Sweet Tomatoes Joan’s Broccoli Madness Salad

Name: Sweet Tomatoes Joan's Broccoli Madness Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
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

August 24, 2023 by Stephanie Manley 31 Comments

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Anytime is a good time for an easy raw 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, delicious salad. This is the best broccoli salad recipe you will try.

Copycat Sweet Tomatoes Joan's broccoli madness salad in a serving bowl.

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Table of Contents

All About Sweet Tomatoes

Sweet Tomatoes was a beautiful family restaurant that did so much for kids and the community. It’s also known as Soup Plantation in southern California and other parts of the country. Unfortunately, on May 7, 2020, the company announced it would permanently close all locations.

It had a fantastic salad bar with many homemade soups, bread, salads, and more. This Broccoli Madness Salad was just one of their many salad options. Everything was made in-house and super fresh all day long.

What Makes this Broccoli Salad Recipe So Good

This easy cold broccoli salad requires minimal cooking if you want a straightforward salad. Who doesn’t love a simple salad to put together?

This flavorful salad can also be assembled ahead of time and served later. It gets better the next day after making it. You’ll want to make this summer salad for a potluck and family meals.

Broccoli Salad Ingredients

This Sweet Tomatoes Joans Broccoli Madness Salad has these delicious ingredients:

Fresh broccoli. You’ll use bite-sized florets for this recipe. The florets allow you to enjoy bite-size pieces of 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 cashew salt gives this dish just the right amount of salty flavor. But if you have a nut allergy, you can leave the nuts out of this dish.
Crispy Bacon Bits. Everything tastes better with bacon. You can make your bacon bits or use store-bought.

Copycat Sweet Tomatoes Joan's broccoli madness salad ingredient on a wood board.

Broccoli Salad Dressing

This broccoli salad has a quick and easy dressing that can also be used for so many other recipes including coleslaw or a cold pasta salad. Here are the dressing ingredients:

Mayonnaise
Apple cider vinegar
Vegetable oil
Sugar

How to Make Broccoli Salad

Fry the bacon in a skillet until crispy. Drain and chop it into bits.
Combine mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, vegetable oil, and sugar in a small bowl.
Beat with a whisk until the sugar has dissolved.

Prepping ingredients for broccoli salad.

Place the broccoli, cashews, raisins, bacon bits, and red onion in a large bowl.
Pour the dressing into the bowl.

Adding dressing to broccoli salad ingredients in a bowl.

Fold in the ingredients until evenly coated with the salad dressing.
Refrigerate this tasty salad for at least 4 hours before serving.

Substitutions and Variations

If you’re not a broccoli fan, you can leave it out. Replace it with some mixed greens and enjoy it as a side salad.
The cashews can be omitted if you have a nut allergy.
To make this salad vegetarian, switch to a vegan mayonnaise and leave out the crispy bacon bits.
You can lighten up the salad with low-fat Greek yogurt instead of mayo. Note that it will add some tang to the salad.
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.

How to Store

Keep the freshly made broccoli salad or any leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

How long does broccoli salad last in the fridge?

This keeps in the refrigerator for a couple of days wonderfully. It is the ideal salad to make ahead of time.

Overhead view of copycat Sweet Tomatoes Joan's broccoli madness salad in a bowl.

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.

Love Broccoli? Try these recipes

And there’s more! Take a look at my copycat restaurant salad recipes and the best side dishes recipes.

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