Broccoli Blueberry Salad
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This broccoli blueberry salad is loaded with flavor! We promise it will be the hit of any summer bbq, potluck, or neighborhood event! It’s crunchy and tangy, not to mention super easy to pull together.
Why this will become your top summer salad choice
The flavor is a key factor here. If you’re not “team salad” most days, it’s probably because plain old lettuce just isn’t cutting it. The roasted broccoli provides a nutty flavor, and with the sweet blueberries and creamy dressing, you can’t go wrong! Oh, and who can forget the bacon?
Let’s talk about the dressing for a moment. The dressing tastes rich and creamy, and although there is some mayo, there’s twice as much plain Greek yogurt. The apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, and small garlic clove add a sweet and tangy balance – it’s delicious!
This broccoli blueberry salad could act as a balanced meal on its own, or you could pair it up with other dishes to make a full spread. This salad comes together in just half an hour, including prep and roasting time.
Broccoli blueberry salad variations
This is such a wonderful salad as is, but if you have leftover ingredients in the fridge you want to use up, have a favorite salad ingredients you’d like to incorporate, or just want to fill this salad to the brim, it’s very happy to have additions and substitutions to make it your own. Here are some ideas:
- Veggies: Fresh spinach or cooked peas are wonderful additions to this dish.
- Cheese: Feta cheese or parmesan are nice to sprinkle on top.
- Fruit: Dried cranberries, fresh strawberries, apples, or chunks of ripe avocado (yes, technically avocados are fruits) pair well.
- Seeds: sunflower seeds or poppy seeds complement the dressing.
Recipe FAQs
How do you cut broccoli for a salad?
Chop the broccoli into bite-size pieces, you can choose to leave some of the stems on or just use the broccoli florets.
How long does broccoli salad last in the fridge?
If you pop it in an airtight container, it will last in the fridge without the salad dressing for 3-4 days. With the dressing, broccoli salad will last 1-2 days.
Can I use frozen blueberries?
This recipe calls for 2 cups of blueberries, which you can use either fresh or frozen. If you use frozen, they will be softer than fresh blueberries once they’ve thawed, but either texture goes well with the salad.
Can I use frozen broccoli?
While we like fresh broccoli best, you can use frozen broccoli for this salad in a pinch. Rather than leaving some raw, we recommend roasting all of it as thawed broccoli doesn’t taste very nice raw.
Can broccoli salad be made ahead of time?
It can, yes! It’s best to keep the salad ingredients and dressing separately and then toss the salad with the dressing immediately before serving.
Broccoli Blueberry Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 heads broccoli (chopped)
- 1 lb bacon (sliced into 1-inch chunks)
- 1 ¼ cups toasted pecans (chopped)
- 2 cups blueberries
- ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
The Dressing
- ½ cup plain Greek-style yogurt
- ¼ cup mayonnaise (can be light)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper
- 1 small garlic clove (very finely minced)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place half of the broccoli on a baking sheet then arrange the bacon on top of the broccoli.3 heads broccoli, 1 lb bacon
- Roast the broccoli and bacon in the oven for 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway through. It's ready when the bacon is crispy and the broccoli is starting to brown. (You can toast your pecans for 6-7 minutes at this time, too.)
- Add all the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well.½ cup plain Greek-style yogurt, ¼ cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, ½ teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper, 1 small garlic clove, 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- Add the roasted and raw broccoli, crispy bacon, pecans, blueberries, and red onion to a salad bowl. Pour the dressing over the top and mix well. Serve right away.1 ¼ cups toasted pecans, 2 cups blueberries, ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
Favorite broccoli salad recipes
For more inspiration, check out all of our broccoli recipes!
We love this recipe and every time we share it, it’s a hit with friends and family. We roast half the broccoli and use frozen broccoli (thawed) instead of the raw. Sometimes we candy the pecans and we often use frozen broccoli. Just love all the flavors!
I’m giving this 2 stars because I used fresh versus frozen blueberries. Otherwise I followed the recipe to a tee. The flavors are indistinguishable and I pretty much taste only one flavor and it’s not too good. If I were to design this recipe, I would not roast the broccoli at all. Maybe parboil it to make it less raw, but the roasted flavor (which I normally love) combined with toasted pecans & smokey bacon is just too heavy.
I’m sorry to hear that it wasn’t a hit for you.
Fresh ones are so good too!!
Amazing! I roasted all of the broccoli because I’m not a fan of raw, otherwise followed the recipe exactly. The dressing alone is wonderful, and then the addition of some of my favorite ingredients that I never would have put together. Thank you for the recipe!
I’m so happy you liked the recipe! Hooray!!
Hi Kristen!
I am making this dish for a neighborhood gathering tonite. Should I wait to toss all the ingredients together at the last minute or will it hold up in the fridge for a couple of hours?
ps. I made the dressing this am -it’s delicious!!
I would have everything ready to go and then toss it just before you serve it. It does hold up reasonably well, but it’s best when fresh. 🙂
When I make , I willlove it! Anything I’ve tried from you, we’ve loved!!
Awww thank you so much! That makes me really happy to hear!