If you’re looking for the perfect summer salad, look no further. Our Broccoli Salad is just what you’re looking for! It’s a delicious blend of crunchy, raw broccoli, smoky bacon, dried cranberries, cheddar cheese, sweet red onions, and sunflower seeds tossed in a creamy dressing.
It would be a great addition to your summer get-togethers, served as a light lunch, or a side dish with grilled or roasted chicken.
You’ll see different variations of this recipe online, but this is the best broccoli salad, and our favorite broccoli salad recipe, and trust me, we’ve tried just about every combination you can think of.
Using fresh broccoli lets you control how your salad looks. You can cut it up into small pieces or leave the crisp broccoli florets larger, whichever you prefer. Even chopped broccoli will work.
I like to leave the pieces a little larger so they don’t get lost with the rest of the ingredients.
Serve our classic broccoli salad with our Tri-Tip Steak or Roasted Pork Tenderloin and roasted potatoes for a full-on feast!
Ingredients
Gather the ingredients to prepare our favorite broccoli salad recipe. Culinary professionals call this the “Mise en Place,” which means “everything in its Place.”
Setting up your ingredients not only helps speed up the cooking process but also ensures you have all the necessary ingredients on hand to make the recipe.
Can I change up the recipe?
Absolutely, the best part about this recipe is the ability to adapt it to your taste preference.
Add Dijon mustard or brown mustard for a tangier flavor. For a sweeter dressing, add a little maple syrup or honey to the creamy mixture.
Red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar can be used in place of the apple cider vinegar.
Not a fan of mayonnaise? You can use plain Greek yogurt or sour cream instead. You can also use olive oil to make a honey mustard vinaigrette instead of a creamy dressing.
Sunflower kernels can be replaced with sesame seeds or pumpkin seeds, and cranberries can be replaced with golden raisins, dried cherries, or blueberries.
How to Make Broccoli Salad
Follow along with my simple step-by-step instructions to learn how to make broccoli salad in your home kitchen.
Cook the bacon till it’s very crispy. Place it on a paper towel to let the grease drain. Chop and set aside until needed.
- As the bacon cooks, rinse the broccoli heads under cold water/
- Using a sharp knife and cutting board, remove the broccoli stems, then cut the florets into bite-sized pieces.
You can make the pieces as small as you prefer and keep as much of the stem as you like.
- Add the mayonnaise, granulated sugar, and apple cider vinegar to a large bowl.
- Whisk to combine the dressing ingredients.
- Add the salt, black pepper, and lemon juice to the creamy mixture.
- Whisk to combine the dressing. Set aside until needed.
*If making in advance (up to 24 hours), wrap with cling wrap and refrigerate. - Add the broccoli, dried cranberries, shredded cheddar cheese, and red onion to the bowl.
- Toss the ingredients with the creamy dressing.
- Place the combined salad ingredients on your serving platter or large serving bowl.
Sprinkle the crispy bacon and sunflower seeds over the creamy broccoli salad. Season with salt and black pepper to taste and enjoy!
Leftover broccoli salad should be stored refrigerated in an airtight container or well covered with plastic wrap for 1-2 days. Stir the salad before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely. We prefer crisp broccoli florets, but you can use cooked broccoli if you prefer. Blanch it for one minute to get the green color to pop and soften the broccoli slightly. Or cook it for longer, depending on how soft you want it to be (but not too soft). Let it cool completely before adding the dressing.
No, you don’t. To keep the recipe vegetarian, leave the bacon out. The salty bacon offers a nice contrast to the flavor, but you could substitute pecans or your favorite salted nut to balance the flavors.
You can add crushed pineapple, chopped apple, blueberries, strawberries, or just about any of your favorite fruits. Grains like wheat berries and farro can also be added to the salad.
More Recipes You’ll Love!
Broccoli Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Salad
- 2 heads broccoli raw – cut into florets
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- ½ cup dried cranberries aka craisins
- 8 slices bacon about ½ cup chopped (cooked and drained)
- 1 cup red onion chopped
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds
Creamy Dressing
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 1 ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Cook the bacon till it's very crispy. Place it on a paper towel to let the grease drain. Chop and set aside until needed.
Dressing
- Add the mayonnaise, granulated sugar and apple cider vinegar to a large bowl
- Whisk together to combine the ingredients
- Add the salt, black pepper, and lemon juice to the creamy mixture
- Whisk together to combine the ingredients
- Set aside until needed, if making in advance wrap with cling wrap and place in the refrigerator up to 24 hours in advance
- Clean and rinse the broccoli under cold water
- Using a sharp knife and cutting board chop the broccoli removing the broccoli stems and cutting down to bite-size pieces (small florets)
- Add the broccoli, dried cranberries, cheese and red onion to the dressing
- Use a slotted spoon to stir together and coat the broccoli, cranberries, cheese and onions with the dressing
- Place the dressed vegetables and cheese on your serving plate or large serving bowl
- Sprinkle the creamy broccoli salad with the crispy bacon and sunflower seeds
- Add salt and pepper to taste
- Serve as a light snack, lunch or as a great side dish to any meal
- store leftover broccoli salad in an airtight container for 1-2 days. Make sure to stir the salad prior to eating.
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