This Keto Broccoli Salad takes your favorite classic side dish and amps it up with a sweet and spicy twist. With jalapeño heat and a hint of sweetness from a natural sweetener, it's a great side for your next meal.
I ate traditional broccoli salad at many family reunions in my childhood, and it was always a favorite of mine. I loved the sweet tang of cranberry with the savory and salty flavors. I wanted to make a low carb version that kept that sweet, salty, savory combination and that is how I came up with this recipe.
Quick Summary:
- A low carb side that makes 10 servings at just 4 net carbs each.
- What I swapped out of the classic version to keep it low carb.
- How to make it ahead so the bacon and nuts stay crunchy.
- A cooked broccoli option if you'd rather not eat it raw.
Jump to:
Key Ingredients
- Natural sweetener: I use Stevia in the Raw, but you can also use monkfruit.
- Macadamia Nuts: These are low in carbs, high in healthy fats, and give a great crunch in the salad.
- Thick cut bacon: Adds the salty, savory flavor.
- Jalapeño Peppers: The spicy part of this salad (optional if you want to cut the heat).
- Red bell pepper: Added for color contrast and takes the place of raisins or cranberries in the original recipe.
How to Make Keto Broccoli Salad
Cook and crumble the bacon first and set it aside. Toss the chopped broccoli, red bell pepper, jalapeño, and scallions with the cheddar, then stir in a dressing made from the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, and sweetener. Refrigerate until you're ready to eat.
Substitution Ideas
Natural sweetener: Replace with honey or maple syrup (if not strictly keto) for a slightly different sweetness profile.
Broccoli: Swap out raw broccoli for cauliflower florets for a similar crunch and taste.
Jalapeño: Use crushed red pepper flakes or diced mild green chiles for a different level of heat.
Variations
- Turkey bacon can be substituted for pork bacon.
- 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 really miss the cranberries, you can use no sugar added dried cranberries. They will not increase the carb count by much.
Storage
Store this broccoli salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. If you're making it ahead, keep the bacon and macadamia nuts in separate containers and add them just before serving.
Tips
- To keep the bacon crispy, don't mix it into the salad until just before serving.
- If you prefer cooked broccoli, you can cook until crisp-tender and shock it in cold water to keep the bright green color. Be sure to cool completely and pat broccoli dry before assembling the salad.
Serve with...
Serve as a side to Grilled Pork Chops, grilled chicken, steak, or salmon bites for a complete meal. It also makes an excellent side dish for barbecues, potlucks, or picnics.
You May Be Wondering
I remove them, but you can leave them in if you want it spicier.
Yes. You'll need about 1 heads worth, or 7 cups of florets.
Yes, it's optional.
About 4 net carbs per 1-cup serving.l
More Keto Side Dishes
Here are a few more keto side dishes to round out your next barbecue or potluck.
When you make this Keto Broccoli Salad recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and comment below to let me know what you think. I'd love it if you tag me on Instagram @grumpyshoneybunch so I can see your photos!
📖 Recipe
Keto Broccoli Salad
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Ingredients
- 7 cups broccoli florets
- ½ medium red bell pepper , diced
- 1 small jalapeño pepper , diced (optional)
- 3 scallions , diced
- 8 slices bacon , cooked and chopped
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 4 ounces cheddar cheese , shredded
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 teaspoons stevia in the raw , optional
- ¼ cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pre cook and crumble bacon for the salad. Set aside in an airtight storage container until ready to use.
- Dice and chop the broccoli florets, red bell and jalapeño pepper, peppers, and scallions. Toss together in a large bowl with the cheddar cheese.
- To make the salad dressing, In a medium bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, and sweetener (if using).
- Stir the salad dressing into broccoli salad mixture until well combined. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or until ready to eat.
- Just before serving, sprinkle the salad with crumbled bacon and macadamias and stir to combine.
Mouse says
My all time go to recipe if we are low carbing or not. We just love this salad as it is so delicious. The flavors just meld together so perfectly.
Lisa says
I’ve made this many times in the past few years. I take it whenever we have a potluck and it always disappears really quickly. I usually make it without the nuts because it’s cheaper that way and it still tastes great.
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Hi Lisa, thank you for sharing your experience with the recipe. I'm so happy to hear you enjoy the recipe! Shelby
Sheena says
I l ov e this salad
Viv says
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 says
Hi Viv, thanks for letting me know! I am so happy your family loves this salad!
Adriana Wrenn says
can I use Splenda for sweetener?
Shelby Law Ruttan says
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.
Jean | Delightful Repast says
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 says
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!
Joyce says
How big would you say a serving size is ?
Shelby says
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 says
Hi Joyce! I did make this again, and one serving size is 1 cup. I've updated my info for the post. Thank you!
Joan Morse says
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 says
Hi Joan, Happy to hear it! Thanks for stopping by and making my recipe!
Jenn, from KeenForKeto.com says
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!
Whitney says
Hi how many carbs is this?
Shelby says
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.
Jennifer says
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 says
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.
Jennifer Travis says
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 says
Hi Jennifer! Thank you for trying my recipe and for stopping by to share your experience! Happy you enjoyed it!
Jeanie says
I've made this many times before and all of my family and friends have loved it, but I've made it the day we were to eat it. I'd like to know if I make it Wednesday for a Friday night church event would it be good?
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Jeanie, If you want to make it ahead, hold off on adding the nuts and bacon until the day your going to your event. Everything else would be fine. Thanks for stopping by! Shelby
Linda says
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!
Darlene says
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 says
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!
Jessica says
You me mentioned using a package of already chopped veggies... what exactly do you get?
Thanks.. can’t wait to try this.
Shelby says
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!
Pam S says
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.
Anne Lawton says
This is such a great idea for a summer pot luck!
Colleen - Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck says
This sounds crazy delicious...love the addition of jalapeno!!!
Caroline says
Sounds like a tasty combination of flavors in there, and great to pack up and take with you to work or a potluck.
Karen says
I've been searching for a broccoli salad for potlucks. Brings back memories. Can't wait to try this.
Alexa says
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 says
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!
Jackie says
Don’t like onions so I left them out. I added sunflour seeds
Shelby says
Hi Jackie! I hope you enjoyed it!
Demeter says
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.
Britt | Sweet Tea and Thyme says
You had me at bacon. Say no more!
Claudia Lamascolo says
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!
Lauren Vavala @ DeliciousLittleBites says
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!
danielle wolter says
All you had to say was filled with bacon and cheese and I was already sold LOL! This salad sound delicious!!
Christine Castaneda says
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 says
Hi Christine! Thank you so much for coming by and letting me know! So happy you loved it!
Susan says
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 says
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 says
I do steam mine in the MV, 3 total
Minutes, stir after each minute then rinse in cold water & drain well.
Shelby says
Thanks Reg for the response!
Danielle says
We always have a broccoli salad at a BBQ. It's nice to add a bit of colour.
Madi says
This has to be the perfect broccoli salad recipe! I need to make it for my next bbq or cookout!
camila says
Love broccoli! This salad must be delicious! Perfect side dishes for barbecue and grilling season
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry says
I do love a broccoli salad, I haven't had one in far too long! This looks so good and perfect for picnics!
Karen @ Seasonal Cravings says
This looks like the perfect picnic salad and I love that it's packed full of veggies.
Kristina says
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 says
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!
Demeter says
What a great go-to salad for all summer long! Looks fantastic!
Priya Shiva says
gorgeous looking broccoli salad! My husband loves broccoli and will surely try it out this weekend itself!
Katie | Healthy Seasonal Recipes says
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.
camila says
this is so perfect to bring to a barbecue!! I am in love with this delicious salad!
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry says
I am really into my salads right now and this one looks absolutely delicious -a great way to use broccoli!
Rachel says
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.
Tonia says
I see the nutrition information. but how much is serving?
Shelby says
Hi Tonia, It's just underneath the yield 🙂 3/4 cup.
Patti says
I make a similar salad with cauliflower and broccoli,bacon,onion,cheese and the same dressing!
Shelby says
Love the addition of cauliflower, another color to the bowl 🙂
Lolly says
Can I use coconut cream instead of mayonnaise and omit the sugar?
Shelby says
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 🙂
Bruce Jacobs says
What a great salad! I'm glad I tried it.
Shelby says
Thanks Bruce, glad you tried it also and enjoyed the recipe!
Wendy kadota says
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 says
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!
Courtney says
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 says
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!
Amy says
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 says
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.
Mary says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
I was wondering if I could leave out the substitute. I’m not a fan of ant sweeteners
Shelby says
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!
Ellen says
I could eat that whole bowl. This will be perfect for summer potlucks.
Shelby says
Yes! I also send this in Grumpy's lunchbox 🙂
Kacie Morgan says
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 says
Kacie, your chili and garlic sounds delicious!
Claire says
YUM!!!
Broccoli works so well with bacon and then turning it into salad. GENIUS!
Can't wait to give this a go.
Shelby says
I am a firm believer that bacon makes everything better Claire! 🙂
Brandi Robinson says
This is my favorite keto side dish!!! So delicious and fresh!
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Hi Brandi! Happy to hear it! Thank you for the rating, Shelby 🙂