This easy broccoli salad recipe with creamy homemade dressing is the perfect side dish for any dinner and holiday party! The crunchy vegetables combined with salty crisp bacon, sweet cranberries, and creamy mayonnaise dressing for the perfect balance of flavors.
This is the salad dressing you have been missing on your table that's got sweetness and a bit of tang, and it's super quick to whip up in 15 minutes - and always gets rave reviews from the guests!
Contents
🌟 Why this recipe works
This cold broccoli salad recipe is a delicious and easy way to add some color and texture to your meal. It can be made ahead of time and served cold, making it a great option for potlucks or barbecues.
The key ingredients for this salad include broccoli, red onion, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, sliced almonds for added crunch, bacon for flavor, mayonnaise as the base of the broccoli salad dressing - plus apple cider vinegar and sugar to add sweetness.
The combination of all these ingredients gives you a hearty, flavorful side dish that will please your guests.
The great thing about broccoli salad is that 95% of the time, you'll have these ingredients on hand and because it's versatile, you can also add in other veggies, nuts, or fruits as desired.
All-in-all, this is the best broccoli salad recipe you'll ever try! With few ingredients and lots of flavors, this creamy salad will be a huge hit with everyone.
If you want more flavorsome salad recipes, check out our BLT wedge salad with chipotle Ranch dressing, the best potato salad, or the Italian-classic tomato, basil, and mozzarella salad.
🍽 Key Ingredients
If you have made broccoli slaw before, then you will find most of the ingredients for broccoli salad are quite similar. Crisp broccoli pieces with a 3-ingredient mayo-based dressing and some extras for texture are all you need for this broccoli salad recipe.
Salad ingredients
Broccoli florets - Washed and trimmed broccoli florets are the star of this creamy salad recipe, and they don't need to be cooked either. Raw and crunchy is the way we like them here!
Red onion - A few thinly sliced pieces of red onions bring a bit of spice, color, and pungency to this dish.
Dried cranberries - A handful of dried cranberries add a bit of sweetness, texture, and color.
Nuts - A mixture of sunflower seeds and sliced almonds give a nice crunchy texture and nutty flavor.
Bacon - Some crispy bacon bits are always a popular choice for salad recipes. You only need a small amount to add a wonderful smoky-salty flavor to the salad.
Dressing ingredients
Mayonnaise - The key ingredient in this creamy salad dressing, mayonnaise provides a rich creamy flavor.
Apple Cider vinegar - For a bit of tart flavor to balance out the sweetness.
Sugar - To offset the tanginess of the cider vinegar, a bit of sugar is added.
Salt & Pepper - To taste, for extra flavor.
Substitutions
Dried cranberries
If you don't have cranberries, you can use raisins or any other dried fruit.
Nuts
Almonds are the best choice here, but you can also use chopped walnuts or peanuts. As a substitute for sunflower seeds, you could use pumpkin seeds.
Bacon
Feel free to substitute with turkey bacon if preferred.
Mayonnaise
For a lighter dressing, you can use plain Greek yogurt or even sour cream instead.
🔪 How to make broccoli salad
Broccoli salad is one of the easiest and tastiest salad recipes you will ever make! With just 15 minutes required and a few simple steps to follow, you'll have this delicious salad on the table and ready for serving in no time.
Preparations
- Wash and dry the broccoli head, then cut the florets from the head of the broccoli.
- Peel and dice the red onion.
Cooking instructions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius).
Step 2
Line a baking sheet with foil and fitted with a rack. Place the bacon slices on top of the rack without overlapping them.
Step 3
Cook the bacon for about 15-18 minutes until it becomes golden and crispy.
Step 4
Remove the tray from the oven and let the bacon cool for 5 minutes.
Step 5
Chop the crispy bacon into ½-inch pieces.
Step 6
Mix the bacon pieces together with broccoli florets, diced red onion, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, and almonds in a large bowl.
Step 7
To make the creamy broccoli salad dressing, whisk the mayonnaise with the apple cider vinegar, sugar, and seasoning in a medium bowl until combined.
Step 8
Pour the prepared dressing over the salad ingredients and mix well.
Step 9
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour before serving.
💭 Cooking tips
Prewash you broccoli
To ensure no water from the washed broccoli goes into the creamy homemade dressing, leave the fresh broccoli florets to drain in a colander for 30 minutes before preparing the salad.
Overnight chill
For best results and flavor, chill the prepared broccoli salad overnight in the fridge to give the florets a chance to soak up the broccoli salad dressing. Doing so results in a more flavorsome broccoli salad.
📖 Recipe Variations
You can give the broccoli salad an upgrade with additional veggies, fruits, and dressing. Here are some variations for you to try:
Broccoli salad with Greek yogurt dressing
Replace the mayo with Greek yogurt and the sugar for honey. Whisk the honey with the plain Greek yogurt, then add the vinegar and seasoning.
Orange and raisin broccoli salad
For a festive twist, grate 1 orange into the salad ingredients to combine, then mix 2 tablespoons of orange juice and 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice instead of using vinegar, and mix that with the mayo and sugar. Add ¼ cup of raisins and mix everything together and enjoy!
Asian broccoli salad
Give your broccoli salad some Asian infusion by using a mixture of 4 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, 2 tablespoons of honey, and 1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar. Use this dressing instead of the creamy dressing and top with toasted sesame seeds once the dressing and salad ingredients are combined for an extra nutty flavor.
🥗 What to serve with
A delicious broccoli salad is a great side dish to serve with other tasty tasty dishes such as grilled chicken, stuffed mushrooms, fish, pork chops, or steak. It also pairs nicely with finger food recipes if you're having a buffet. Here are some serving ideas:
Deviled eggs
Deviled eggs are a staple recipe on party food tables, and non more so than these smoked salmon deviled eggs. Or try curried deviled eggs for a bit of a kick.
Sandwiches
Grilled cheese with bacon, pulled BBQ chicken sandwiches, or cucumber sandwiches are all great options to serve alongside this broccoli salad. If those 3 don't pull you in, maybe one of these 32 sandwich wrap recipes will!
Quiche
Bacon mushroom quiche, Spinach feta cheese quiche, or if you have more broccoli left over, you could make this broccoli, shallot, and cheddar quiche. They are all great options to serve with this salad.
🙋 Frequently asked questions
Can I make this recipe with blanched broccoli?
Yes, you can use blanched broccoli florets instead of raw ones. However, they still need to have a bite to them, otherwise, they will turn really soggy once they soak up the dressing.
Can I make this broccoli salad ahead of time?
Absolutely! You can make this salad up to 2 days before serving. Simply store it in the fridge and give it a good mix before serving.
🧊 Storing
Although it rarely happens, leftover broccoli salad can be stored and eaten another day.
Refrigerated leftover - This broccoli salad will last up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge. It may lose some of its crunchiness, so it is best consumed within 1-2 days. If you want to keep the crunch, reserve some of the dressing to add just before serving.
🍳 Related recipes
If you love broccoli salad, you're sure to love these 22 hearty vegetarian comfort food recipes. If you're looking for something a bit healthier, why not try out one of these 50 healthy comfort food recipes? There are plenty of delicious and nutritious options to choose from.
👪 Serving size
This broccoli salad will yield 6 to 8 servings, making it perfect for large families. The recipe can also be quickly doubled or tripled if you're catering for more than 10 people.
This easy broccoli salad recipe is sure to become a family favorite! It’s a great way to add a bit of nutrition to your meal while keeping everyone’s taste buds happy. Give it a try, and let us know what you think!
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
Try one of my comfort dinner recipes for your next family meal! And if you have any questions, I'm here to help!
📋 Recipe
Broccoli Salad
Ingredients
- 8 cups Broccoli - cut into bite-sized pieces
- ⅓ cup Red onion diced
- ½ cup Dried cranberries
- ½ cup Nuts - ¼ sunflower seeds & ¼ sliced almonds
- 8 slices Bacon
Dressing
- 1 cup Mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons Apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Sugar
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
Preparations
- Wash and dry the broccoli head, then cut the florets from the head of the broccoli.
- Peel and dice the red onion.
Cooking instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius).
- Line a baking sheet with foil and fitted with a rack. Place the bacon slices on top of the rack without overlapping them.
- Cook the bacon for about 15-18 minutes until it becomes golden and crispy.
- Remove the tray from the oven and let the bacon cool for 5 minutes.
- Chop the crispy bacon into ½-inch pieces.
- Mix the bacon pieces together with broccoli florets, diced red onion, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, and almonds in a large bowl.
- To make the creamy broccoli salad dressing, whisk the mayonnaise with the apple cider vinegar, sugar, and seasoning in a medium bowl until combined.
- Pour the prepared dressing over the salad ingredients and mix well.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour before serving.
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