Our BEST Broccoli Salad [+ Video]

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Our BEST Broccoli Salad [+ Video]

This Broccoli Salad is a delicious blend of crisp, fresh broccoli, savory bacon, and creamy dressing, creating the perfect balance of flavors. It’s an easy-to-make, crowd-pleasing dish that’s ideal for any occasion, from weeknight dinners to summer BBQs and potlucks. Smoky, crunchy, and utterly satisfying!

Made with cheese, raisins, and sunflower seeds, this really is the BEST broccoli bacon salad recipe! It can be prepped in advance too!

Easy Broccoli Bacon Salad with Cheese

When I was dating my husband, he surprised me one night with an amazing home cooked meal. He picked me up after I had attended a bridal shower and took me back to his apartment so that we could work on our Anatomy and Physiology lab. When I walked in, he had made steak, rolls, loaded baked potatoes, and Broccoli and Cheese Sauce. I thought, “Oh no!! he has no idea how much I hate broccoli.”

I was so impressed with everything that I didn’t want to hurt his feelings, so I dug in. IT. WAS. DELICIOUS. Oh, I still can taste it. That was the first food he had ever cooked for me and he blew me away. Everything was fantastic, including the broccoli.

This man has changed my life in many ways, but definitely in the food department that night. From that night onwards, I started trying all sorts of new things that Cade loved (but never Sushi. I still don’t eat that even though he loves it and continually tries to convince me).

What’s Needed for Cold Broccoli Bacon Salad?

To make the broccoli bacon salad, you’ll need:

• Broccoli Florets
• Golden Raisins
• Craisins (dried cranberries)
• Sunflower Seeds
• Cooked Bacon
• Frozen Peas
• Red Onion

And to make the simple salad dressing, you’ll need:

• Mayonnaise
• Granulated Sugar
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Shredded Colby Jack Cheese

The measurements for all the ingredients can be found in the recipe card down below. Keep scrolling for all the details!

How to Make Broccoli Bacon Salad

This cold broccoli salad comes together quickly! Here are the basic steps to making this recipe:

1. In a large bowl, stir together the broccoli, onion, raisins, craisins, and frozen peas.
2. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the simple salad dressing.
3. Pour the dressing over the broccoli mixture and toss well to coat.
4. Just before serving, add the crumbled crispy bacon and sunflower seeds and toss to evenly distribute.

The recipe card below can be printed or saved and contains the instructions and all the information you need.

Watch This Broccoli Bacon Salad Be Made…

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Do You Cook Broccoli for This Salad?

The answer is yes or no. The truth is, it’s entirely up to you! In this broccoli bacon salad recipe, we like the crunch of the raw broccoli and the tangy dressing does help to soften things up a bit.

But if you want to give it a quick blanch, add a little water to a pot with broccoli and place the lid on. Steam for a couple of minutes, just until it turns bright green and then quickly drain and toss in a bowl of ice water. Just be sure you drain it well and let it cool before tossing it in the bowl with the ingredients.

Can I Use Frozen Broccoli?

No, even if you only thawed the frozen broccoli but didn’t cook it, I’m afraid it’d be far too soft for this broccoli bacon salad recipe. Fresh broccoli florets are the way to go here!

How to Store Broccoli Bacon Salad

Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days, but make sure you cover it or it will dry out.

Tips for Making the Best Broccoli Bacon Salad

Something I love about this broccoli bacon salad with bacon and cheese is that it’s really easy to add whatever extra additions you like: peas, slivered almonds, carrots, hard-boiled eggs, olives, anything goes!

Chop the broccoli florets into small bite-sized pieces. You want the pieces to small enough to fit in one bite with other salad components.

Also note that in a pinch you could actually use coleslaw dressing instead of our homemade broccoli salad dressing.

If you want to lighten the dressing up a little, use plain Greek yogurt instead of the mayo.

Lastly, we like to chill our broccoli bacon salad for a bit and then toss in the bacon right before serving, but sometimes life happens and we need to make it and serve it immediately so it all gets stirred together.

What to Serve with this Classic Broccoli Salad Recipe

There aren’t many things that this salad doesn’t go with. Any grilled, smoked, or classic comfort food dish is going to be a great option! Here are a few ideas:

• Smoked Chicken Breasts
• Grilled Flank Steak
• Smoked Ribs
• Honey Lemon Basil Grilled Chicken
• Dry Rub Smoked Chicken Wings
• Smoked Beef Brisket
• Classic Meatloaf

I have never brought this broccoli salad to a potluck or BBQ where it hasn’t been the star of the meal. It checks every box for texture and flavor! It is a great option for a holiday side dish too…Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas…yes!

More POTLUCK SIDE DISHES:

• Creamy Macaroni Salad
• 7 Layer Salad with Peas
• Greek Pasta Salad
• Harvest Broccoli Cobb Salad
• Southern Pea Salad
• Italian Pasta Salad 
• Fruit Salad with Lemon Dressing
• 10-Minute Ranch Pasta Salad
• German Potato Salad with Bacon
• ALL OF OUR SIDE DISHES!

READ: Our BEST Broccoli Salad [+ Video]