Not your average broccoli salad 🥓
If your Thanksgiving table runs on the same classics every year, you’re in good company. I’m a HUGE classic sides kind of gal, and this Candied Bacon Roasted Broccoli Salad is the one exception I’m making this year.
It earned the spot the very first time I tested it. Justin was shoveling it into his mouth straight from the bowl, spoonful after spoonful, and it never made it to our plates. 😂
Part of that is the candied bacon (does it really need an explanation?). But what REALLY makes it a Thanksgiving side is that everything roasts at one oven temp, with the broccoli and shallots sliding in right as the bacon comes out.
That took a few rounds of testing to figure out. Crowding it all onto one pan left the bacon soft and the broccoli overcooked, so splitting it into two batches turned out WAY better, and with very little added time.
Even our little guy was slurping down the shallot rings and LOVED the sorta sweet but tangy broccoli. If the classic Easy Broccoli Bacon Salad is your usual, this is the roasted, no-mayo version that’s worth a spot on the holiday table.
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Thick-cut bacon: Regular-cut works too, it just cooks faster, so start checking it around the 12-minute mark.
- Cayenne pepper: Totally optional. Leave it out for a mild version the whole family will eat (the brown sugar and black pepper still give it plenty going on).
- Broccoli: You’ll need 2 to 3 large heads (or a couple bags of pre-cut florets to save the knife work), and cut the florets close to the same size so they char evenly. If trying it with frozen broccoli, thaw first and pat dry really well so it doesn’t come out soggy.
- Shallots: Thinly sliced sweet onion is a great sub.
- Pecans: Walnuts work just as well here.
- Pomegranate arils: One pomegranate gives you more than enough (here’s how to cut a pomegranate without the mess), or grab the pre-seeded cups in the produce section. Dried cranberries work in their place, just know the salad will come out a little sweeter.
- Honey: Maple syrup works great if that’s what you have.
Step-by-step Instructions
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Coat the bacon in sugar.
Toss the bacon pieces with the brown sugar mixture until every piece is coated, then spread them out on a baking sheet with a little space so they don’t stick together.
Bake until caramelized.
Bake until the bacon is deep golden brown, then move it to a wire rack in a single layer. It finishes crisping as it cools, right while the broccoli roasts.
Pro Tip: Start checking at the 15-minute mark. Brown sugar goes from caramelized to burnt FAST, and the bacon will look a touch underdone on the pan before it crisps on the rack.
Set up the broccoli pan.
Arrange the florets cut-side down on a second sheet pan, sprinkle the shallot rings over the top, then drizzle with olive oil (or spritz with an oil sprayer) and sprinkle with salt. Cut-side down is what gets you those charred edges.
Pro Tip: If the florets don’t fit in a single layer, split them across two pans. Crowded broccoli steams instead of chars, which is exactly what happened in my first test.
The Sheet Pan I L❤️VE!
Your veggies will end up steaming instead of roasting if you overcrowd the pan. So my tip… use the largest sheet pan you have and spread everything out!
Roast, then add the pecans.
Once the bacon is out, the broccoli and shallots go straight in. For the last few minutes, sprinkle the pecans over the pan so they toast alongside the broccoli, no extra skillet needed.
Shake the vinaigrette, then dress it.
Add everything for the dressing to a jar, seal it, and shake until it comes together. Pile the broccoli, shallots, and pecans into a big wooden salad bowl and toss with about half the vinaigrette, adding more to taste.
Break apart any bacon that stuck together, then top with the bacon and pomegranate arils.
Pro Tip: Dress it right before it hits the table. The bacon and pecans stay crunchy longest when the vinaigrette goes on last, so if you’re making it ahead, keep the dressing in the jar until serving.
Oops! What Did I Do Wrong?
My bacon got too dark.
Pull it now, even if the timer says otherwise, and get it onto the wire rack so the sugar stops cooking. Deep brown is right, nearly black is burnt, and the darker pieces will taste bitter, so pick those out.
Next time, start checking at 15 minutes (12 for regular-cut).
My bacon fused into one big sheet.
Let it cool on the rack for a few minutes and it’ll snap apart into pieces with your hands. Next time, leave a little space between the pieces on the pan.
My broccoli is soft instead of charred.
Spread it across two pans and give it 5 more minutes. Crowded broccoli steams, and it needs to be cut-side down in a single layer to get those crispy edges.
My salad went soggy.
Top it with more of the reserved bacon and pecans and serve the rest of the vinaigrette on the side. Soggy almost always means it was dressed too early, so next time wait until right before serving.
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Candied Bacon Roasted Broccoli Salad Recipe
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Equipment
- Wooden Salad Bowl
Ingredients
Roasted Broccoli Salad
- 8 ounces thick-cut bacon cut into ½-inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar firmly packed
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- 8 cups broccoli florets about 2-3 large heads
- 4 shallots peeled and thinly sliced into rings
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup pecans chopped
- ½ cup pomegranate arils
Apple Cider Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 garlic clove grated
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Break apart the bacon pieces as best you can and place them in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, black pepper, and cayenne pepper, if using. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the bacon and toss until every piece is coated.3 tablespoons brown sugar, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Spread the bacon in a single layer on a large baking sheet, leaving a little space between pieces.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the bacon is deep golden brown and caramelized. Start checking at 15 minutes, since the brown sugar can burn quickly. Transfer the bacon to a wire rack in a single layer to cool and crisp up.
- Meanwhile, spread the broccoli in a single layer on a second large baking sheet with the broccoli cut-side down. Sprinkle the shallots over the top. Drizzle the broccoli and shallots with the olive oil (or spritz with an oil sprayer), then sprinkle with the salt.8 cups broccoli florets, 4 shallots, 2 tablespoons olive oil, ¾ teaspoon salt
- Once the bacon is out of the oven, roast the broccoli and shallots for 18 minutes.8 cups broccoli florets, 4 shallots
- Add the pecans to the baking sheet and roast for 5-7 minutes more, or until the broccoli is charred around the edges and the pecans are toasted.¾ cup pecans
- Meanwhile, add the extra-virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic, salt, and black pepper to a jar. Seal and shake until well combined.¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 garlic clove, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Just before serving, transfer the broccoli, shallots, and pecans to a serving bowl. Drizzle with about half of the vinaigrette and toss to coat. Add more vinaigrette to taste.8 cups broccoli florets, 4 shallots, ¾ cup pecans
- Break apart any bacon pieces that stuck together. Top the salad with the bacon and pomegranate arils. Serve any remaining vinaigrette on the side.½ cup pomegranate arils
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Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What to Serve with Roasted Broccoli Salad
This one was built for a holiday table, so it needs a main that can hold its own. My Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Pork Tenderloin is the showstopper version, and a Spatchcock Chicken is what I’d do for a smaller crowd.
Since the broccoli and bacon are already taking up the oven, I lean on stovetop sides to round out the plate. The CREAMIEST Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Southern Collard Greens with Bacon both stay off the oven schedule entirely, and a skillet of Gravy without Drippings covers whatever main you land on.
If you’ve got oven room, Melting Sweet Potatoes roast at the same 425°F, so they can go in right alongside the broccoli (the host in me LOVES when that works out). And nobody has ever complained about a pan of Honey Jalapeño Cornbread showing up next to a bacon-topped anything.
More Thanksgiving Side Dishes
I think we can all agree that the sides are the best part of the Thanksgiving spread. Here’s what else is going on my table this year.
