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!
The Perfect Side for Your Next Cookout
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 chocolate chip cookie recipes 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.
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.
A Note on Buying the Right Amount of Broccoli:
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! I recommend discarding the stems and only using the florets (with a bit of the stem attached, but discard the thicker, woodier part).
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. Like any good coleslaw recipe, it benefits from at least a brief resting period. Not only does the flavor develop and deepen, but the broccoli (and the other ingredients) will also begin to absorb the dressing, which improves the flavor and softens the broccoli. Broccoli salad can be prepared up to 3 days in advance of serving.
How to Lighten Up Broccoli Salad
Broccoli salad certainly isn’t health food and is usually served alongside other not-so-light main dishes (think hot dogs and my smash burger recipe). However, 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.
- Lighten up the mayo. 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 being a better alternative.
- 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!
This recipe has been one of my most popular on the blog for over 7 years and has received hundreds of 5-star reviews. If you try it, I’d truly love to know how much you love it, too!
Enjoy!
Broccoli Salad
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
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
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
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.
This Broccoli Salad Recipe was originally published 07/06/2017, re-published 04/15/2019 and updated 05/12/2025.
Laura
My goal was to replicate the broccoli salad that I had recently in a local restaurant. Actually, your recipe is much better!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
That is so nice to hear, Laura! Thanks for giving our recipe a shot and coming back to leave a review 😊
Kimberly
Delicious!!!
DJ
This is now my go-to recipe for broccoli salad. I love the proportions of ingredients and flavoring. Thank you!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Wonderful! We love hearing that, DJ. Thanks so much for your review–enjoy! 😊
Annette
You have a winner. This is THE.BEST broccoli salad I’ve ever made. My husband agreed. I substituted dried cherries for cranberries (what was in the cupboard) and used shredded cheddar jack cheese (leftover from the holidays) and used super fine sugar (‘because regular sugar is hard to combine) and it was excellent. It was a nice addition for a soup and salad dinner. Thank You.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you liked the salad, Annette! Thanks so much for trying our recipe and letting us know how it went for you–we really appreciate it! Enjoy 🙂
Jaunita
Definitely my favorite recipe, absolutely delicious
Eva Mullinax
I tried this recipe today and it was awesome! There is only one thing wrong with it!It is almost impossible to keep from eating it all before dinner time! Love it!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you love the salad, Eva! And we’re all too familiar with that problem–let us know if you find a solution 😉
Viv
Fabulous salad that goes with everything.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Thanks so much, Viv! Enjoy 😊
Angela
This is probably one of the best salads I’ve ever had!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
That’s so great to hear, Angela! Thank you for trying our recipe and coming back to leave a review ❤️
Bobbie Wade
Wow this is amazing! I added some chopped chicken. I only added one tablespoon of sugar instead of the 3 and I really like the balance of sweet and tangy. Not too sweet for me. I’m trying to let it sit for an hour but I’m just standing over my counter scarfing it down lol. The first recipe Ive tried on your site but I’m definitely going to check out more!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re happy you liked the recipe, even with a few tweaks. Thanks for coming back to leave a review, Bobbie! 🙂
Monica Burgher
I just made this lovely salad for my Christmas dinner and it complemented my roasted turkey so well. Thank you for posting this recipe.
Patsy Weaver
I just made this. I didn’t use sour cream, just mayo. Instead of the sugar I used 1/4 cup sugar free maple syrup to lower the carbs. Delicious!
Rachel
Delicious! Just needed to make twice the dressing since mine seemed a bit dry at first – may have used a bit more florets?
Definitely adding to the holiday faves!
Rachel
Delicious! Just needed to make twice the dressing since mine seemed a bit dry at first – may have used a bit more florets?
Definitely adding to the holiday faves!
julie cowart
Made this tonight and had a hard time not eating the whole thing in one sitting. I don’t need to eat my pork chops and baked sweet potato lol
I used double the bacon because well 🥓 lol and used Cesar salad dressing I had instead if making some. Don’t need to look at other recipes this one is IT. mmmm. My husband is in heaven.
Paige Larson
So I’ve only been using your website for cookies, bars, sweets for the past year and a half….since Thanksgiving was here I was asked to bring a side and an app. I KNEW where to look for some inspiration! I thought that this sounded good and my mom was excited. I brought along your BLT dip, Pumpkin Whoopie Pies, Turtle Cookies, and shortbread cookies as well. This salad was the first to be GONE! My sister who hasn’t spoken to me in over 6 months took home the last little bit. I’m sure this recipe will now be a requested dish at all of our family gatherings! And I always tell everyone about this blog/website when I get compliments on my contributions. 🙂
Sam
Wow that’s a lot of stuff to make! I’m so glad everyone enjoyed everything. 🙂
Donna
Love love love this salad. It’s hard to eat one serving unless you count the whole bowl as one!!!👍💕🥰
Mary Hogan
This is SO GOOD. I’ve made it for a couple years now and everyone loves it, even those who don’t like broccoli. I find myself craving it all the time. I just made it for Thanksgiving tomorrow and I seriously had to stop myself from eating it all. Sooooo good!
Angela
I am about to make a batch for tomorrow! Did a trial run about two weeks ago and fell in love with this recipe!
Jackie
I make broccoli salad once a week it’s so delicious. Instead of beacon I use carrots and double the dressing with extra fresh lemon juice the.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so glad you like it, Jackie!
Tammy Owen
LOVE this recipe! A Chicken Salad Chick opened recently in my home town. Along with the chicken salad, I also tried their broccoli salad. It was delicious and made me wanna find a recipe so I could have it each time I wanted it without traveling 25 miles to my hometown in Kentucky from Tennessee. This broccoli salad is SOOOOO delicious. Now so far I’ve omitted sunflower,seeds, white whine vinegar(I use apple cider vinegar, works great like you wrote!), and red onions(only 1 time when I used pre-diced white onions). I LOOOOVE it! I’ve made it a few times like commenter Miss Deb. Once was for a huge family(my husband’s) gathering. It was a hit! Per my mother-in-law’s request, I’ll be making it with her tomorrow for thanksgiving!
Kara Cottle
This is delicious. My husband does not care for cranberries so we substitute fresh grapes (chopped). This is a great recipe.
Mary Norris
I use raisins instead of cranberries
Deb
I’ve made this recipe a few times and everyone loves it! Thanks so much!
Sam
I’m so happy to hear this, Deb! Thank you for trying my recipe and for commenting!
Bianca
This was absolutely delicious!!! It was a hit at my son’s 5th birthday party. I omitted the red onion and doubled the dressing. I also added a bag of Kale- Coleslaw mix. I made a huge tin tray of it. Will 100% be added to my party food list!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Sounds delicious, Bianca! We’re so happy it was a hit. Thanks for giving our recipe a try 💚