Broccoli Salad is a simple side dish packed with broccoli, cheese, bacon, sunflower seeds, and dried cranberries, all dressed in a creamy, tangy mayo-based dressing.
The Best Broccoli Salad Recipe
I love potluck salads, especially broccoli and macaroni salads. If either is on the table, I’ll make room for it! Here’s my version of classic broccoli salad.
The key is the dressing. Most use mayo and sugar, but mine has honey for sweetness and adds red wine vinegar, lemon juice, sour cream, and mustard for a tangy, balanced flavor. This dressing will make you crave broccoli salad all year!
Ingredients In Broccoli Salad
- Broccoli: Use fresh, not frozen, broccoli florets. No need to cook it beforehand.
- Cheddar Cheese: Cut into small cubes. I love sharp cheddar, but mild cheddar, Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, or feta work.
- Dried Cranberries: Raisins work great here as well.
- Bacon: Follow this recipe to make a big batch of bacon and crumble or dice it, or grab a bag of real bacon crumbles at the store.
- Sunflower Seeds: If possible use dry roasted, salted sunflower seeds.
- Red Onion: If raw red onion is too strong for you, soak diced onions in ice-cold salted water for 10 mins, then drain.
- Dressing: Adjust sweetness and seasonings to your preference.
Quick Tip
No need to cook your broccoli beforehand, the raw broccoli is what gives this salad it’s delicious crunch and flavor. The dressing and chilling time tones down the “rawness” of the broccoli.
How To Make Broccoli Salad
- Prep Broccoli: Cut fresh broccoli into small, bite-sized pieces using a sharp knife and sturdy cutting board.
- Cook Bacon: Cook bacon until crispy, then crumble or chop. Bake in the oven for even cooking and easy cleanup.
- Mix Salad: Combine broccoli, cheese, cranberries, onion, bacon, and sunflower seeds in a bowl.
- Make Dressing: Whisk together dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
- Dress Salad: Toss the dressing with the salad ingredients. Cover and chill.
Variations
Broccoli Salad Variation Ideas
- Make It Vegetarian: Simply leave out the bacon for an absolutely delicious vegetarian option.
- Fruit and Nuts: Add diced apples, grapes, or pears along with walnuts or pecans for extra sweetness and crunch.
- Serve With Protein: Add grilled chicken, steak, or some chickpeas to your salad or on the side for extra protein to make it a meal.
- Blanch The Broccoli: If you’re unsure about using raw broccoli, you can boil it for a few minutes before adding it to the salad. Just make sure to dry it well before mixing it in. Wet broccoli is no good in this salad!
Tips For Success
- Choose Fresh Broccoli: Look for green, firm stalks with tight florets and a fresh smell. Avoid yellow, loose, or slimy pieces.
- Evenly Sized Pieces: Cut broccoli into similar, bite-sized pieces for better texture.
- Balance Flavors: Taste the dressing and adjust sweetness or seasoning—add honey if too tangy or vinegar if it needs more bite.
- Serve Chilled: Chill for at least 30 minutes to blend flavors.
Storage
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
Make Ahead: Prep the salad components and dressing up to a day in advance. Store everything separately then combine the day of.
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Once dressed, the salad will stay fresh for up to 2 days, but it’s best eaten the same day.
More Easy & Delicious Potluck Salads
- Mexican Pasta Salad ready in 25 mins
- Macaroni Coleslaw Salad summer potluck mash-up salad
- Grape Salad dessert “salad” with creamy grapes and pecans
- Ranch Potato Salad with a 2-ingredient dressing
- 20-minute Pasta Salad Recipe
Broccoli Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 cups broccoli florets coarsely chopped
- 1 cup sharp Cheddar cheese cut into small cubes
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons dried cranberries
- 8 to 10 slices center-cut bacon cooked and crumbled/diced
- 1/2 cup shelled salted sunflower seeds
- 1/3 cup diced red onion see note 1
- 3/4 cup mayo
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
- 1-1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice optional
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Remove stems from broccoli and finely chop into small pieces.
- In a large bowl, combine chopped broccoli, Cheddar cheese, dried cranberries, and diced red onion.
- In a small bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I add 1/2 teaspoon each).
- Pour dressing over salad ingredients and toss to combine. Cover and chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour. After chilling, toss again and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Just before serving, add cooked and crumbled bacon and sunflower seeds. Toss and serve immediately.
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
The onion in water trick was amazing. None the family likes onions but this one is a Keeper.
Yay! So happy to hear this! Thanks so much! 🙂
It was a very simple recipes to make. It didn’t take long to do and everyone loved it. Thank you
Glad to hear it! 🙂
This looks like a delicious recipe! I am going to take it a family picnic. I just have a couple of questions. Will the avocado turn brown if this sits in a cooler for a few hours? Also, can I mix/whisk the dressings together at home and pour it on before we eat?
Thank you for sharing!
Thanks so much Maddi! The avocado will turn brown so I would try and add that just before enjoying the salad if possible. The dressings can be added together in advance and then added right before enjoying. I hope you love this salad! 🙂
Hi Chelsea, this recipe sounds so yummy! I am going to make it this weekend for a family bbq. Being from Canada I will have to use different brands of dressing, hoping it tastes as good as yours looks!
Question: Do you blanch the broccoli first or just put it in raw? Would you allow the dressing to “sit” on the salad for a bit to soften the broccoli first or just serve immediately?
Thank you,
Tami
Hi Chelsea! It’s been awhile that I’m following you. I love your recipes and I’ve made several of theme, but sometimes I had to improvise because here in Italy, happens that e don’t have all the ingredients that you have. Anyways, It has always been a success. You’re great!
I have a question, tha It might sound weird to you: Are the broccoli raw? I mean, you didn’t cook them first? I’ve never eat raw broccoli, we usually cook them in a way or anothe… I’ll give them a try, but what do you think if I steam them and then put them in the salad?
Thank you for sharing all these awesome recipes!
Hey Cat – you are so sweet! Thanks for your kind comment 🙂 I’m glad you’ve enjoyed recipes and been able to substitute things and still have them work out – you are awesome! The broccoli in this salad is raw (not cooked first) and it gives it a great crunch – it makes for a different kind of salad! 🙂 If you did steam them, I would recommend letting them cool all the way before adding the other ingredients so it’s still a cold salad. Hope that helps! Thanks again 🙂
Yum! I’m usually not as excited about salads as I am about this one! Looks delicious!
Love the salad, and all the bright colors, the dressing its the winner for me, so easy, creamy and delicious!
I’ve never had broccoli salad, but with these awesome ingredients I’m sure I’ll be trying this version soon!
This salad looks SO YUMMY!! I love that the dressing is so easy to make…it looks delish! 🙂
That dressing….I’d eat it with a spoon! Looks so good, Chelsea!