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The first time I ever dyed my hair was freshman year in college. I’m naturally a dirty blonde (which I have always thought was quite an unfortunate term for hair color), and decided to go a little lighter. It was so ridiculously similar to my natural color, it wasn’t even worth the effort.
It’s a mistake I haven’t repeated.
Recently, I decided to go red.
(What can I say? Sometimes it’s just time for a change.)
Speaking of change, as someone who grew up thinking that the only way to eat broccoli was boiled to mush, this salad is somewhat of a revelation and a good reminder of how delicious broccoli is when cooked properly (i.e., not to mush, lol).
Crisp-tender broccoli dressed in a creamy, but light dressing that’s accentuated with crispy turkey bacon and crunchy sunflower seeds. A touch of fresh lemon juice and dill brighten up the whole dish.
I’m telling you, this salad is broccoli unleashed.
- 1 lb (450 g) broccoli, chopped into bite-sized florets (about 4 cups chopped)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 3 slices turkey bacon, chopped
- 3 tablespoons mayo
- 3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped dill (or ¼ teaspoon dried dill)
- 1 small red onion, quartered and thinly sliced cross-wise
- 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons roasted, unsalted sunflower seeds
- Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring it to a boil; salt the water, then add the broccoli and cook until fork-tender, about 90 seconds. Drain the broccoli and transfer it to a bowl filled with ice water to cool completely. Once cooled, drain well and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a medium-large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil. Reserve for topping.
- Whisk together the mayo, yogurt, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and dill in a large bowl. Stir the in the broccoli, parsley, onion, and celery into the dressing.
- To serve, transfer the salad to a serving bowl and top with the bacon and sunflower seeds. Serve immediately.
I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
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Hello Faith! This sounds delicious! I was just wondering, before I make this recipe, is there parsley involved? I noticed it in the directions, but not in the ingredients list. Thanks!
Hi Tassie, Thank you very much for your comment! No, there isn’t parsley in this; I see it in the directions and I will remove that! But with that being said, this would be delicious with some fresh chopped parsley if you want to add some! :)
Thank you so much for getting back to me. I think I’ll try it both ways. Thank you for the recipes!
I’m huge fan of salads! This broccoli salad is sure a great change from mush-steamed broccoli! :) I also liked the lemony yogurt dressing! yumm!
Congrats on the hair change! Love broccoli and love this salad.
Photo of the RED, or it didn’t happen! :-D
Love all the crunchy textures in this dish!
Hey, let’s see a photo of those new red locks Faith! :)
And this salad? Yum Yum Yum! Love ALL of the flavors…
hehe :) I want to see a picture of the red!!! I am a dirty blonde as well ;). I once died my hair super dark…and I cried for weeks. I’m meant to be lighter! This salad looks delicious
A delicious salad! Great texture and flavours.
Cheers,
Rosa