No more boring broccoli! This Broccoli Salad is dressed with a gorgeous Sour Cream Dressing that is tangy, creamy and made WITHOUT mayonnaise. Throw in nuttiness from almonds, freshness from shallots / scallions and a few bacon bits, and you have yourself a salad that is so good, it’s worth of a meal in itself!
This broccoli recipe is a lighter version of classic Broccoli Salad with a creamy dressing. Try this on the side of Baked Pork Chops, sticky Baked Chicken Thighs, marinated beef Steaks or crispy Pan Fried Fish with Lemon Butter Sauce!
Broccoli Salad
I’m keeping this post short and sweet because it’s an extra recipe, a side dish for these Oven Baked Pork Chops I also shared today. 🙂
When you think of creamy salad dressings, you automatically think of mayonnaise. Don’t get me wrong – I love my mayonnaise dressings. My friend’s mother’s Epic Potato Salad is simply the best I have ever had – EVER – and you could never go skinny on that mayonnaise dressing.
However, for everyday purposes, I try to avoid using too much mayonnaise in dressings.
So this Sour Cream Dressing is one of my “everyday” creamy dressing. Looks fab, no? 😉
I make all sorts of variations of this Broccoli Salad. This one I’m sharing today is a fairly classic version that I make often because I always have some sort of nuts in the pantry and I always have scallions (it’s my Asian genes). Though I must admit that bacon doesn’t make an appearance all the time! It’s a treat. 🙂
Even if you served this with just broccoli and the dressing, it’s a really lovely way to change up plain steamed broccoli on the dinner plate. 🙂 Here it is as a side to the Oven Baked Pork Chops I also shared today.
Key tip for making broccoli salads – drain the broccoli well! The heads of the broccoli are water catchers and the last thing you want is to take a bite of broccoli, expecting creamy dressing only to find you end up with a mouthful of watery dressing! So leave the broccoli in the colander to drain well, shaking occasionally to get it as dry as possible.
NO MORE BORING BROCCOLI! Who’s with me??! – Nagi x
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Broccoli Salad with Sour Cream Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 large or 2 small heads of broccoli
- 150 g / 5 oz lean bacon, chopped
- 1/4 cup flaked almonds, or other nuts of choice
- 2 shallots / scallions, or red onion, finely chopped
Sour Cream Dressing
- 1/3 cup sour cream (I use low fat)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder, or 1/2 small garlic clove, minced
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar, or white wine vinegar
- 2 - 3 tbsp milk, plus more to adjust consistency
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 3/4 tsp white sugar
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Mix the Sour Cream Dressing ingredients together in a bowl. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. and set aside for 20 minutes for the flavours to develop. Use milk to adjust dressing to desired consistency.
- Break / cut broccoli into smallish florets. Blanch in boiling water or steam until just cooked - it should still be tender but crisp. Drain in a colander, run under tap water to help cool faster and leave to cool. Shake around in colander occasionally to loosen water caught in the floret heads (watery broccoli salad not nice!).
- Toast almonds in non stick skillet over medium high heat until golden. Remove into bowl.
- Cook bacon in skillet over high heat until golden. Drain on paper towels.
- Place salad ingredients in a bowl. Drizzle over dressing and toss to combine. Transfer to serving bowl.
- I served this with Oven Baked Pork Chops.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
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Broccoli Salad with Sour Cream Dressing nutrition per serving.
Life of Dozer
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – this dog eats everything!
I found this looking for a sour cream dressing recipe for a salmon salad. I used garlic infused olive oil and it was perfect. Side note, I make a very similar broccoli salad, but I add a handful of dried cranberries as well, you should try it ! Tangy chewy fruity little nuggets go incredibly well with broccoli and bacon !
Thank you for inspiring me to make this recipe, I had heard of it a few years ago and really thought it sounded unimpressive. I noticed you had it and followed your recipe, for any doubters, this salad is brilliant, easy to prepare ahead and incredibly delicious
So so sooo good! Always thinking of ways to make broccoli and other vegetables more interesting.. this is my new fave salad recipe! I love that all of your recipes aren’t complicated and I usually have everything I need in the pantry! It makes cooking so much more enjoyable knowing that I’ve made something from scratch, always so much flavour too. I search your page almost everyday! Thank you!! Keep up the amazing work x
Thanks so much for the great feedback Renaye, I truly appreciate it! N x
I loved this recipe! It’s better than my old dressing by miles. Thank you.
I’m so happy you love it Karen! This is one of my favourite salads!
Another fan from South Africa. I am never disappointed when i try your recipes – very simple and full of amazing flavor. My family is always looking forward to dinner – thanks to you!
I made this with the roasted pork chops tonight and surprisingly today everyone loved broccoli! I also used some cauliflower as i didnt have enough broccoli. The dressing is awesome…It just takes the dish to another level. Thank you.
I also hate waterlogged broccoli in salads, so I tried drying it for this recipe in my salad spinner…. magic! It was beautifully coated in the dressing. Our favorite broccoli recipe. Thanks for another fabulous recipe Nagi!
Love that you enjoyed this Liz! Thanks for letting me know – N x
HI Nagi & Dozer, I am doing this recipe tonight and looking forward to it, my dog Ralphie also loves all food and will eat raw Broccoli or anything else lol 🐶🐶😜
This was amazing, had with the chops!
One point however, I can’t seem to find where you use the challots in the method. I fryer them then added the bacon.
Great recipe
Richard
Hi Richard! step 5 🙂 When all the salad ingredients are tossed together! N x
This is addictive! Yumm
So glad you love this too!
Your recipes look great! Anxious to try them. Many thanks!
You’re so welcome Claudia! N x
How awesome is this salad. Made it last night to accompany the oven baked pork chops & spuds.
I only use greek yoghurt so this was my base…….I could not imagine this salad with mayo after whipping up this dressing.
Who knew the humble broc could be so tasty?
A complete wholesome and delish meal. Thanks Nagi!
Wow, I’m so pleased to hear you enjoyed this so much Barb!!! Thank you for letting me know, wasn’t sure if this one would be something that many people would enjoy as much as me! 😂
I actually got up during the night to polish it off, I didn’t want to share it.
The dressing takes the salad to a new level, so full of flavour. The secret is not to overcook the broc, it needs to be crisp not limp.
This one will be on the table for Christmas.
I have made this a few times and think it might be my go to after trying out a number of broccoli salads. I LOVE a good broccoli salad and this, my husband and I agree, is a winner 🙂 About to make it for my dinner, on its own 😀
Love hearing that Anna! N x ❤️
Hoping someone here can help! Hi everyone! Although I didn’t use this recipe to make my broccoli salad for this evenings dinner, I did use one similar and it turned out pretty bad 🙁 The one I used called for 3/4 cup mayo, 1/4 cup sour cream,1 1/2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar, 3 Tablespoons sugar, 1/4 teaspoon both salt & pepper. It also called for 1 cup of sharp cheese cut into small chunks. I messed up and wasn’t thinking when I cut up an 8 oz cube of cheese (which made it VERY cheesy) but my problem is the dressing. I used this recipe but my broccoli salad is so thick and tangy it’s almost to the point I’m ready to throw it out but so much in it I hate to do that so my question is does anyone have any suggestions on how I can thin this salad out a bit and make it less mayonnaise tasting? Thanks for any suggestions!!
Hi Carolyn – I know I’m too late, but yes that dressing you used is VERY rich with mayo. I would have recommended that you use about 1/2 a cup of it, put it in a separate bowl and thin it out with milk to a dressing consistency. Add one minced garlic clove, adjust salt and pepper to taste, and tang with vinegar. 🙂
Made this last night and had it with roast chicken. The salad was delicious, and even better when a bit of chicken was mixed in with it. Next time I might try adding cooked chicken as well, and have it as a complete meal. It was a really delicious way to enjoy broccoli. I have one kid who is not a fan of broccoli, but I pointed out the salad had bacon in it, and that was enough to get him to eat more of it. 😉
I’m so pleased to hear that Margie! Thank you for trying my recipe! N xx ❤️
This is a keeper along with all your recipes ive tried so far. Thanks!
Awww thank you Lynn! So pleased you enjoyed this! N xx
Hi Nagi, We loved this one. Wasn’t sure at first, the dijon mustard was very noticeable. But with every mouthful it tasted better and better. My husband doesn’t usually go back for seconds but he did with this one. My daughter dislikes broccoli but loved this. This also tasted nice the next day.
It’s always the ultimate validation when kids like something with broccoli in it, isn’t it??? 🙂 Thanks for sharing that everyone enjoyed this Wendy! 🙂
Hi Nagi
Had this for dinner tonight along with the Broccoli Salad – it was very tasty and quite healthy. We all loved it and the caramelisation of the pork and potatoes was fantastic,
Another winner xo ?
I’m so glad you enjoyed this Vanessa!! Something different to the usual blanched broccoli!!
Oops, this was supposed to be posted on the Baked Pork Chops with potatoes section. Both recipes are a 10/10
Thanks Vanessa! N x
It was so yummy. We cleaned the whole lot tonight. Thanks for the recipe!
YAY! I am so glad you enjoyed this Kaz! N x
Oh gosh, this looks delish but I really get broccoli doneness anxiety and neverrrr get it right. I always seem to take it too far, and have even managed a limp rawness texture– miraculous really. Any tips Nagi?
Hi Bil – that’s a skill! JUST JOKES!!! Plonk the broccoli in boiling water and count to 80 (i.e. 80 seconds). Drain and run under cold water. No way will it be overcooked!!!
You saved the day again Nagi! Thank you very much for generously sharing your expertise; you’re fast becoming my fave cooking blog x
Awww, thanks Bil! I’m flattered! N x
Really delicious!!
Thanks Evangeline!!!