Once upon a time, there was a restaurant in Coon Rapids, Minnesota, that was known for “the salad” and prime rib, but really it was all about the salad. The restaurant was named Tequilaberry’s, and the salad was called Tequilaberry salad, naturally.

white bowl filled with salad and a striped napkin.

What makes a salad legendary? Perhaps it is the dressing, a combination of mayo, apple cider vinegar, and sugar with some Greek yogurt. Or maybe it is lettuce, fresh broccoli, sweet grapes, smoky bacon pieces, or salty parmesan cheese. Regardless of the unique name, the combination of the salad dressing and the salad components is delicious!

Ingredients

In order to make this tequilaberry salad low FODMAP, a few modifications needed to happen from the authentic tequilaberry salad recipe.

Iceberg Lettuce - A beautiful, crispy lettuce.
Head of Brocolli - Has a wonderful texture and is a great choice for low FODMAP recipes.
Carrots - Added purely for color and extra nutrients.
Grapes - Green or red grapes. Green grapes have less fructose.
Bacon - Smoky bacon, cut into bite-sized pieces.
Parmesan Cheese - Adds the perfect salty, creamy cheese component.
Mayo - Full-fat mayo, not Miracle Whip. Miracle Whip has high fructose corn syrup in it.
Greek Yogurt - Use plain Greek yogurt. Adds protein to the salad dressing!
White Sugar - Brings some sweetness to the otherwise salty, smoky ingredients.
Apple Cide Vinegar - The perfect vinegar for this dressing.

See the recipe card for the exact measurements and complete instructions. Selected ingredients are based on current serving sizes measured by the Monash App at the time of publishing. As always, follow your gut and modify as needed.

Jump to Recipe

Instructions

First, cut the broccoli into tiny pieces. Fork-sized pieces that can easily fit on a fork along with other salad components. Wash and rinse the florets—place in a mixing bowl.

head of iceberg lettuce chopped up on a cutting board with a knife.

Next, chop up the head of iceberg lettuce into bite-size pieces. Remove the core and wash it in a salad spinner. Make sure there is not any additional moisture from the lettuce. Excess water will water down the dressing.

After that, wash and peel the carrots. Using a box grater, shred the carrots. Remove the grapes from the vine and wash them. Set aside.

Cut the already-cooked bacon into bacon bits with a knife and cutting board. If the bacon needs to be cooked, bake it in the oven at 400 degrees F on a baking sheet topped with a wire rack until fully cooked and crispy. Drain on a paper towel and chop up once cool.

small bowl with dressing ingredients and a small whisk.

In a medium bowl, add the tequilaberry salad dressing ingredients: mayo, sugar, apple cider vinegar, and Greek yogurt. Use a whisk and combine the dressing until smooth.

In a large bowl, add the lettuce, broccoli, carrots, grapes, shaved parmesan, and bacon.

spoonful of dressing over the salad in a large bowl.

Pour the salad dressing over the salad ingredients and mix. Cover and refrigerate. Serve the salad immediately. If you are not serving the salad immediately, wait to add the dressing.

Substitutions

Head of Cauliflower - If you are not on a low FODMAP diet or know you can tolerate cauliflower, feel free to swap cauliflower for broccoli. Or go for half broccoli and half cauliflower. The original recipe for tequilaberry salad used a head of cauliflower.
Romaine Lettuce - If you need sturdier lettuce, use romaine lettuce instead of iceberg lettuce.
Green Onions - Use the tops of green onions to add the flavor of onion and no low FODMAPs.
Vinegar - Use white vinegar or red wine vinegar - both great options!

Variations

In the original recipe, some past employees say buttermilk was listed in the ingredients. However, after testing, I thought the Greek yogurt was a better option.

Dressing Options - Instead of Greek yogurt, use sour cream. Add some bacon grease to increase the bacon flavor.
Bacon - Swap in turkey bacon instead of pork bacon. It will lower the fat amount and still have the smoky bacon flavor.

Low FODMAP Notes

Brocolli has been marked safe by Monash Food App at ¾ cup or 75 grams.
Carrots have been marked safe by Monash Food App to be safe at 75 grams.
Green Grapes have been marked safe by Monash Food App to be in a quantity of 6 or 32 grams. Red grapes are 28 grams. If you can, choose green grapes for a lower fructose amount.

Shortcut Tips

Lettuce - Purchase two bags of pre-cut lettuce.
Carrots - Purchase a bag of pre-shredded carrots.
Salad Dressing - Make it in advance to reduce the steps when assembling.

Ways to Customize This Salad

white marbled bowl filled with salad and a striped napkin.

Add some more crunch with roasted sunflower seeds and sliced radishes.
Crush parmesan cheese crackers and sprinkle on top of the salad.
Add diced grilled chicken to increase the protein and make this salad a meal versus a side dish.

Storage

Store the salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator or a bowl covered in plastic wrap. Salad will not last for very long once the dressing is applied, two days tops. The lettuce will start to wilt. I would not recommend freezing this salad.

Meal Planning

large clear bowl with all the salad ingredients mixed together.

This broccoli bacon salad is a perfect large salad to share at a potluck! Add the dressing and mix just before serving. Other great potluck options include potato salad, pasta salad, or sloppy joe's in a crockpot. Other options include combining all the salad ingredients, creating individual servings in a separate bowl, and adding dressing as needed. It will be a delicious side salad for BBQ pulled pork.