Anytime is a good time for an easy broccoli salad, especially one that takes 15 minutes to make and no cooking is involved! Sweet Tomatoes is known for the Sweet Tomatoes Joan’s Broccoli Madness Salad, and even if broccoli isn’t your go-to veggie, you’ll still love this cold broccoli salad.
All About Sweet Tomatoes
Sweet Tomatoes is a beautiful family restaurant that does so much for kids and the community. It’s also known as Soup Plantation in certain areas of the country. This Broccoli Madness Salad is just one of their many salad options. It has a fantastic salad bar with all sorts of homemade soups, bread, salads, and so much more. You are bound to love this restaurant with everything made in house and super fresh all day long. And if you are lucky enough to have one in your neighborhood, kids eat free on Mondays and Tuesdays so check out their Club Veg for kids.
What makes this Recipe so good
If you are looking for a straightforward salad to prepare, this easy broccoli salad requires minimal cooking. Who doesn’t love a simple salad to put together? This salad can also be assembled ahead of time and served at a later time. If you want to make the salad vegetarian, you may want to switch to a vegan mayonnaise, and not add the crispy bacon bits that go into this salad.
This Sweet Tomatoes Joans Broccoli Madness Salad contains:
- Fresh broccoli. You’ll use broccoli florets for this recipe. The florets allow you to enjoy bite-size pieces of the broccoli without being overwhelming.
- Diced red onions. Red onions give this dish a nice kick.
- Raisins. Any fresh raisins will work for this recipe.
- Cashews. The salt from the cashews gives this dish just the right amount of salty. But if you have a nut allergy, you can leave the nuts off this dish.
- Crispy Bacon Bits. Everything tastes better with bacon right? You can make your own bacon or use store-bought.
Add a quick and easy salad dressing that can also be used for so many other recipes including coleslaw or a cold pasta salad.
Cooking Tips
- If you’re not a broccoli fan, you can leave it out. Just replace with some mixed greens and enjoy it as a side salad.
- The cashews can also be taken out if you have a nut allergy.
- To make this salad vegetarian, you can switch to a vegan mayonnaise, and leave out the crispy bacon bits.
- To make this salad low carb and keto-friendly, substitute an appropriate sugar substitute (like swerve) for the sugar, leave out the raisins, and use pecans instead of cashews.
- This stays in the refrigerator for a couple of days wonderfully, so it is the ideal salad to make ahead of time.
More Side Salad Recipes
This Broccoli Madness Salad is the perfect side dish for any meal. It’s especially great with chicken, beef or fish. Here are a few similar recipes that are also delicious.
Sweet Tomatoes 100% Whole Wheat Creamy Chipotle Salad
Captain D’s Cole Slaw
Smokey Italian Bowl Salad
Homemade Broccoli Salad
Sweet Tomatoes Southern Dill Salad
Are you ready to make Sweet Tomatoes Joan’s Broccoli Madness Salad? Comment below and let us know what your favorite salad is? Remember to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. And don’t forget to subscribe to our mailing list below so you don’t miss any of our CopyKat recipes!
Sweet Tomatoes Joan's Broccoli Madness Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 pounds broccoli florets
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup cashews
- 1/4 cup cooked bacon bits
- 1/4 cup chopped red onion
Instructions
- In a large bowl mix together mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, vegetable oil, and sugar, beat with a whisk until the sugar has dissolved. Add broccoli, cashews, raisins, bacon bits, and red onion. Fold in the broccoli until it is evenly coated with the salad dressing. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.
Recipe Tips for the Cook
- If you're not a broccoli fan, you can leave it out. Just replace with some mixed greens and enjoy it as a side salad.
- The cashews can also be taken out if you have a nut allergy.
- To make this salad vegetarian, you can switch to a vegan mayonnaise, and leave out the crispy bacon bits.
- This stays in the refrigerator for a couple of days wonderfully, so it is the ideal salad to make ahead of time.
Art Godbout says
We love Sweet Tomatoes and each time we visit I reserve one entire plate for Joan’s Broccoli Madness. At home, this recipe keeps me happy for several days and then it’s gone and I feel the need to return for more. Broccoli is a super food and this salad, while high in potassium, is still a very tasty part of my otherwise boring “kidney disease” diet. Healthy AND delicious. What more could you ask for?
Linda Tenny says
Have taken many liberties with this basic recipe, adding raw mushrooms, baby corn, dried cranberries instead of raisins and omitting the salad oil. It is same, but different.
Joeleen says
Thanks so much!! Since they closed all of the Sweet Tomatoes in Illinois I really miss this salad!!
Stephanie says
I hope this recipe works well for you!
Janette Maiz says
I LOVE this salad and eat it every time I go to Soup Plantation. I’m happy that you published it and I already made it and taste the same!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!
Kimberly Garner says
Delish! I made this for a family gathering and everyone loved it! Thanks for posting!
Susan Gann says
I have missed this place as I have moved to a very rural location. Thank you for the recipe, it is superb!
Stephanie says
I am glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Rita says
Thanks Stephanie,
great salad recipe
Cindy says
This sounds yummy and good on a hot summer day or any day for that matter. I am not fond of cashews in salad so thinking maybe walnuts would be a good option??
Stephanie says
I am sure your salad will be great with whatever nut you put in the salad.
Elizabeth Escamilla says
We are vegan now but I love this salad. Is there a way I can substitute the mayonnaise for something else without compromising flavor?
Stephanie says
I think you can purchase ovo vegetarian mayonnaise. You could try using Baconnaise, it’s ovo vegetarian and would still give you the smoke flavor of bacon.
EB says
Hi! Quick suggestion — Just Mayo by Hampton Creek or Veganaise are great vegan mayo options! Also, many bacos — the salad topping bacon bits — are actually not meat and vegan!
Tami says
Baconnaise contains egg yolk so is not actually vegan.
Stephanie says
Thank you for clarifying that for me. I will change that term to ovo vegetarian.
Fabian says
I make this same recipe,but use sunflower seeds instead of cashews. Never any leftovers family gatherings!
Harry says
Stephanie,
I have been known to drive across three states just to eat at Sweet Tomatoes, since there is not one near where I live. And when I go there, Joan’s Broccoli Madness Salad is one of my favorites. It is sooooo good.
Thanks for sharing their recipe with us.
Stephanie says
I hope you give it a try!
Stephanie says
It is also a nice add to a gin and tonic 😉
Sharon Herber says
If you click on print recipe the recipe comes up and you can print or save it to your computer. Hope this helps you Tanya Campbell
Tanya Campbell says
I cant find the recipe….
Monica Henin says
I think so this recipe is great.
I will follow and make my family crazy 😀