Sunflower Crunch Salad
Sunflower crunch salad combines broccoli, crisp veggies, dried apricots, bacon bits, and sunflower seeds, all coated in a creamy jalapeño dressing as a side dish or a light meal.
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 6 cups chopped broccoli, small pieces
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced
- ½ large red onion, diced
- 1 ½ cups dried apricots, diced
- 6 strips of thick cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 cup salted sunflower seeds, plus more for serving
For the dressing:
- 1 jalapeño
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 12 ounce your favorite garlic vinaigrette
- 3 Tbsp mayonnaise
- ¼ cup fresh chopped basil
Equipment
- Large Salad Bowl
Instructions
- Cut the broccoli into small, bite-sized pieces, removing stems if needed.
- Rinse and dry the red pepper, then dice it finely.
- Finely dice the red onion.
- In a bowl, toss together the onion, broccoli, red pepper, and sunflower seeds.
- Dice the bacon into small pieces, then cook them in a hot pan until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan and let it drain on paper towels.
- Finely chop the dried apricots. Add half of the chopped apricots to the broccoli mixture.
- Carefully remove the seeds from the jalapeño, then finely dice it.
- In a bowl, combine the garlic vinaigrette with the diced jalapeño, mayonnaise, and honey.
- Whisk vigorously until the dressing is fully blended.
- Add about half of the dressing to the broccoli mixture and toss thoroughly to coat. You can let the salad sit for about one hour so the broccoli absorbs the dressing, or you can serve it immediately.
- Just before serving, toss the vegetables again to coat them in the dressing. Add fresh basil, then top with the remaining dried apricots and the cooked bacon.
- Sprinkle with an extra handful of sunflower seeds and serve.
- The remaining dressing can be placed on the side so others can add more if they like.
Notes
Sandy’s tips:
- Salad storage: This sunflower crunch salad is best served immediately, although you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Keep in mind that the crunchy salad components will start to soften over time.
- Make ahead: Make the salad dressing and store it in a glass jar in the fridge for up to a week. I prefer to keep my homemade dressings in mason jars (especially to show off their pretty vibrance), but any sealable jar or airtight container will work. It’s normal for the fats to solidify in the fridge - just bring the chilled dressing to room temperature and give it a good shake or whisk before using again.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 407kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 31g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 16mg, Sodium: 596mg, Potassium: 548mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 17g, Vitamin A: 1474IU, Vitamin C: 66mg, Calcium: 57mg, Iron: 2mg