This Broccoli Salad Recipe is an easy Summer salad that is packed with crisp broccoli, real bacon, cranberries, sunflower seeds, and tossed in a homemade dressing. It’s the perfect side dish for any BBQ, potluck, or gathering with family and friends.
This is the Best Broccoli Salad Recipe I have ever had. It’s made with fresh ingredients and is probably one of the easiest Summer salads you will put together, which is why it is one of my favorites. This easy side salad goes well served along side our Baby Back Ribs, our Instant Pot BBQ Chicken, and our delicious BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger.
Broccoli Salad Recipe Ingredients
- Broccoli: Cut broccoli into small bit size pieces. You don’t want the pieces too big, you want to get a bite full of all the other ingredients in the salad as well.
- Onion: Diced Red Onion is my favorite, but if your not a fan of onions, feel free to omit them.
- Cranberries: This recipe calls for dried cranberries, but raisins are a good substitute.
- Sunflower Seeds: I like salted sunflower seeds, but you can also use unsalted.
- Bacon Bits: I like to use the real bacon bits that can be found down the salad dressing isle of your grocery store, but feel free to cook up your own bacon and chop it up.
- Mayonnaise: I like to use light mayo to cut down on the calories.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar gives the perfect amount of tang to the dressing.
- Sugar: Adds a little sweetness and pairs well with the apple cider vinegar.
- Salt and Pepper: Add more or less to taste.
How to make Broccoli Salad
- In a large mixing bowl combine broccoli florets, diced onion, cranberries, sunflower seeds, and bacon bits until combined.
- In a small mixing bowl whisk together, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper.
- Pour dressing over broccoli salad and toss to coat completely.
- Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. Enjoy!
Tips for making the best broccoli salad recipe
- For the best taste, let your salad chill in the fridge for at least one hour to let all the flavors really blend together.
- Make sure you use real bacon bits and not the imitation bacon bits.
- I like to cut my broccoli into small bite size florets. This allows you to get all the delicious ingredients in one bite.
How to store broccoli salad
If you have leftovers of this broccoli salad (as in the dressing is mixed in with the veggies), you can keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you are keeping the salad and dressing separately, it will last up to 4 days.
Other favorite side dishes
Broccoli Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 5-6 cups broccoli florets
- 1/2 cup red onion, diced
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds, salted
- 3/4 cup real bacon bits
- 1 cup lite mayonnaise
- 3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl combine broccoli florets, diced onion, cranberries, sunflower seeds, and bacon bits until combined.
- In a small mixing bowl whisk together, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper.
- Pour dressing over broccoli salad and toss to coat completely.
- Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?
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