Crispy Broccoli Salad with Tangy Sour Cream Dressing
A crunchy, satisfying broccoli salad with a creamy, tangy dressing made without mayonnaise.
- Prep15 min
- Cook3 min
- Total18 min
- DifficultyEasy
- Servings4
This broccoli salad is everything you want in a side dish: crisp-tender broccoli tossed with smoky bacon, toasted almonds, and sharp shallots, all coated in a creamy sour cream dressing. The dressing relies on Dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar for tang, with a touch of garlic powder and sugar for balance — and it's perfectly spoonable, not too thick.
Feel free to swap the almonds for any nuts you like, use red onion instead of shallots, or toss in extra toppings. The base is simple and endlessly adaptable, so make it your own. Just don't skip the dressing resting time — those 20 minutes let the flavors meld into something truly special.
Ingredients
Converted amounts are rounded.
Method
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, olive oil, garlic powder, apple cider vinegar, milk, Dijon mustard, sugar, and a pinch of salt and pepper until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning, then let sit for 20 minutes at room temperature to let the flavors develop. Add a little more milk if you prefer a thinner dressing.
- Cut the broccoli into small florets. Blanch them in boiling salted water or steam them until just tender-crisp — they should still have a bite. Drain in a colander, rinse under cold water to stop cooking, and let cool completely. Shake the colander occasionally to get rid of any water hiding in the floret heads.
- Toast the flaked almonds in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, until golden and fragrant. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
- In the same skillet, cook the chopped bacon over high heat until crispy and golden brown. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess fat.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled broccoli, toasted almonds, cooked bacon, and chopped shallots. Drizzle the dressing over the top and toss gently until everything is evenly coated. Transfer to a serving dish.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready. This salad is also great the next day.
💡 Tips
- For extra crunch, add some sunflower seeds or crumbled feta cheese.
- Leftover dressing keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- If you prefer a milder tang, reduce the vinegar to 1 teaspoon.
Inspired by a recipe from RecipeTin Eats