Sweet Tomatoes Joan’s Broccoli Madness Salad

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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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

  1. Fry the bacon in a skillet until crispy. Drain and chop it into bits.
  2. Combine mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, vegetable oil, and sugar in a small bowl.
  3. Beat with a whisk until the sugar has dissolved.
Prepping ingredients for broccoli salad.
  1. Place the broccoli, cashews, raisins, bacon bits, and red onion in a large bowl.
  2. Pour the dressing into the bowl.
Adding dressing to broccoli salad ingredients in a bowl.
  1. Fold in the ingredients until evenly coated with the salad dressing.
  2. Refrigerate this tasty salad for at least 4 hours before serving.
Copycat Sweet Tomatoes Joan's broccoli madness salad in a serving bowl.

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

Sweet Tomatoes Joan’s Broccoli Madness Salad

You can make your own Sweet Tomatoes Joan’s Broccoli Madness Salad from scratch.
4.96 from 21 votes
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Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Broccoli Salad, Joan’s Broccoli Madness
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 10
Calories: 288kcal

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

  • 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.

Video

Notes

  • If you’re not a broccoli fan, you can leave it out. Just replace it 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 vegan mayonnaise and leave out the crispy bacon bits.
  • This keeps in the refrigerator for a couple of days wonderfully, so it is the ideal salad to make ahead of time.

Nutrition

Calories: 288kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 222mg | Potassium: 383mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 580IU | Vitamin C: 81.4mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1.3mg

About Stephanie Manley

I recreate your favorite restaurant recipes, so you can prepare these dishes at home. I help you cook dinner, and serve up dishes you know your family will love. You can find most of the ingredients for all of the recipes in your local grocery store.

Stephanie is the author of CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home, and CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home 2.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Yvonne Ochoa

    Could I pre steam the broccoli a little bit to make it not quite as hard, then cool in fridge before making salad, would it still workout well?

  2. Mia Corrales

    5 stars
    My 7 year old son wolfs this down every time we go to Sweets. He doesn’t love the other stuff- so I made this solely with broccoli and the dressing. HE LOVES IT! So excited to continue making this!

  3. Art Godbout

    5 stars
    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?

  4. Linda Tenny

    5 stars
    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.

    • Addie

      5 stars
      This recipe is 12/10, must have. I’m sad that Souplantation is no more so I’m glad I’ve come across this recipe. Currently on keto/low-carb so I subbed the sugar for Lakanto monkfruit (erythritol), the cashews for unsalted roasted pumpkin seeds, and omitted the dried fruit.

  5. Janette Maiz

    5 stars
    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!!!!!

  6. Susan Gann

    5 stars
    I have missed this place as I have moved to a very rural location. Thank you for the recipe, it is superb!

  7. Cindy

    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??

  8. Harry

    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.

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