The Best Broccoli Salad Recipe

This easy and classic broccoli salad recipe is packed with yummy ingredients all smothered in a creamy dressing to make the perfect side dish.

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This delicious broccoli salad is an easy, healthy side dish that brightens up any table. It’s loaded with cranberries, sunflower seeds, almonds, bacon, and a creamy homemade dressing — the perfect flavor combination.

Best Broccoli Salad Ingredients

Substitutions And Additions

VEGGIES: For some added variety, substitute half of your broccoli for other veggies like cauliflower or carrots in this classic side dish.

BACON: This perfect summer salad can use savory bacon bits or crumbled real bacon. Or leave out the bacon to make this recipe completely vegetarian.

How To Make Broccoli Salad

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OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

If you are chopping a whole head of broccoli, cut off bite-sized florets. Be sure to trim the stems of the cut florets as well (trim them completely off or leave a small stem). You can also buy store-bought chopped broccoli to save time.

STEP ONE: Using an extra-large mixing bowl, combine the broccoli, shredded cheese, craisins, red onion, crumbled bacon, and sunflower kernels.

STEP TWO: Using a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, sugar, kosher salt, and pepper until smooth.

STEP THREE: Pour the dressing over the broccoli mixture and stir to completely coat the salad ingredients. 

STEP FOUR: Cover tightly and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

How To Serve This Bacon Broccoli Salad Recipe

This cold broccoli salad is the perfect side dish for summer gatherings alongside our grilled chicken and grilled corn on the cob. It will bring a lovely freshness and crunch to your meals.

This easy broccoli salad recipe, along with our strawberry spinach salad and dill pickle pasta salad, is a dinner-time classic that you’ll want to save and come back to again and again.

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How To Store Broccoli Salad

IN THE FRIDGE: This fresh broccoli salad will last in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, making it a great recipe to make ahead of time for potlucks and parties. The flavors of the broccoli salad get even better over time, and the longer it sits, the more the ingredients mix together.

IN THE FREEZER: We do not recommend freezing broccoli salad. All the fresh ingredients will lose their crisp texture and become soggy.

This crunchy broccoli salad is a light and fresh side dish that’s easy to make and loaded with tasty toppings like cranberries, almonds, crisp bacon, and sunflower seeds, plus a tangy dressing.

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Best Broccoli Salad

5 from 3 votes

This easy and classic broccoli salad recipe is packed with yummy ingredients all smothered in a creamy dressing to make the perfect side dish.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 8

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Ingredients

  

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Salad

• 6 cups broccoli florets, broken into bite-size pieces
• 1½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• ⅔ cup chopped craisins
• ⅔ cup diced red onion
• ⅔ cup cooked and crumbled bacon
• ½ cup sunflower kernels

Dressing

• 1¼ cups mayonnaise
• ½ cup sour cream
• 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

Instructions

 

• Using an extra-large mixing bowl, combine the broccoli, shredded cheese, craisins, red onion, crumbled bacon, and sunflower kernels.
• Using a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, sugar, kosher salt, and pepper until smooth.
• Pour the dressing over the broccoli mixture and stir to completely coat the salad ingredients.
• Cover tightly and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Notes

• If you are chopping a whole head of broccoli, cut off bite-sized florets. Be sure to trim the stems off the cut florets as well (trim them completely off or leave a small stem). You can also buy store-bought chopped broccoli to save time.
• If you love this salad and plan to make it frequently, double or even triple the dressing and store the extras in a mason jar in the fridge for next time.

Nutrition

Calories: 427kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 598mg | Potassium: 361mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 443IU | Vitamin C: 62mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 2mg

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