carb salad recipes to try
Strawberry Rhubarb Salad is a nice spring to summer recipe that is a great side dish for chicken.
Strawberry Fluff Salad makes a great side salad for picnics or just make a batch to enjoy for breakfast!
Grilled Asparagus Halloumi Salad makes a delicious light dinner salad recipe.
Marinated Tofu Salad is perfect for the low carb dieter who is also vegetarian.
*If you made this low carb Keto Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Jalapeno, please give it a star rating!*
Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Jalapeno
Ingredients
- 5 cups Broccoli Florets
- ½ medium Red Bell Pepper diced
- ¼ cup Jalapeno Pepper diced
- 3 scallions diced
- [8 slices cooked bacon chopped]
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 4 ounces cheddar cheese shredded
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 3 tsp Powdered monkfruit Sweetener
- 1-½ ounces macadamia nuts chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook and crumble the bacon for the salad.
- Dice and chop the broccoli florets, red bell and jalapeno pepper, peppers, and scallions. Toss together in a large bowl. Add the bacon and cheese.
- To make the salad dressing, In a medium bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, and sweetener.
- Stir the salad dressing into broccoli salad mixture until well combined. Refrigerate until ready to eat.
Claire
YUM!!!
Broccoli works so well with bacon and then turning it into salad. GENIUS!
Can't wait to give this a go.
Shelby
I am a firm believer that bacon makes everything better Claire! 🙂
Brandi Robinson
This is my favorite keto side dish!!! So delicious and fresh!
Shelby Law Ruttan
Hi Brandi! Happy to hear it! Thank you for the rating, Shelby 🙂
Kacie Morgan
I love broccoli in salads. I usually have it with chilli and garlic but I’ll have to give this a go as it looks so tasty!
Shelby
Kacie, your chili and garlic sounds delicious!
Ellen
I could eat that whole bowl. This will be perfect for summer potlucks.
Shelby
Yes! I also send this in Grumpy's lunchbox 🙂
Mary
It all sounds good until you got to the Erythritrol, May I ask what this is ???? I am thinking a sugar replacement but not sure !!! thank you for sharing and do look forward to giving it a try 🙂 Thank you..
Shelby
Erythritol is a substitute for sugar. The brand I use is Swerve. You can however, use whatever sweetener your used to using in your home, just be sure to read the instructions on how much to use. Erythritol is measured the same as sugar while other sugar substitutes do not. I stick with Erythritol due to being on the keto diet and I've become accustomed to the taste. Please stop back and let me know how you liked the salad! Thank you!
Otto Anderson
Shelby I make one just like this. But I put in cauliflower cut into small florets. I also have sour cream in it.
That Erythrital sugar who makes it an where can you buy it? I use sugar splenda mix also measures the same as sugar. If you would like the recipe I have I would be more than happy to send it to you. As you know I am a diebetic the same as your husband.
Otto Anderson
Shelby
Hi Otto, you can buy Erythritol in most stores now, you can also buy it on amazon (I have an affiliate link for Swerve through Amazon above my recipe. However, if you use splenda, you can still use splenda in this recipe. just adjust the amount to reflect whatever amount equals 2 tablespoons of sugar.
Lisa
I was wondering if I could leave out the substitute. I’m not a fan of ant sweeteners
Shelby
If you follow the Keto diet, you can go ahead and just leave it out. If you don't follow Keto, go ahead and add a little sweetener of your choice. I hope you enjoy!
Amy
How much cheese do you put in this salad? Unless I'm overlooking it, I don't see cheese in the recipe ingredients, but see it in the instructions. Thanks!
Shelby
Hey Amy! Thanks for leaving your comment. I missed adding it to my recipe but its there now. I used 4 ounces of cheddar cheese that I shredded myself.
Courtney
Looks delicious, can't wait to make! I'm sure it depends on the mayonnaise -- I think I will be using primal kitchen avocado mayo -- but do you have any estimate how long this might stay good in the fridge? Wondering if I could make a big batch for the whole week... thank you!
Shelby
Hi Courtney, I would think 5 days would be ok, any longer than that would it would become watery and soggy as the broccoli releases what water is in it. It didn't last that long here (3 days) and there are only two of us! Your welcome and I hope you love it!
Wendy kadota
I did 1/2 mayonnaise and 1/2 Greek yogurt and just 1 packet of Splenda. I really enjoyed the recipe! I didn’t miss the craisins at all.
Shelby
Hi Wendy! So glad you enjoyed the recipe and love the change with the greek yogurt. I'm sure that also gave it a little tang! Thanks for letting me know!
Bruce Jacobs
What a great salad! I'm glad I tried it.
Shelby
Thanks Bruce, glad you tried it also and enjoyed the recipe!
Lolly
Can I use coconut cream instead of mayonnaise and omit the sugar?
Shelby
I haven't used coconut cream myself so I can't say how it would work, not being familiar with it. However, if it is similar to mayonnaise in consistency and you enjoy the flavor, I say give it a try to see if it works. You can always omit the sugar 🙂
Patti
I make a similar salad with cauliflower and broccoli,bacon,onion,cheese and the same dressing!
Shelby
Love the addition of cauliflower, another color to the bowl 🙂
Tonia
I see the nutrition information. but how much is serving?
Shelby
Hi Tonia, It's just underneath the yield 🙂 3/4 cup.
Rachel
I made this today. Wow! It is sooo yummy! It actually has not not made it into the refrigerator yet. It gets better after refrigeration? That’s hard to imagine. Thanks for the recipe! Definitely a keeper.
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
I am really into my salads right now and this one looks absolutely delicious -a great way to use broccoli!
camila
this is so perfect to bring to a barbecue!! I am in love with this delicious salad!
Katie | Healthy Seasonal Recipes
I grew up eating broccoli salad, and always dive in at pot lucks. The version my grandmother made didn't have any sweetener in it though. Her's had sharp cheddar cheese. I totally agree about never knowing what you're going to get at a potluck. Ha ha.
Priya Shiva
gorgeous looking broccoli salad! My husband loves broccoli and will surely try it out this weekend itself!
Demeter
What a great go-to salad for all summer long! Looks fantastic!
Kristina
Would this still be good without the sugar substitute? I really don't like the taste of sugar substitutes and try to avoid them.
Shelby
Hi Kristina, I feel it would still be good without it. If your not eating Keto and like the little bit of sweet, then by all means use something else. A good option is coconut sugar! If you are used to not eating any sweet, then by all means try it. I think it is good with our without! Thanks!
Karen @ Seasonal Cravings
This looks like the perfect picnic salad and I love that it's packed full of veggies.
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
I do love a broccoli salad, I haven't had one in far too long! This looks so good and perfect for picnics!
camila
Love broccoli! This salad must be delicious! Perfect side dishes for barbecue and grilling season
Madi
This has to be the perfect broccoli salad recipe! I need to make it for my next bbq or cookout!
Danielle
We always have a broccoli salad at a BBQ. It's nice to add a bit of colour.
Susan
Have you ever made this with broccoli that is lightly steamed? I don’t particularly care for the texture of raw broccoli but I’m afraid if I steam it, it will soak up most the dressing. Looks so yummy!
Shelby
Hi Susan, I have not, but you could blanch the broccoli by putting it in boiling water and cooking 1-2 minutes, then immediately take it out and put it in ice water to shock it and stop it from cooking, make sure the broccoli is drained really well, then assemble it. It may have more water release because it is cooked slightly so I probably wouldn't make a big batch of it because I don't know how it would be with leftovers. If you do try it, let me know how it turned out!
Reg
I do steam mine in the MV, 3 total
Minutes, stir after each minute then rinse in cold water & drain well.
Shelby
Thanks Reg for the response!
Christine Castaneda
Hi, just wanted to come by and say I made your broccoli salad tonight and it was DELICIOUS! The whole family loved it! I paired it with cauliflower mac & cheese and bbq beef ribs using Guy Fieri's Sugarfree Smokey Bacon BBQ sauce. Everything matched perfectly! Will be making this at least once a month. Thanks again!
Shelby
Hi Christine! Thank you so much for coming by and letting me know! So happy you loved it!
danielle wolter
All you had to say was filled with bacon and cheese and I was already sold LOL! This salad sound delicious!!
Lauren Vavala @ DeliciousLittleBites
I am super excited for this recipe! I'm on keto now and am in need of some new flavors! I have all these ingredients in my fridge and this is so happening today!
Claudia Lamascolo
I really need to make this over the weekend for the 4th of July, I needed a side dish and this will be perfect. I love the flavors!
Britt | Sweet Tea and Thyme
You had me at bacon. Say no more!
Demeter
After bring this to the next potluck, I'm sure that it will be highly requested from here on out! Such a classic summer dish.
Jackie
Don’t like onions so I left them out. I added sunflour seeds
Shelby
Hi Jackie! I hope you enjoyed it!
Alexa
Planning to make this for the Fourth of July! Unfortunately I’m going to take out the scallions because people in my family don’t like them. Do you think this will ruin the flavor? Also, with the Erythritol, so you used powdered or granulated?
Shelby
Hi Alexa, I don't think the missing scallions will hurt the recipe. I used granulated Erythritol (Swerve brand). I hope you enjoy this recipe, thanks for stopping by!
Karen
I've been searching for a broccoli salad for potlucks. Brings back memories. Can't wait to try this.
Caroline
Sounds like a tasty combination of flavors in there, and great to pack up and take with you to work or a potluck.
Colleen - Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck
This sounds crazy delicious...love the addition of jalapeno!!!
Anne Lawton
This is such a great idea for a summer pot luck!
Pam S
I’ve made something similar for years and always get good reviews for it. If you’re in a time crunch, I’ve used broccoli slaw mix from the produce section as well as precooked bacon pieces and preshredded cheese to throw this together in about 5 minutes or less, lol. Of course, it’s more delicious without the shortcuts, but sometimes I just don’t have time to do it all from unprocessed ingredients.
Jessica
You me mentioned using a package of already chopped veggies... what exactly do you get?
Thanks.. can’t wait to try this.
Shelby
Hi Jessica, I purchased pre-cut broccoli at Trader Joe's. You can probably find something similar in any grocery store. I hope you love the recipe!
Darlene
Hi Shelby, Nice to see a blogger from my state that eats the way I do; we live in western NY. I make this salad often w/Swerve orZ Sweet, but have never added bacon or shredded cheese, so I'll give it a try next time. I usually add just a few raisins, tho I know they are really a no-no. I think this is one of those recipes that you can add whatever you like and it's still good! I usually add some walnuts and/or sunflower seeds also. Thanks for your recipe!
Shelby
Hi Darlene! Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment! I use Swerve for the most part and have even started using it in my coffee rather than the sugar free flavored sweeteners. I really think it's a great product. Definitely add the bacon and cheese, its delicious!
Linda
Tried the recipe! It was very good. I exempted the hot peppers and scallions, because of the kids, but still very good. I also used Stevie as my sweetener.
Thank you!
Jennifer Travis
Oh my! This is just SO good! I doubled the recipe, made 1/2 with the jalapeno and half without (for the kids and adults that didnt like the heat.) I cut the sugar amt in half and used 1 small red onion in place of the scallions. I will def be making this again in the near future and years to come! Thank you for your wonderful recipe!
Shelby
Hi Jennifer! Thank you for trying my recipe and for stopping by to share your experience! Happy you enjoyed it!
Jennifer
I wanted to use pre cut broccoli but wasnt .sure of how much to use if I halved the recipe or kept it whole?
Shelby
Hi Jennifer, I would think a package of pre-cut broccoli could be considered approximately the same amount as a head of broccoli. I hope you were able to try the recipe. I apologize I haven't had a chance to be on my website for a few days.
Whitney
Hi how many carbs is this?
Shelby
Hi Whitney, net carbs are listed in the recipe notes along with the rest of the nutrition information. This recipe has 2 net carbs. Please note that it depends on what ingredients you use as to how accurate nutrition information is and the information I provide is to be used as a guide only.
Jenn, from KeenForKeto.com
Such a pretty salad! 🙂 My broccoli lovers are going to LOVE this. Thanks so much for participating in Keen for Keto's keto salad roundup, Shelby!
Joan Morse
I used about half the recommended amount of sweetener and it was sweet enough for my taste. Also did not have the macadamia nuts so used shaved almonds instead. It was a hit with my husband also. Will definitely make again.
Shelby
Hi Joan, Happy to hear it! Thanks for stopping by and making my recipe!
Joyce
How big would you say a serving size is ?
Shelby
Hi Joyce, I am making this again this week so I will exactly measure, but my guess would be about 3/4 - 1 cup is a serving. Depending on how big you cut the broccoli. I'll come back and update after I have remade the recipe. Thanks for stopping by!
Shelby
Hi Joyce! I did make this again, and one serving size is 1 cup. I've updated my info for the post. Thank you!
Jean | Delightful Repast
Looks great, though I would definitely prefer to use three teaspoons of sugar than three teaspoons of artificial sweetener. It comes to just over 1/3 teaspoon per serving. I'm not on keto, but I do carefully monitor my sugar intake and never have more than 6 teaspoons in a day from any source. Pinned!
Shelby
Hi Jean, absolutely, you do what is best for you! I actually reduced the sweetener to just 1 teaspoon when I made it this week. The longer we are on Keto, the less sweetener we use as we don't crave that sweet! Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I hope you make and enjoy the recipe!
Adriana Wrenn
can I use Splenda for sweetener?
Shelby Law Ruttan
Hi Adriana, you can use splenda if you wish. However, if you are strict keto, it is not an approved sweetener. We are keto, but are considered more "dirty" keto and do use other sweeteners occasionally.
Viv
I’ve been making this salad for a few months now. DELICIOUS! Even my family members not on keto have me make it! They all ❤️ It.
Shelby Law Ruttan
Hi Viv, thanks for letting me know! I am so happy your family loves this salad!
Sheena
I l ov e this salad