This easy Broccoli Salad with Bacon is honestly the best recipe you will find for this classic side dish! Made with bacon and cranberries, the creamy salad is perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Colorful and packed full of flavor and texture, this salad is ready in 15 minutes!
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Why We Love This Broccoli Salad Recipe
The classic broccoli salad has had a makeover! My recipe is so creamy and delicious, it’s a perfect side to serve to friends and family over the holiday season.
- Easy. This recipe takes just 15 minutes!
- Crunchy. This salad is loaded with texture from the crispy bacon, crunchy broccoli, and chewy sunflower seeds.
- Flavorful. Did I mention this salad has bacon in it?! The bacon adds a wonderful smokey and salty flavor to the dish and, let’s be honest, it’s everyone’s favorite bit! To add a festive element, I added cranberries, which add a hit of sweetness as well as a pop of color!
Variations on Broccoli Salad with Bacon
This is a great base salad that you can change up to suit your tastes and what you have on hand. The cranberries can be swapped out for raisins or another dried fruit (cherries, apricots, blueberries, etc.). The sunflower seeds can be subbed for a different nut or seed, like walnuts or almonds. And for a vegetarian-friendly salad, swap out the bacon for vegan bacon or roasted mushrooms.
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How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover broccoli salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I highly recommend storing the dressing and salad separately for the crispiest result.
Serving Suggestions
Because this salad is wonderfully creamy, it’s perfect to pair with salty foods such as bacon wrapped turkey breast, grilled hot dogs, or smoked ham. It’s also great with beef tenderloin or spatchcock chicken!
Yes, it sure can! It has a great crunchy texture and a unique flavor that’s different from cooked broccoli.
I don’t blanch my broccoli, but you can if you like. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook for 60 seconds. Drain and rinse in cold water, then pat dry before adding to the salad.
I do not recommend freezing this salad, as the texture will be ruined during the thawing process.
More Broccoli Salad Recipes To Try
5-Star Review
“This is my favorite side dish!!” -April
Broccoli Salad Recipe with Bacon
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Ingredients
- 24 ounces broccoli florets (about 5 cups)
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup bacon crumbles or 8 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 red onion diced
- ½ cup toasted sunflower kernels
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place the broccoli, cranberries, bacon, onion, and sunflower kernels in a large bowl.24 ounces broccoli florets, ½ cup dried cranberries, ½ cup bacon crumbles, 1 red onion, ½ cup toasted sunflower kernels
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayo, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper.1 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Pour mayo mixture over broccoli and use a mixing spoon to toss/fully coating the broccoli.
- Serve immediately or store in the fridge until ready to serve.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- Wash the broccoli and ensure that it is dried thoroughly.
- I don’t blanch my broccoli, but you can if you like. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook for 60 seconds. Drain and rinse in cold water, then pat dry before adding to the salad.
- To reduce the bite in the onions, soak the cut pieces in ice water for 10 minutes.
- To reduce the calorie and fat content, you can use a low or nonfat mayonnaise.
Nutrition Information
How to Make Broccoli Salad with Bacon Step by Step
Make the Salad: Place 24 ounces (5 cups) of broccoli florets, ½ cup of dried cranberries, ½ cup of bacon crumbles, 1 diced red onion, and ½ cup of toasted sunflower kernels in a large bowl.
Make the Dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup of mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper.
Toss and Serve: Pour the mayo mixture over the broccoli and use a mixing spoon to toss/fully coat the broccoli. Serve immediately or store in the fridge until ready to serve.
What kind of Mayo? Looks wonderful and I will try this!
Plain old full-fat mayo works best!
I only use Hellmans,it taste better to us,,I replaced the sunflower seeds with cashews,, and bacon with jar of real bacon bits,raisins for cranberry..yummy recipe!!
Can I use frozen broccoli and thaw it?
I don’t recommend it for this recipe since the frozen broccoli has already been cooked and will be mushy rather than crisp.
I make this a lot. So easy and delicious! Everyone always loves it!
Can I make this salad the night before for a work potluck?
I make this recipe a lot! However, I find that a quick “blanching” of the broccoli (with very good blotting and draining after) makes the salad even better!
Great idea, Reba!
This is my favorite side dish!!
Thanks, April!!
AMAZING broccoli salad recipe!
Why thank you, Valentina!
This salad is always a hit wherever I bring it! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Chelsea!
This looks so delicious and addicting! Looks like a great side for any BBQ.
You will love it, Julie! Thank you!
Broccoli salad is the best! I love the cranberries you added to this recipe…so delicious!
Thanks, Stephanie! Cranberries are always a great addition!