Broccoli Slaw with Bacon, Apples, and Dried Cranberries

Name: Broccoli Bacon Slaw
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 12 ounces bacon; 12 ounces broccoli (shredded); 12 ounces cabbage (shredded); 2 small apples (sliced or chopped, cored but not peeled); 1/4 cup chopped sweet or red onion; 1 cup dried cranberries; 1/4 cup chopped walnuts ((or sunflower seeds)); 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (loosely packed); 1/2 cup fresh chives (chopped (or 2 tablespoons dried)); 1/2 cup mayonnaise; 2 tablespoon pure maple syrup; 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice; 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Broccoli Bacon Slaw is a healthy mix of cabbage, broccoli, apples, and onion tossed in a sweet, creamy dressing with bacon, dried cranberries, walnuts, cilantro, and chives! It's a meal in itself for about 8, or will make more side servings.

two black plates of broccoli slaw with bacon — Pin to save the recipe for later by clicking the button in the corner.

My daughter Natalie is very artistic and great at developing new recipes. She produces very delicious food in her kitchen! You may have already tried her Gluten Free Tortillas. That recipe has been very popular with my readers. When she told me about this broccoli slaw that she was making, I knew it had to be good! I've done my best to convert her description into a written recipe, and tested it twice. I hope you love it as much as we do!

top down view of all of the ingredients for broccoli bacon slaw — Gather your ingredients.

creamy salad dressing in beige bowl with wooden spoon

Combine the dressing ingredients.

shredded cabbage and broccoli being stirred with wooden spoon in glass bowl

Toss broccoli and cabbage in dressing.

chopped bacon and red onion beside apples slices on salad in white bowl

Layer on the remaining ingredients.

top down view of black plate with salad, chopped red onion, bacon, sliced apple

Sprinkle on the toppings.

How to Cook Bacon

The easiest way to cook bacon is in the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay out the bacon strips on it, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Chef Markus Mueller gives explicit instructions in How to Cook Bacon in the Oven.

What to Do with Broccoli Stems

This! Broccoli Bacon Slaw is a great way to use up your broccoli stems. They're too full of nutrition to throw out! So, after you've used the florets for crudites or whatever, save the stems for this great dish.

How to Choose Walnuts

I used to think I didn't like walnuts. I've since learned that the reason I didn't like walnuts was that I was eating rancid walnuts. Walnuts tend to lose freshness very quickly. If you find a source of nice, fresh walnuts, I think you'll like them!

I've had good success with ordering nuts online from Nuts.com . Anything I get from them has always been nice and fresh. This is not an affiliate link. I just like them.

Once you've found your fresh walnuts, store them in the refrigerator, don't keep them around too long.

closeup of broccoli salad with cilantro, dried cranberries, and walnuts on top

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you buy broccoli slaw?

I like to buy my broccoli already shredded for broccoli slaw. I get it in a 340 g (or 12 oz) package. This saves time and effort. If I can get it in my small town grocery store, then you can probably buy pre-shredded broccoli wherever you live, too.

How do you cut broccoli for coleslaw?

If you're unable to buy a package of broccoli slaw or you have broccoli stalks that you'd like to use up, you can certainly shred your own.

Peel the stalks. Discard the tough, very bottom part. Then, with a box grater or the shredding disk on a food processor, you can make your own broccoli slaw.

Can you eat broccoli raw?

You certainly can eat broccoli raw. It's very nutritious! According to Healthline, broccoli is packed with vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds. Cooking destroys some of the nutrients, so there is a benefit to eating it raw.

Can you eat broccoli stalks?

This Broccoli Bacon Slaw is a great use for broccoli stalks. Perhaps you've used broccoli florets in another dish and are wondering what to do with the stalks. It seems such a shame to throw them out!

chopped bacon, apples, cabbage, and broccoli on black plate

Broccoli Bacon Slaw

Broccoli Bacon Slaw is a delicious blend of chopped vegetables tossed with sweet, creamy dressing, and topped with a sprinkling of dried cranberries, walnuts, cilantro, and chives.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings large

Calories 343kcal

Author Cathy

Ingredients

Salad

12 ounces bacon
12 ounces broccoli shredded
12 ounces cabbage shredded
2 small apples sliced or chopped, cored but not peeled
1/4 cup chopped sweet or red onion
1 cup dried cranberries

Topping

1/4 cup chopped walnuts (or sunflower seeds)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro loosely packed
1/2 cup fresh chives chopped (or 2 tablespoons dried)

Dressing

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

Bacon

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and lay out the bacon slices in a single layer to fill the sheet.
Bake for about 15 minutes, but watch it closely. Thinner bacon will cook faster than thicker bacon.
Remove bacon from pan and place it on paper towels to absorb excess fat. When it's cool enough to handle, chop it up for the salad.

Dressing

Combine the mayonnaise, maple syrup, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl.

Salad

Toss the broccoli and cabbage with the dressing. Either toss in the bacon, apples, onion, and cranberries, or layer them onto the salad.

Topping

Finally, sprinkle the topping ingredients over the salad.

Notes

The bacon could be cooked a day ahead. The whole salad can be made a few hours before serving and kept in the refrigerator, if you just add the nuts or seeds at the end. Refrigerate leftovers.