This Broccoli Salad is the perfect party side dish! It's bright and creamy with a wonderful combination of textures from sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, and bacon bits. Plus, it's super easy to make!
Looking for more broccoli recipes? Try my broccoli cheddar soup next!
About This Recipe
This is actually the first salad ever posted on Feed Grump! I'm not sure why I haven't posted one until now, especially since I make salads pretty often. But here's to the first, and hopefully, sharing many more in the future!
This broccoli salad recipe is bright and creamy. I like to think of it as being very similar to coleslaw, but instead of cabbage and carrots, it has copious amounts of broccoli. Sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, and bacon bits add an extra layer of crunchy texture.
This broccoli salad is perfect for parties, potlucks, and picnics. And if you ask me, it tastes even better the next day! My wife brought it to work for her weekly meal-prepped lunches, and she loved it!
Key Ingredients
Broccoli: We will need 8 cups of broccoli for this recipe. For me, this ended up being about two large broccoli crowns. Cut the broccoli into bite-sized pieces. The smaller, the better because they will absorb more dressing.
Bacon bits: You can use pre-packaged bacon bits or make your own. I made my own with a package of uncooked bacon strips. Just chop uncooked bacon strips into tiny pieces (about ยผ inch) and then pan-fry them in a nonstick pan for 6-7 minutes over medium heat until they become browned and crispy.
Sunflower seeds: You can use any type of seed or nuts, but sunflower seeds are the most common in broccoli salad. Some other good options would be pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or chopped almonds.
Dried cranberries: I love the flavor that dried cranberries add. They add pops of sweetness and texture to the salad. Pro tip: store your cranberries in your freezer. If you're like me and don't cook with them often, this is a lifesaver for keeping them fresh.
Dressing: The dressing is made with only three ingredients: mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, and honey.
Instructions
STEP 1: In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, honey, salt, and black pepper. I personally like my broccoli salad less sweet, so I only add one tablespoon of honey, but feel free to double this amount if you like it sweeter.
STEP 2: In a large bowl, combine the broccoli, cheddar cheese, red onions, cranberries, sunflower seeds, and bacon bits.
STEP 3: Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss together. Enjoy! It will look very creamy at first, but once the florets absorb the mayo, it will look more like what you see at the grocery store.
๐ Recipe
Broccoli Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1-2 tablespoons honey (or sugar)
- ยผ teaspoon salt
- ยฝ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 cups broccoli florets (cut into bite-sized pieces)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- โ cup chopped red onions
- ยฝ cup dried cranberries
- ยผ cup sunflower seeds
- ยฝ cup bacon bits
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, honey, salt, and black pepper.
- In a large bowl, toss together the broccoli, red onions, sunflower seeds, and bacon bits.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss to combine. Enjoy!
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