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

July 9, 2017 by Stephanie Manley, Last Updated December 1, 2021 29 Comments

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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.

broccoli salad with nuts and a sweet dressing in bowl

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 certain areas of the country. Unfortunately, on May 7, 2020, the company announced it would be permanently closing all locations.

It had a fantastic salad bar with all sorts of homemade soups, bread, salads, and so much 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

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.

Broccoli Salad Ingredients

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

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 out of this dish.
Crispy Bacon Bits. Everything tastes better with bacon right? You can make your own bacon or use store-bought.

broccoli, red onion, salad dressing, to make broccoli salad

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

Place mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, vegetable oil, and sugar in a large bowl.
Beat with a whisk until the sugar has dissolved.
Add broccoli, cashews, raisins, bacon bits, and red onion.
Fold in the ingredients until evenly coated with the salad dressing.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

Substitutions and Variations

If you’re not a broccoli fan, you can leave it out. Replace it 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, 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.

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.

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.

Are you ready to make Sweet Tomatoes Joan’s Broccoli Madness Salad? Comment below and let us know what your favorite salad is.

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