This post may contain affiliate links. See our disclosure policy.
This Broccoli Bacon Salad is fresh, crunchy, and full of flavor. The crisp bacon, chewy Craisins, and sweet dressing make it a delicious side for any meal.
Featured with this recipe
This Broccoli Bacon Salad recipe will make a believer out of even the pickiest of eaters! Sweet craisins, savory bacon, salty sunflower seeds, and vibrant, fresh broccoli florets are tossed with the yummiest dressing ever! You’ll love the crunchy texture and bursts of flavors in every single bite. This salad is a staple at many of our family summertime suppers. We love making a big batch for a barbecue, potluck, or quick evening dinner, then eating on it all week. The taste gets better and better as the flavors mix together. If you’re still skeptical about anything broccoli, try this recipe. I promise you will love it!
Ingredients in Broccoli Bacon Salad
With just a few simple ingredients and 15 minutes, you can have a fresh, delicious salad ready to go. You probably have most of these broccoli salad recipe ingredients in your pantry.
- Broccoli
- Bacon
- Craisins (dried cranberries)
- Sunflower Seeds
- Mayonnaise
- Sugar
- Apple Cider Vinegar
Substitutions and Additions
- You can use any kind of nuts you like in this delicious side dish. Sunflower seeds offer a salty crunch, but if you don’t have any on hand, you could use sliced almonds, peanuts, cashews, walnuts, or pecans.
- For a lighter broccoli salad dressing, use Miracle Whip or plain Greek yogurt instead of mayo.
- You could also add cheddar cheese cubes, ham, raisins, purple cabbage, shredded carrots, chicken, celery, red onions, or cauliflower. This is a deliciously versatile side dish with many options.
- Using precooked bacon saves time in the assembling process, but make sure you use real bacon pieces, not bacon bits. You want that salty, savory flavor to combine with the sweet craisins and creamy, sweet dressing.
Common Questions
Broccoli salad lasts for up to 5 days in the fridge. Give it a good stir before serving leftovers to redistribute the dressing.
With broccoli as the main ingredient, this salad is loaded with fiber, calcium, and potassium. To lower fat and carbohydrate content, use Greek yogurt instead of mayo in the dressing and a sugar substitute, like Stevia.
Yes! When picking out your broccoli, first look at the color. Make sure it is a uniform green color both on the stalk and on the florets. You don’t want to see any patches of brown or yellow or dry, flaky patches. Next, look for broccoli with tight, firm florets that are close together in a nice, tight bunch. You also want firm stems. Pull back one of the stems. Does it seem like it will snap off easily? That’s a good thing. If the stem is bendy, you probably want to pick another head of broccoli.
Read Next: 35+ Best BBQ Side Dishes
What to Serve with Broccoli Salad
Toss some meat on the grill, cook up some corn on the cob and serve this broccoli salad for a perfect summertime dinner. You could also eat it alongside our Sweet Teriyaki Grilled Ham Steaks, our scrumptious New York Steaks or Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken. But it goes well with sandwiches, hot dogs, burgers, pork chops, just about anything!
More Broccoli Recipes
The health benefits, bright color, and versatility of broccoli make it a great addition to many dishes. Add it to soups and casseroles, use it as a topping for a baked potato, or serve it on its own as a roasted or steamed side dish.
How to Make Broccoli Bacon Salad
Broccoli Bacon Salad
Ingredients
- 2 heads broccoli
- 1/2 cup bacon bits (homemade or purchased)
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup Craisins
Dressing:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Rinse broccoli well. Cut broccoli florets into bite-size pieces. Add to a large bowl and mix in bacon bits, sunflower seeds, and craisins.
- Whisk dressing ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Stir the dressing into the salad until everything is evenly coated. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.
Notes
Tips for selecting fresh, crisp broccoli:
- Make sure the green color is uniform both on the stalk and on the florets. You don’t want to see any patches of brown or yellow or dry, flaky patches.
- Look for broccoli with tight, firm florets that are close together in a nice, tight bunch.
- Also look for firm stems. Pull back one of the stems. Does it seem like it will snap off easily? That’s a good thing. If the stem is bendy, you probably want to pick another head of broccoli.
My favorite broccoli salad recipe. So good!
Great salad recipe to have on hand for the summer! Delish!
I am making this tasty salad but haven’t refrigerated it yet. It seems to have a lot more dressing than your picture. Does it seep into the broccoli a bit or should I use more broccoli? I have added about two pounds, but it was just florets. I don’t see any broccoli cuts in your picture but do you include then when you say two heads? Thx!
Yes – you hit the nail on the head. I mostly use close to the ends of the broccoli as well, but the dressing does absorb into the broccoli a bit. I think I took that pic after it had been refrigerating for a while.
I had this salad where the broccoli was slightly blanched then rinsed with cold water.
This was so good! I have to admit I was a little skeptical of the mayo/sugar combo, but it is super tasty. I need to double the recipe next time because it was a huge hit!
We do the red onions as well, but we also use red wine vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar. Not sure how much of a difference it would make.
I just had this from my grocery store deli and LOVED it. I'm so glad to have run across your recipe! Now I can make my own. Awesome.
Love broccoli salad! We add some crumbled cheddar cheese to ours too and red onions. So yummy!
I add the cheddar cheese and red onion also, i found that using ranch dressing is excellent. also can do the same with cauliflower or a combination of the two. we all love broccoli in our home this is a great easy salad.