A simple, classic Broccoli salad recipe that serves as a great fast side dish for any party or potluck. Made with bacon, cranberries, sunflower seeds, cheddar cheese and a homemade dressing, this is one of my favorite side dishes and it can be prepped in under fifteen minutes!
The Perfect Side for Your Next Cookout
Please do not be alarmed by the amount of green in today’s post! I know broccoli salad is a little different from what you’re used to seeing here, where sugar and chocolate and chocolate chip cookies and definitely not broccoli are the norm, but bear with me.
Broccoli salad is one of my favorite side dishes (right up there with deviled eggs and macaroni salad). It’s perfect for serving alongside Easter dinner (or any holiday dinner) and is a simple and refreshing side dish for summer parties and pot lucks. It can be thrown together in under fifteen minutes and I guarantee you that at least one person is going to ask for the recipe, wherever you bring it.
In contrast to the broccoli, onion, and savory bacon and cheddar, this recipe has a surprising bit of sweetness thanks to a pinch of sugar and dried cranberries. The contrasting flavors blend perfectly together, and a splash of vinegar gives the dressing a subtle bite. This really is the perfect summer salad, and the best broccoli salad I think you’ll ever try.
Tips for Making the Best Broccoli Salad
Broccoli salad is easy to make, but there are a few tips I want to share to make everything come together perfectly for you.
Notes on Cheese
When buying cheese for your broccoli salad, the thicker the shred the better. Buy sharp or extra sharp cheddar and stay away from the finely shredded variety. If you’re feeling extra ambitious, you can just buy a block and shred it yourself. Another option is to cut the cheese into small cubes instead.
Broccoli: To Blanch or not to Blanch?
I never blanch my broccoli when making broccoli salad, and I’ve never received any complaints (in fact, I always get requests for this recipe!). If you prefer to do so, you can. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and then blanch your broccoli for no longer than 60 seconds. Immediately drain and rinse in cold water to stop the broccoli from over-cooking. Dry your broccoli thoroughly before proceeding.
A Note on Buying the Right Amount of Broccoli:
You can buy pre-cut florets, but for me it was cheaper and not much more difficult to just buy a few heads of broccoli and cut it myself. This recipe required about 2.5 heads of broccoli for me to make it, but your mileage may vary depending on the size of your grocery store’s broccoli! I recommend discarding the stems and only using the florets (with a bit of the stem attached, but discard the thicker, woodier part).
For Best Taste, Let it Sit!
While this easy broccoli salad can be served right away, I prefer to let it sit in the refrigerator for a few hours to let all of the flavors really meld together. Like any good coleslaw recipe, it benefits from at least a brief resting period. Not only does the flavor develop and deepen, but the broccoli (and the other ingredients) will also begin to absorb the dressing, which improves the flavor and softens the broccoli. Broccoli salad can be prepared up to 3 days in advance of serving.
How to Lighten Up Broccoli Salad
Broccoli salad certainly isn’t health food and is usually served alongside other not-so-light main dishes (think hot dogs and my smash burger recipe). However, there are a few modifications you can make to make it a bit less fattening. I’ve found that when people see broccoli salad they think they’re getting something healthy, so if that’s what you’re looking for, there are a few modifications you can try.
- Lighten up the mayo. Instead of using regular mayo, use one made with olive oil. I’m very picky about the type of mayo that I use and can’t stand the taste of reduced fat (and don’t get me started on Miracle Whip). I’ve found that using olive oil mayo in my broccoli salad recipe gives you all of the same creaminess and flavor while being a better alternative.
- You can replace some or all of the sour cream with plain Greek yogurt.
- Using pre-cooked bacon will save time and fat and calories. Make sure you’re using real bacon pieces and not imitation flavored “bits”. These are usually found in the salad dressing aisle and should say that they’re “real” bacon on the packaging. I’ve also found that this bacon holds up best to the moisture from the broccoli salad.
Keep in mind that ultimately broccoli salad (especially this broccoli salad with bacon and cheese!) is meant to be an indulgent side dish, and not health food!
This recipe has been one of my most popular on the blog for over 7 years and has received hundreds of 5-star reviews. If you try it, I’d truly love to know how much you love it, too!
Enjoy!
Broccoli Salad
Ingredients
- 5-6 cups broccoli florets¹ 1 lb, this was about 2 ½ heads of broccoli for me (450g)
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese thicker, not finely shredded (115g)
- ⅔ cup dried cranberries (85g)
- ½ cup crumbled bacon² (60g)
- ½ cup salted sunflower seeds (60g)
- ⅓ cup red onion diced into small pieces (50g)
Dressing
- ¾ cup mayo I use olive oil mayo (175g)
- ¼ cup sour cream³ (70g)
- 1 ½ Tablespoon white wine vinegar⁴
- 3 Tablespoons sugar (40g)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Combine broccoli florets, cheddar cheese, dried cranberries, bacon, sunflower seeds, and onion in a large bowl.
- In a separate, small bowl, whisk together mayo, sour cream, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper until smooth and well-combined.
- Pour dressing over broccoli combination and toss or stir well.
- Broccoli salad may be served immediately, but for best flavor refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. Make sure to toss broccoli salad thoroughly again before serving.Keep refrigerated if not consuming right away.
Notes
How to Store Broccoli Salad
Broccoli Salad may be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. If you are making several days in advance, I recommend storing the salad and the dressing separately, then tossing everything together at least an hour before serving.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
This Broccoli Salad Recipe was originally published 07/06/2017, re-published 04/15/2019 and updated 05/12/2025.
Noel
This salad was amazing. I used raisins but everything else was your recipe and my husband raved about it. Thank you for sharing
Old Grey Mare
Have you tried it with golden raisins? Hard to believe it can be even better, but golden raisins are better than regular raisins and I like them better (in this salad) than cranberries.
Wendy
I doubled
This recipe and took
It to pot luck at church. It was a huge hit. I used apple cider vinegar because I didn’t have the white wine vinegar and it was amazing.
Candace
Served at a birthday party for 70+ people (of course I had to increase the recipe). I substituted dried cherries (we are in The Cherry Capital of the World) for the cranberries and also substituted roasted and salted pumpkin seeds for the sunflower seeds. Several people have asked for “my” recipe. So, I am sharing your website.
Thank you!
Old Grey Mare
I’m sure everyone knows that there have been many variations of essentially this salad for many years. [I love cranberries in many salads, especially chicken salad, but prefer golden raisins in broccoli salad.] But I am making this post in order to give information that I am sure everyone will find amusing and might result in a warning in the original posting. About 15 years ago a family member was making a broccoli salad for the first time to take to an event that she needed to provide a major item/quantity for (sort of as a co-host). She was finished making it when she realized that the sunflower seeds she had bought and stirred into it were obviously not the right thing (I guess she tasted it before storing it). She had used whole unshelled sunflower seeds! She stayed up all night picking sunflower seeds out of her salad!
Sam
🤣 Thank you for sharing the story! It gave me a good laugh. 🙂
Collette
This salad was amazing! I also loved that it was so easy with ingredients most people would have on hand.
Carla Fox
This is my favorite broccoli salad. Love the dressing.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy to hear it, Carla! Thanks for the review ❤️
Jazmine
Can I make the dressing without sugar?
Sam
Hi Jazmine! You could, you will just lose some flavor. 🙂
Katie
instead of sugar i use honey! its a great substitute
Danny
I have made this recipe so many times this summer I’ve lost count. I usually mix broccoli and cauliflower and I prefer shallots to red onions, but the secret here is the sauce.
A 1/2 tsp of liquid stevia for the sugar and I don’t know how people only season with a 1/4 tsp of black pepper. I use fresh ground across the whole bowl before mixing. PEPPER RULES!!! lol 😂
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you like it, Danny! It’s a fun recipe to customize 😊
Taryn Harrison
Mixing Mayo is sour cream, or I substitute Greek yogurt is the absolute key to this GREAT sauce. I used raw cider vinegar and it turned out amazing! Thank you…I’ll never make it any other way, your recipe rocks!
Jodi L Baer
Quick and easy and tastes great! I was running low on broccoli so I combined a mixture of broccoli and cauliflower and it turned out good!
Ellen
I love this salad and my recipe is very similar to yours. I add shredded carrots for some more color, crunch and sweetness. I do like to blanch my broccoli briefly. We are not fans of Mayo, and I have found that using a light Poppyseed dressing works perfectly with this salad.
Old Grey Mare
Poppyseed dressing for this sounds great!
Ursula
I can’t wait to make this, but can the dressing be made without mayo? Can you substitute greek yogurt for it? Egg allergy in the house and can’t use mayo.
Sam
Hi Ursula! I haven’t tried using the greek yogurt, but I think it’s definitely worth a shot. I think it could work. If you do try it, I would love to know how it turns out. 🙂
Gardengirl
Hi Ursula, There are eggless mayos:) Hellmans vegan version for example ..
Marcy
So tasty! I made the mistake of tasting it after I mixed it together! I had to quickly put the lid on the Tupperware so I wouldn’t eat too much!
Sara
We LOVE this recipe. It’s a request by my husband every time we host an event. I’m making it tomorrow for his birthday!
Belinda
Love it!! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Ker L
Everyone loves this recipe ! I use honey in place of sugar ! My husband is diabetic he likes monk fruit sugar , i dont so we compromise 🤗
Sheena
How much honey do you use in replacement of the sugar?
Ker L
HI … I add 1/4 cup honey, mix & then add more after tasting…