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    You are here: Home / Sides / Broccoli Salad

    Broccoli Salad

    April 15, 2019 By Sam 740 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
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    Broccoli salad with bacon and cheese

    A simple, classic Broccoli Salad recipe that serves as a great fast side dish for any party or potluck.  Made with bacon, cranberries, sunflower seeds, cheddar cheese and a homemade dressing, this is one of my favorite side dishes and it can be prepped in under fifteen minutes!

    Broccoli salad with bacon in a wooden serving bowl

    Please do not be alarmed by the amount of green in today’s post! I know broccoli salad is a little different from what you’re used to seeing here, where sugar and chocolate and cookies and definitely not broccoli are the norm, but bear with me.

    Broccoli salad is one of my favorite side dishes (right up there with deviled eggs and macaroni salad). It’s perfect for serving alongside Easter dinner (or any holiday dinner) and is a simple and refreshing side dish for summer parties and pot lucks. It can be thrown together in under fifteen minutes and I guarantee you that at least one person is going to ask for the recipe, wherever you bring it.

    In contrast to the broccoli, onion, and savory bacon and cheddar, this recipe has a surprising bit of sweetness thanks to a pinch of sugar and dried cranberries. The contrasting flavors blend perfectly together, and a splash of vinegar gives the dressing a subtle bite. This really is the perfect summer salad, and the best broccoli salad I think you’ll ever try.

    Ingredients for making broccoli salad with bacon and cheese

    Tips for Making the Best Broccoli Salad

    Broccoli salad is easy to make, but there are a few tips I want to share to make everything come together perfectly for you.

    Notes on Cheese

    When buying cheese for your broccoli salad, the thicker the shred the better. Buy sharp or extra sharp cheddar and stay away from the finely shredded variety. If you’re feeling extra ambitious, you can just buy a block and shred it yourself. Another option is to cut the cheese into small cubes instead.

    Broccoli: To Blanch or not to Blanch?

    I never blanch my broccoli when making broccoli salad, and I’ve never received any complaints (in fact, I always get requests for this recipe!). If you prefer to do so, you can. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and then blanch your broccoli for no longer than 60 seconds. Immediately drain and rinse in cold water to stop the broccoli from over-cooking. Dry your broccoli thoroughly before proceeding.

    You can buy pre-cut florets, but for me it was cheaper and not much more difficult to just buy a few heads of broccoli and cut it myself.  This recipe required about 2.5 heads of broccoli for me to make it, but your mileage may vary depending on the size of your grocery store’s broccoli!

    For best taste, let it sit!

    While this easy broccoli salad can be served right away, I prefer to let it sit in the refrigerator for a few hours to let all of the flavors really meld together. Broccoli salad can be prepared up to 3 days in advance of serving.

    How to make broccoli salad, combining ingredients and tossing with homemade dressing

    How to Lighten Up Broccoli Salad

    Broccoli salad certainly isn’t health food, but there are a few modifications you can make to make it a bit less fattening. I’ve found that when people see broccoli salad they think they’re getting something healthy, so if that’s what you’re looking for, there are a few modifications you can try.

    • Instead of using regular mayo, use one made with olive oil. I’m very picky about the type of mayo that I use and can’t stand the taste of reduced fat (and don’t get me started on Miracle Whip). I’ve found that using olive oil mayo in my broccoli salad recipe gives you all of the same creaminess and flavor while saving a few calories.
    • You can replace some or all of the sour cream with plain Greek yogurt.
    • Using pre-cooked bacon will save time and fat and calories. Make sure you’re using real bacon pieces and not imitation flavored “bits”. These are usually found in the salad dressing aisle and should say that they’re “real” bacon on the packaging. I’ve also found that this bacon holds up best to the moisture from the broccoli salad.

    Keep in mind that ultimately broccoli salad (especially this broccoli salad with bacon and cheese!) is meant to be an indulgent side dish, and not health food!

    White bowl filled with broccoli salad with bacon

    OK, I hope I didn’t lose you with all of the broccoli photos!

    Enjoy!

    More Easy Side Dishes You Might Like:

    • Taco Salad
    • Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad
    • Summer Corn Salad
    • Cowboy Caviar

    Enjoy!

    Broccoli salad with bacon and cheese

    Broccoli Salad

    A simple broccoli salad made with bacon, cranberries, and other simple add-ins!
    Be sure to check out the recipe VIDEO at the bottom of the post!
    4.98 from 637 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Salad, Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Chilling Time: 1 hour
    Total Time: 10 minutes
    Servings: 8 cups
    Calories: 291kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt

    Ingredients

    • 5-6 cups broccoli florets¹ 1 lb, this was about 2 ½ heads of broccoli for me (450g)
    • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese thicker, not finely shredded (115g)
    • ⅔ cup dried cranberries (85g)
    • ½ cup crumbled bacon² (60g)
    • ½ cup salted sunflower seeds (60g)
    • ⅓ cup red onion diced into small pieces (50g)

    Dressing

    • ¾ cup mayo I use olive oil mayo (175g)
    • ¼ cup sour cream³ (70g)
    • 1 ½ Tablespoon white wine vinegar⁴
    • 3 Tablespoons sugar (40g)
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon pepper
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Combine broccoli florets, cheddar cheese, dried cranberries, bacon, sunflower seeds, and onion in a large bowl.
    • In a separate, small bowl, whisk together mayo, sour cream, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper until smooth and well-combined.
    • Pour dressing over broccoli combination and toss or stir well.
    • Broccoli salad may be served immediately, but for best flavor refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. Make sure to toss broccoli salad thoroughly again before serving.
      Keep refrigerated if not consuming right away.

    Notes

    ¹I never blanch my broccoli when making broccoli salad. If you wish to, blanch it in boiling water for 60 seconds. Drain and rinse with cold water immediately until broccoli has cooled, and then dry well before using.
    ²If cooking and crumbling your own bacon, you'll need about 8 strips. If you prefer to use pre-cooked/crumbled bacon, make sure you buy the kind made with real bacon (it should say it on the label) and not "bacon flavored bits" with imitation flavor.
    ³Some or all of the sour cream may be substituted with plain Greek yogurt.
    ⁴White wine vinegar is my preference, but red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar or champagne vinegar will also work great here.

    How to Store Broccoli Salad

    Broccoli Salad may be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. If you are making several days in advance, I recommend storing the salad and the dressing separately, then tossing everything together at least an hour before serving.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cup | Calories: 291kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 617mg | Potassium: 92mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 50IU | Vitamin C: 4.1mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 0.7mg

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.

    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!

    Large serving bowl of broccoli salad

    This Broccoli Salad Recipe was originally published 07/06/2017, re-published 04/15/2019.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jacqueline W Brown

      March 18, 2023 at 2:11 pm

      5 stars
      Absolutely delicious!

      Reply
    2. Linda Aliene Baker

      March 06, 2023 at 11:06 am

      5 stars
      Have had broccoli salad at pot luck dinners, but never made it. My husband loved this recipe. It’s definitely on the family favorites list.

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        March 06, 2023 at 12:40 pm

        We’re so glad you gave our recipe a try, Linda! Thanks for the review 😊

        Reply
    3. Heather

      February 22, 2023 at 11:02 pm

      5 stars
      Excellent!

      Reply
    4. KT

      February 13, 2023 at 9:34 am

      5 stars
      Absolutely amazing! I tried to make it slightly healthier by doing 1/2 mayo and 1/2 greek yogurt. You definitely couldn’t tell! I also could not find sunflower seeds so I used slivered almonds. I had one serving, and my husband ate the rest all in one sitting lol thinking it was healthy. Thank you for such a yummy recipe!

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        February 13, 2023 at 10:07 am

        So glad it was a hit for your family, KT! Thanks for the review ❤️

        Reply
    5. Kathleen

      February 12, 2023 at 12:18 pm

      5 stars
      Definitely a go-to salad for Broccoli. Addictive! Almost misplaced it. Thank you! The sour cream adds the perfect flavor.

      Reply
      • Sam

        February 12, 2023 at 4:05 pm

        Thank you for trying my recipe, Kathleen! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂

        Reply
        • Deb McD

          March 11, 2023 at 1:59 am

          5 stars
          I chose your recipe and I’m making it with toasted chopped pecans. Thank you for advice. I’ll share results here. 😊 you rock!

        • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

          March 13, 2023 at 10:17 am

          Sounds delicious! We hope you love it, Deb!

    6. Amanda

      January 23, 2023 at 1:14 am

      This was amazing everyone absolutely loved it thanks

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        January 23, 2023 at 9:37 am

        We’re so happy it was a hit for you, Amanda! ❤️

        Reply
    7. Deborah

      January 18, 2023 at 6:53 pm

      5 stars
      I made this last week and will be making it again in the next few days, even as I acknowledge it is not diet food! We love it. Only change I made was to use a package of broccoli slaw. And this tastes even better the second day. Thank you so much!

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        January 19, 2023 at 12:52 pm

        So glad you love the recipe, Deborah ❤️ We appreciate you coming back to leave a review!

        Reply
        • Deb McD

          March 11, 2023 at 2:03 am

          What a great idea to use the prepped broccoli slaw.

    8. Jeff Winett

      January 09, 2023 at 11:53 am

      5 stars
      I’ve never felt the need to change up a broccoli salad that I’ve made for years. But seeing Cheddar and dried Cranberries had me give your rendition a try for last night. WOW!!! I have “hoarding” tendencies with recipes, but will try to man up and delete my old recipe. I know I will never make it again 🙂 Thank you Sam. Your rendition is fantastic.

      Reply
    9. Sherry

      January 08, 2023 at 3:54 pm

      5 stars
      I made this to go with Christmas dinner and it was amazing… it was a huge hit. I plan on making it for every potluck and at least once a month; I’m making some right now!!!! I did double the sauce..

      Reply
      • Sam

        January 08, 2023 at 8:44 pm

        So happy to hear this, Sherry! Thank you for trying my recipe! 🙂

        Reply
    10. Jessica

      January 05, 2023 at 3:08 pm

      I have been making this recipe for years now. It is PERFECT for a potluck (or any meal, really). It’s a vegetable, and provides crunch and freshness to a plate, but doesn’t get soggy. It really stands out! I have been asked many times to bring it to a neighborhood get-together. And because it’s a very forgiving recipe, I can sub or even leave out an ingredient if I’m making it last minute. (Although I do make my own avocado mayo for it. Mostly because I always forget to buy mayo… I think it tastes better though 😋) Sam, I’m a long time follower of the blog, and always tell people where my amazing recipes come from! You!

      Reply
      • Sam

        January 06, 2023 at 9:00 am

        Thank you so much for the support, Jessica! I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed the blog for many years. 🙂

        Reply
    11. Robin

      January 02, 2023 at 7:07 pm

      5 stars
      Really enjoyed this! The dressing was perfect!

      Reply
    12. Cecelia

      December 24, 2022 at 12:32 pm

      5 stars
      Came out wonderful.

      Reply
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    The author (Sam) in blue shirt holding donut Hi, I'm Sam! I'm dedicated to bringing you sweet, simple, and from-scratch dessert recipes. My life may or may not be controlled by my sweet tooth. Send help (or chocolate). Read more about me.

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