Broccoli Salad is a quick salad full of fresh crisp broccoli, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, and bacon bits. It’s all tossed in a really easy creamy homemade dressing.
Since it’s best made ahead of time (and everyone raves about this recipe), it’s a great potluck dish and a favorite addition to a holiday table.
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What Makes This The Best Broccoli Salad
Simple. Delicious. Easy. The best broccoli salad recipe doesn’t need a lot of fancy ingredients.
- It’s so incredibly easy to make!
- The 3 ingredient dressing is super simple and extra creamy with a little tang. We love that it doesn’t have tons of sugar!
- Since it’s best made ahead of time, it’s perfect for potlucks and bbq’s or even lunches throughout the week.
- It is always a hit, we almost never have leftovers but if you do have leftovers, they last for about 5 days!
If you have extra veggies you need to use up, you can easily add them to this dish. Zucchini, cauliflower, celery, or peppers can make great additions!
Ingredients in Broccoli Salad
Fresh broccoli florets are the star of this dish. The broccoli doesn’t need to be cooked first. Just wash and drain well (a salad spinner can help ensure it’s dry).
Crispy bacon adds a salty smoky flavor. I use real bacon bits in this recipe to keep is simple but you can cut and crumble your own if you’d like.
Add ins include:
- onions (red or green work well)
- dried cranberries (add raisins if you’d like)
- sunflower seeds. Swap out the seeds for any kind of chopped nuts like almonds or pecans.
How to Make Broccoli Salad
This is probably one of the easiest salads you will throw together, which is why it has become a favorite (plus it’s so yummy)!
- Wash the broccoli and dry it very well. Cut the florets (and the stem) into bite-sized pieces, this can be done up to 4 days ahead of time. If you’d like you can also add some broccoli slaw to the salad.
- Whisk the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and set aside per the recipe below.
- Place the ingredients into a large mixing bowl, and toss with dressing. Remember to allow time for the recipe to chill in the fridge. This gives the broccoli a chance to soak in some of the dressing making it even better!
Broccoli Salad Dressing
We love this creamy broccoli salad dressing and it’s super simple to make in just 3 minutes.
- Mayonnaise can be swapped for dressing (like Miracle Whip).
- A sugar substitute of your choice will work well in this recipe.
- If you’re looking for a premade dressing, try coleslaw dressing or creamy poppyseed dressing.
- To make this broccoli salad recipe healthier, substitute half of the mayonnaise for plain Greek yogurt and skip the bacon bits.
Tips for the Best Creamy Broccoli Salad
- Wash your broccoli ahead of time if possible, this helps to ensure it drains well.
- This gives the broccoli a chance to soak in some of the dressing, resulting in an even more flavorful salad!
- Allow time for the recipe to chill in the fridge. This gives the broccoli a chance to soak in some of the dressing, resulting in an even more flavorful salad!
Make Ahead & Leftovers
Broccoli Salad can be made in advance and kept in the fridge (at least an hour but up to 24 hours) until you’re ready to serve. If you’d like to make further ahead, keep the dressing separate and toss a few hours before serving.
Leftovers will last about 4-5 days in the fridge.
More Easy Salads We Love
Did you enjoy this Broccoli Salad? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Ingredients
- 8 cups broccoli florets cut into bite-sized pieces
- ⅓ cup diced red onion
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds
- ½ cup bacon bits
Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Whisk together dressing ingredients in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine broccoli, onion, cranberries, sunflower seeds, and bacon bits. Pour the prepared dressing over and mix well.
- Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Salad
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love this! have made it multiple times. It really is a hit at family gathering. The one thing I added was apple, sliced thin and bite size. Though it may turn brown but it stays fresh and crispy. probably because of the Vinigar in the dressing?
Definitely! You can also soak the apples in ice water before adding them to the salad to help prevent them from browning.
The most flavorful salad ever. I use toasted pecans rather than sunflower seeds.. Great recipe!!!
I really want to try this recipe but I loathe apple cider vinegar (smells like dirty feet…yuck!!!). What could I use as a substitute?
You could try another vinegar Ryan. I think white wine vinegar would be delicious!
Eating leftovers right now. Still so good and filling. I added purple cabbage to my salad bc I had some and it turned out great. The dressing is so yummy. This salad is a keeper. I can’t wait to share this healthy dish at the next gathering.
I made this on a whim and I quite enjoyed it. I did, however, sub out all the mayo with Greek yogurt because I abhor mayo and anything related so I think it came out with a bit of a sour tase. Loved mostly everything else, though I can’t quite figure out the salt and pepper.
For salt and pepper, I usually start with ⅛ teaspoon and increase from there if necessary. I hope that helps!
This has become my most requested dish at our church suppers every week! Thank you for the recipe. I am going to try blanching the florets for 1 minute, cooling in an ice bath, then using the salad spinner to dry thoroughly. I’ll let you know how it comes out!!
I made this today and blanched the broccoli, mostly because the color is so vibrant. I add some shredded cheese, too.
I don’t like onions. I haven’t found a recipe without them. Would it change the taste much if I leave them out or should I cut them so small that they won’t be noticed much?
You can certainly leave them out. Optionally, you can use onion powder in place if it is suitable for you.
Very good recipe. I thought it needed about 1-1/2 times the amount of dressing in the recipe, but it was very tasty.
Excellent. Didn’t have time to let sit for one hour before eating. Still delicious.
Looking forward to having it tomorrow.
I made this, and it is delicious. Simple, good flavors. I gave 4 stars just because my personal preference is less sweet, so next time (and there will be a next time) I will use less sugar. At the party, people really liked it. I used avocado oil mayo, used lower sugar dried cranberries, raisins, roasted/salted sunflower seeds, and all else as written. I made the dressing last evening and let it sit in the fridge, then the rest of the salad today. Great recipe! Thank you!
I e been making this exact recipe for years. some recipes call for shredded cheddar cheese. have tried it but I think the original recipe is best!! love your recipes Holly. have made many of them and never fail to be delicious!!
really delicious recipe
just got email with receipe looks easy to prepare, healthy, can prepare in advance.
Easy and delicious!
best ever
So good and easy!
This is the best salad. I’ve made it 3 times this week!
Just made this, it tastes amazing! I did not have cider vinegar, but white + a little rice vinegar worked just fine. Added some crushed mixed nuts, raisins, and sliced cucumbers too, and it turned out great! Thanks for this amazing recipe, I usually never eat raw broccoli but this is an exception
This recipe is amazing I make it every other week and never get tired of it. I use balsamic vinegar and use half mayonnaise and sour cream
can you use miracle whip instead of mayonnaise?
Yes, that will work just fine!
miracle whip is thicker and you may want to add little bit of water (table spoon at a time) to get the desired viscosity.