Description

Liz’s Roasted Broccoli Salad is a flavorful and hearty dish that combines roasted broccoli, crispy bacon, caramelized shallots, tangy feta cheese, and homemade sourdough croutons. Finished with fresh lemon zest, lemon juice, and grated garlic, this salad is perfect served hot, cold, or at room temperature for a versatile side or light meal.

Ingredients

Scale

Broccoli & Bacon

2 bags of broccoli florets (24 ounces total)
Olive oil, for drizzling
Salt, to taste
12 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
1–2 shallots, thinly sliced

Salad & Finishings

4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
3–4 thick slices sourdough bread, cut into cubes
Zest of 2 lemons
Lemon juice, to taste
1 clove garlic, grated
Olive oil, salt, and pepper, to finish

Instructions

Roast broccoli, bacon, and shallot: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). On a large sheet pan, place the broccoli florets on one side and the bacon pieces with sliced shallots on the other side. Drizzle olive oil over the broccoli and sprinkle with salt. Roast for 20-30 minutes until the broccoli is browned and tender and the bacon is crispy. Transfer all to a large bowl.
Make sourdough croutons: Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C). Carefully drain excess bacon fat from the pan if needed. Add the sourdough bread cubes to the same pan and toss to coat them evenly in the bacon fat. Add extra olive oil or butter if necessary to ensure the croutons are well coated. Bake for 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally, until the croutons are crispy and golden brown.
Toss and serve: In the bowl with broccoli, bacon, and shallots, add the crumbled feta cheese while everything is still hot so it slightly melts. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice to taste, and the freshly grated garlic clove. Season with salt, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil to finish. Toss everything together well. Serve the salad hot, cold, or at room temperature for maximum flavor enjoyment.

Notes

You can separate the roasting between two sheet pans if you don’t have enough space on one.
Adjust the amount of lemon juice and garlic based on your personal taste preferences.
Sourdough croutons can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
This salad can be served as a side dish or a light meal.
Use thick-cut bacon for best texture and flavor.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Category: Salad
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: roasted broccoli salad, bacon salad, sourdough croutons, feta cheese salad, lemon broccoli salad, easy roasted vegetable salad