This quick and easy recipe for Broccoli Salad combines the best ingredients for a no-cook side dish perfect for warm summer gatherings.
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I’m a sucker for a classic, easy broccoli salad recipe, but I want mine loaded up. The more stuff mixed in it the better. I think there’s something about the sweet and savory flavors of this dish that just make it one of my favorite salads. But, everybody’s classic broccoli salad recipe is a bit different, so I decided to create a recipe that has all of my favorite ingredients in one fresh broccoli salad – crisp broccoli florets, bacon, red onion, sunflower kernels, cheddar cheese, dried cranberries, and a sweet, tangy, and creamy dressing.
What is broccoli salad?
Broccoli salad is a popular side dish in the warm summer months. Typically served cool, broccoli salad is crisp, refreshing, and full of flavor. Most broccoli salads feature a few typical ingredients – lots of broccoli florets, a creamy sauce, seasonings, and a variety of toppings. Some of the most common toppings found in broccoli salad in the south are bacon bits, onions, sunflower seeds or almonds, and raisins. Yum!
How to cut broccoli florets for broccoli salad:
If you can, go ahead and purchase the bite-sized broccoli florets and save yourself a step and time. However, if you can’t find those, you can easily make bite-sized broccoli florets out of heads of broccoli by following these three simple steps:
- Remove the leaves attached to the stem.
- Begin by cutting the large stem off the broccoli. Leave only the florets with a small piece of the stem attached.
- Cut the florets that are too large for a bite by taking the floret and making a straight cut across the stem.
Why does my broccoli salad get watery?
I don’t typically run into this issue with my broccoli salad recipe. But, I would imagine that is mainly because the broccoli is not fully dry.
Some recipes call for you to blanch the broccoli first. I don’t think that step is necessary. However, if blanching is your thing, make sure the broccoli is super dry before adding it to the salad. Extra water on the broccoli can make for a runny mixture.
The same goes for rinsing your broccoli! Make sure you give your broccoli adequate time to dry after rinsing. You get enough moisture from the dressing mixture that any extra water will make your salad too watery.
How to store broccoli salad:
Broccoli salad can be stored in the refrigerator for about 3 to 4 days. It should be kept in an airtight container or tightly covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil in the fridge. Avoid storing your broccoli salad near foods with strong odors. Broccoli absorbs the smells of foods around it. Lastly, be sure to give a good stir and add additional seasoning if desired before serving.
Ingredient FAQs & Variations
Broccoli – For this recipe, I call for about 8 cups of raw broccoli florets. For me, that was about 3 medium-sized heads of broccoli, which equated to about 2 ½ pounds.
Real Bacon Bits – Y’all know I like easy, so I opted to use a (3.5-ounce) bag of chopped real bacon from the grocery store rather than cooking my own. Just be sure to get the real stuff, not imitation bacon bits. If you’re feeling super ambitious and want to cook your own bacon, you’ll need to cook about 16 slices or 1 pound of bacon to crisp, then drain, and crumble to create 1 cup of crumbled bacon. Hey, y’all know I love me some bacon!
Sunflower Kernels – Get ½ cup of dry roasted sunflower kernels. Any brand will work.
Dried cranberries – Don’t skip this step! The sweetness of the cranberries goes so well with the broccoli salad flavors.
Cheese – When it comes to the cheese, I want to actually see it and taste it, so I avoid the finely shredded cheese and go with thick-cut shredded sharp cheddar.
Red Onion – While red onion can be pretty powerful, I think it’s an important flavor in this dish. I like to dice it finely so there aren’t huge chunks of it and only use just enough to add a hint of flavor. The recipe calls for ½ cup which should equal about ¼ of a medium-sized red onion. If you find the onion to be super pungent, you can dice it and soak the onion in 1 cup of water mixed with about 1 tablespoon of baking soda. This mixture helps to draw out some of the acid, making the onion a little less strong. Just be sure to rinse them very well and dry them off before adding them to the salad.
Mayonnaise – This broccoli salad recipe calls for one cup of mayonnaise. I’m not brand conscious about many things, but Duke’s mayonnaise is one of the exceptions. It’s that good!
Vinegar – I use white wine vinegar. It’s a bit milder than the pantry staple apple cider vinegar. And while I used to not even know it existed, the more I use it in recipes, the more I love it. But, apple cider vinegar can certainly be used in this recipe. Just use what you have on hand.
Sugar – I do like my broccoli salad a touch sweet, but not too sweet. If you like it sweeter, it’s super easy to add a little more white sugar to suit your taste.
Try this Bacon and Blue Cheese Broccoli Salad, too!
Ingredients
- 8 cups bite-size broccoli florets about 3 heads of broccoli, rinsed and dried well
- 1 (3.5-ounce) package real chopped bacon about 1 cup or 14 to 16 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
- ½ cup dry roasted sunflower kernels
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup red onion about ¼ medium red onion finely diced
- 1 cup thick cut shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Instructions
- In a very large bowl, combine the broccoli, bacon, sunflower kernels, cranberries, onion, and cheese. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, make the dressing by whisking together the mayonnaise, vinegar, and sugar.
- Pour the dressing over the broccoli mixture and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour. Toss again before serving.
Video
Nutrition
* If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
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good afternoon Stacey, that broccoli salad looks delicious. I definitely like that for sure.
Thanks, Dawn!
Big hit at summer tapas party! Only substitute I made was slivered almonds for the sunflower kernels. Yummy dressing for sure and so so easy.
I’m tickled to hear it was a success!
I’m having friends for a salad lunch tomorrow. Will it work to prepare everything and keep the dressing separate until about an hour before serving? Should I also wait to put the sunflower nuts in until I mix everything together? I have made this before and it is delicious!
I think so. And yes, I’d wait to add the sunflower seeds when you add the dressing. Hope y’all enjoy!
Cottage version was yummy, I had to substitute a few things, dates for cranberry and malt vinegar instead of white because that’s all I had but the end result was delicious. Enjoying my second bowl as I text. 😉
So glad you enjoyed it!
Great, simple broccoli salad! I blanched my broccoli for about a minute before draining thoroughly and adding to the rest of the salad. I highly recommend this as it brightens the color of the broccoli and makes it a little more tender. Will definitely make this again!
I bet it looked beautiful! Great tip!
this was yummy. unfortunately I didn’t have the sunflower kernels, so I used some pecans and it was delish!!!!
Perfect substitution! So glad you enjoyed it!
Love broccoli salad — and your add of dried cranberries makes it super good. And …I must tell you. I live in western Oregon (a bit outside Salem) and actually found Duke’s mayonnaise in one of our local groceries! It truly IS that good! ❤️
How exciting! So glad you enjoyed it!
My husband loves this broccoli salad and I make a smaller one about once a week. Sometimes I just chop pecans in it because I always have them in the freezer….not to cause a ruckus here but I sometimes whisk a little Chick-fil-A sauce with the Mayo. I’m a rebel 😆
Love a culinary rebel! I’ll have to try that! Thanks for sharing!
I love chick -fil-A sauce what is the recipe for that mayo sauce?
I took this to my neighborhood BBQ & it was a hit! Not even one broccoli floret left at the end
Great problem to have! So glad to hear it was a hit!
Hi Stacey, thanks for great recipe. One question when I whisk sugar into mayo and vinegar, it’s gritty as it doesn’t blend in. Any suggestions?
It might seem a little gritty at first, but the sugar will melt just fine.
Can I make this the day before my gathering?
Yep! Just taste and add additional seasoning to it before serving if it needs it. As things rest in the fridge, flavor change and can often get diluted.
This one is fantastic for potlucks.
Always a variety of very good dishes available for our lunches, but it’s makes me feel really good when my bowl is the only one that is completely empty when I go home. Total winner!!!
Absolutely! That’s the best feeling, right!?
I made this for supper and added some chopped rotisserie chicken to make it a complete meal. It was fabulous and so easy!!! Another great recipe Stacy!!
Great recipe
Thanks, Mimi!
So good!!!
Thanks!
Made EASY BROCCOLI SALAD for a potluck. Basically followed the recipe as is. Liked it very much. What’s not to like. Has all of my favorites. At the end of potluck, when I went to collect my dish, it was empty, scraped clean. Some of your other recipes I tried, PINEAPPLE CHEESE CASSEROLE and TOMATO CRACKER SALAD were crowd pleasers,also.
I’m so glad to hear the broccoli salad was a hit at your potluck! It’s awesome to know that the other recipes were crowd pleasers too. Thanks for giving them a try!
This is the only recipe to use when it comes to broccoli salad!
Aww! Thanks, Carla!
I just made the salad and had to taste a bit. Absolutely the best ever. I followed the recipe exactly. I did chop it finer because I am in my 70’s and can’t chew as well as I could in the past. I want to buy your cookbook and leave it to my granddaughter. Your southern cooking is as close to my family’s as one could get. I’m a Mississippi girl. Thank you so much!
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the salad! Chopping it finer is a great idea for easier chewing. It’s really special to know that my recipes feel like home!
This broccoli salad was delicious and easy to make.
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, Tanja!
I’m not usually a cook but wanted to try this recipe. It is wonderful! I went a little overboard and cooked my own bacon and shredded the cheese myself. I will probably use precooked bacon and already shredded cheese next time. The dressing is perfect for the broccoli and other ingredients. This is a recipe I will definitely make again! Thanks!!
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Linda! It’s awesome that you took the time to cook your own bacon and shred the cheese.
I have NOT made this salad yet❗️But being a broccoli lover, I can already tell this will be one of my favorites going forward…Thanks for the tip, regarding ‘pungent onions’, for sure I will try this method…Will make very soon, going on another diet❗️😫
Sure hope it turns out great for you!
I Love eating this salad. It is so good.
I just had some today!! And last night. I usually make a big bowl and have it for a couple of days.
I’m so glad to hear you love the salad, Darlene!
I can’t wait to try the easy broccoli salad but I have one question.
Is Stevie the best sugar substitute to instead of sugar as I am trying to eat low carb ?
Thank u very much.
Can’t wait to try all your recipes.
Please out me on all your mailing lists.
Thank u
Sanda
Hey Sandra! I’m glad you’re excited to try the broccoli salad! Stevia is a great low-carb sugar substitute, so it should work well for your needs. You can subscribe to my emails here: https://southernbite.com/subscribe/
Oh my gosh you make your Broccoli Salad exactly like I do, except for three things: I use rice wine vinegar, Best Foods mayo (the left coast doesn’t have Duke’s), and not much sugar, just enough to balance the vinegar. Thank you for the nutritional values, I always wanted to know for my recipe. It is the only broccoli salad I and my family will eat, and I’m always asked to bring it to potluck’s. Thank you Stacey!
I love hearing that you make a version of the broccoli salad too! Rice wine vinegar sounds like a delicious twist, and I totally get the Best Foods mayo situation. Balancing the sugar is key. It’s awesome that your family loves it so much, Patty!
Can you use a vinegar based dressing instead of mayo based?
I suppose so, but I’ve not tried that. If you try it, let me know how it turns out!
Fantastic
Loved it .
Loved it
Thanks, Gail!
How much food is the nutritional facts on please
Hi Kim! Our nutritional calculation estimates are not based on a specific size or weight, but rather an equal division of the total finished recipe based on the estimated serving size. So, in this case, divide the finished recipe into 8 equal portions. Hope that helps!
I didn’t have a lot of broccoli so I added cauliflower and it was delightful
That’s perfect! So glad you enjoyed it!
Skipped the bacon because we had a vegetarian joining us. Also, used olive oil and only 2 Tablespoons of mayo for the creaminess. I found that blue cheese added more tang rather than cheddar. Great recipe and can easily be adjusted if desired!
Thanks, Denise!
I made easy broccoli salad exactly like your recipe for a pot luck salad luncheon. Of course I have eaten a sample and it is delicious!
Thanks, Ann!!
Love this! It’s my new favorite 🩷
Thanks, Sandra!
easy and delicious
Two of my favorite words!
Would Miracle Whip be ok to use in place of the mayo?
I have mayo.
Thanks for your question! Miracle Whip can definitely be used as a substitute for mayo, but keep in mind it has a sweeter and tangier flavor. It might change the taste a bit, but if you like Miracle Whip, go for it!
I love this Broccoli salad. It has replaced the previous Broccoli salad I always made, which I liked a lot, but not as much as yours.
Your recipe is very easy and it is delicious. I have made yours several times now and it’s always a big hit!
Hey, JoAnne! I’m so glad to hear you love the broccoli salad!
This recipe is so easy and you can “easily” customize it. I chose to use Apple Cider Vinegar and added Chardonnay to the sauce which gave it a nice soft taste and offset the sharpness of the vinegar. Also, added Aji Rico peppers, diced dried merjadol dates and chopped gouda cheese. It is amazing!
Look at you fancying it up! Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for this recipe, Stacey. We down here in Texas love broccoli salad that we find at a lot of BBQ places but the broccoli is chopped super fine. We will add white raisins and I use the green labeled rice vinegar instead of your vinegar and stevia instead of sugar. My mom loves this salad and I just wanted the amounts you used for everything and the dressing ingredients. If asked I will say it came from you so I don’t take all the credit. I love your recipes and I kept a lot out of your cool summer side dish recipes. You’re a real Southern cook and I love getting your recipes. Happy July 4th to you and your family! God bless America!
Thanks so much, Sheila! But I certainly don’t mind you taking the credit, friend! Enjoy!
This was my first time making broccoli salad. My experience with your other recipes told me this would be a winner and I was not disappointed. I halved the recipe because my 3 heads of broccoli only yielded 4 cups but otherwise did not stray from your directions. Thanks for another awesome recipe.
Thanks, Sharon! So glad you enjoyed it!
Loved it! Made it for Easter. My family paid me so many compliments. I finally got my pickie eaters to finish their vegetables. No leftovers!
Ha! So glad everyone enjoyed it, Betty!
Thank you so much for saving our Easter !! I had bought ingredients for a broccoli salad that is the only one my family likes. Then when I went to make the recipe it had disappeared !! I looked all over Pinterest and the net for the recipe. My hubby sent me a link to this. He said the first place to check for a new recipe was with you !! Every recipe of yours we make is always a ginormous success & this was too !! I hope you & your family had a happy and blessed Easter !! Thank you for saving ours !!
Well, I sure appreciate the confidence in me and I’m so glad everyone enjoy it, Laurie!
I made this recipe for our Easter lunch today and got rave reviews. This recipe was delicious. Thank you!
Love hearing that!
I made this today, but cut all ingredients in half because only one of me here to eat it. I did make the dressing with the cup of mayo and 2 TBs vinegar(white), buy dropped to 1TBs sugar. Save the dressing for when I take out to eat in case it needs more. It tastes delicious! Thanks for recipe.
So glad you enjoyed it!!
This was my first time making broccoli salad. I am trying to get more greens and vegetables in my diet. How can such simple ingredients make such a great salad. I was amazed at the taste. This is a salad that I will put in my lunch rotation for sure.
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, Shawna!
Stacey, I found myself without an onion while making this once. Sprinkled in dehydrated onion flakes right before serving. Pleasantly surprised to enjoy the onion flavor and a subtle extra crunch!
That’s super smart! Thanks for sharing!
This is my favorite broccoli salad so it’s a repeat winner at holiday dinners. ❤️
Thank you! Love hearing that!!
Hey Chef, what up wit sum fried corn? How’s your summer goin’? Broccoli salad looks tasty! Thanks!
gonna make it. Thanks
Thank you for the delicious recipe, Stacey. Except for the mayo, vinegars & cranberries I make it the same way. I’ve tried the white wine & apple cider vinegar but my family & I prefer balsamic vinegar. I add the torn-up bacon pieces just before serving. They request this recipe every time they come to dinner, which is on Sunday after church.
I added a teaspoon of Dak’s Original Red spice to the dressing. Delicious salad!! Thanks Stacey!
Excellent salad! I omitted the cheese and sunflower seeds. This will be my go to broccoli salad from now on!
Lori
Glad it turned out great for you!
Can it be refrigerated over night?
Sure!
If I don’t have a red onion can I use a yellow onion be used
Of course!
I really enjoyed the easy broccoli salad. I made it generally according to the recipe. My question is about the number of calories and serving size per portion. Where canI find that information?
Thanks
When it comes to nutritional content, I don’t include that because many of the ingredients my recipes frequently call for can vary in nutrition based on the brand. I wouldn’t want to include the nutritional facts for one brand and folks use a different one and it have vastly different ingredients. With that being said, it’s super easy to pick your favorite brands and plug them into a nutritional calculator like the one on myfitnesspal.com to get accurate info. Hope that helps!
Stacy: I served your ‘easy broccoli salad’ with my family Easter dinner. It was both easy and delicious and the left-over salad was just as good the next day! Thanks for another great recipe.
Thank you so much for trusting our recipe for such an important family gathering!
A++ This salad was excellent! I did not put the cranberries in because I didn’t have them on hand and I was excited to make this easy salad for our dinner. I also had to sub in a little cauliflower because I was low on broccoli. I did choose to blanche the broccoli and cauliflower for a couple minutes.
It was so good! My man kept going back for more helpings and hardly stopped to breath, he literally inhaled it. I will try the cranberries… maybe next time. But I will also continue to make it without them – just to watch my man eat like a caveman. Thank you for a great recipe.
So glad he enjoyed it!
I love dried cranberries in a salad and will use almond slices because I have them in the freezer. This may be the most loaded broccoli salad recipe I’ve come across. I like like a loaded macaroni salad also.
Almonds should work perfectly! Hope you enjoy!
In Small Town, Michigan dried cranberries can sometimes be difficult to find…but dried cherries are everywhere! That’s the only change I make to this wonderful recipe. Thanks for a great recipe!
I LOVE that idea! Enjoy!!
I add a small can of drained sliced/chopped water chestnuts. Provides a nice crunch.
Great idea! Thanks for sharing!
I love this idea! I love finding things to add water chestnuts to, I love them so much!