This vintage Broccoli Salad recipe is total comfort food and the perfect side dish for any summer party. You'll combine fresh, lightly blanched broccoli with crispy bacon, roasted sunflower seeds, and dried cranberries in a tangy mayo dressing for an easy recipe that your family and friends will ask for again and again.
I've always enjoyed a good vegetable salad. I like the ones with no lettuce and no tomatoes best. I think it's because they're so different from a regular old tossed green salad.
Yes, give me a bowl full of veggies, maybe a little bacon, and some sort of sweet-tangy dressing and I'm happy. I'll take something just like this Broccoli Salad recipe. It rates right up there with deviled eggs, bbq beans, and potato salad as a side for any spring or summer party.
This is one of those old recipes that my friends and I made way back in the 1980s and 90s. I've noticed that it's enjoying a bit of a revival and have seen it pop up on several sites as though it was something brand spanking new. That always makes me chuckle.
Give this a try and I guaranteed your family and friends will be asking for the recipe!
Jump to:
Why You'll Like This Recipe
- It's a tried, tested, and proven winner!
- There are lovely contrasts between the tangy dressing, salty bacon, and sweet cranberries.
- You can make it ahead.
- Loads of ways to substitute ingredients.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Fresh broccoli (you can use whole heads of broccoli or purchase the packages of fresh broccoli florets to make your life easier; you'll need 10 to 12 ounces of florets)
- Red onion (I prefer red onion for this recipe, but use whatever you have on hand, just be sure to finely dice it)
- Mayonnaise (or substitute a good quality plain Greek yogurt if you don't like mayo)
- Dried cranberries (the perfect sweet complement to the vinegar, bacon, and sunflower seeds in this recipe; of course you could substitute raisins if you like)
- Bacon (either fry up a few pieces of bacon, use the pre-cooked bacon available in the grocery store, or use the real bacon pieces (not bits!) available in the salad dressing section)
- Cheddar cheese (use either sharp or extra sharp and be sure to grate it yourself)
- Sunflower seeds (you'll want the salted, roasted kernels)
- Sugar (plain, old white granulated type)
- Vinegar (use white or cider vinegar)
- Salt
You'll find detailed measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version of the recipe at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Broccoli Salad
I always like to show you the photos and step-by-step instructions for my recipes to help you picture how to make them in your own kitchen. If you just want to print out a copy, you can skip to the bottom of the post where you'll find the recipe card.
Blanch the Broccoli
You'll find lots of broccoli salad recipes that use raw broccoli florets, but I think this recipe is much better if you take just a little time to blanch the florets. Blanching keeps the broccoli firm but the taste will be a little less "raw" and it also sets the pretty green color. This is an optional step, but I think it's really worth doing.
To blanch the florets, bring a large pan of water to a boil. Add the broccoli florets and cook for 1 minute. Immediately pour the broccoli into a colander. Add a little ice (about 2 cupsful) and run under cold water to stop the cooking.
Allow the broccoli to drain very well. Spread it out on paper towels or set it in a colander. You want the broccoli as dry as possible.
Make the Dressing
In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sugar, salt, and vinegar. Whisk together until the sugar has dissolved.
Combine Dressing with Other Ingredients
Add the onion, cranberries, sunflower kernels, broccoli, cheese, and bacon.
Toss gently, taking care not to break up the broccoli, until everything is well mixed and coated with the dressing.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour for the flavors to combine.
Recipe Success Tips
- Save time by purchasing ready to cook broccoli florets rather than whole heads of broccoli.
- Blanching the broccoli is totally optional, but I do recommend it. I like my broccoli just that wee bit cooked and without so much of the raw taste. However, it's perfectly fine to skip that step and just toss in the raw florets.
- For best results, be sure to make the salad ahead of time so that the flavors have a chance to mellow. Refrigerate it for at least one hour and up to eight hours.
- Store the leftovers in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.
- Be sure to grate the cheese yourself. Don't buy the pre-grated cheese for this recipe.
- To save time, use the real bacon pieces (not bits!) available in the salad dressing section at your grocery store.
- If the red onion seems too strong, rinse it briefly under cool water and let it dry before adding to the salad.
Substitutions
- Instead of mayonnaise, substitute a good quality plain Greek yogurt.
- Raisins make a great substitute for the dried cranberries.
- In place of the sunflower kernels you can use roasted, salted peanuts, pecans, walnuts, pepitas, pine nuts, or pistachios. Almost any roasted salted nut will work fine.
- Use a sugar substitute such as Splenda.
- Use cider vinegar instead of white vinegar.
FAQs
Broccoli salad multiplies really well to feed a crowd. The recipe using 12 ounces of florets makes 6 servings, so plan on 2 ounces of raw broccoli florets per person and multiply the other ingredients accordingly.
I love to serve broccoli salad with turkey burgers, grilled chicken, grilled pork chops, and my citrus marinated ribeye steaks!
You can keep broccoli salad in a tightly sealed container in your refrigerator for up to 4 days.
You May Also Like ...
You May Also Like ...- Tomato and Avocado Salad
- My Favorite Greek Salad
- Layered Mediterranean Salad
- Mexican Style Corn Salad
- Black Bean and Corn Salad
Have you tried this recipe? I'd love for you to give it a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card and/or in the comments section further down.
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📖 Recipe
Broccoli Salad
Ingredients
- 12 ounces broccoli florets (or 2 to 3 whole heads)
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 ½ tablespoons vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup red onion finely diced (about ½ a medium onion)
- ¾ cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup cooked, crumbled bacon (about 8 ounces of bacon, or use "Real Bacon" pieces)
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
- ⅓ cup roasted, salted sunflower kernels
Instructions
- (Optional but recommended step) Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli florets and cook for 1 minute. Immediately drain the broccoli in a colander with ice and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Allow the broccoli to drain very well. Spread on paper towels or set it in a colander. You want the broccoli as dry as possible.
- In a large bowl, combine the yogurt, vinegar, and sugar. Whisk together until the sugar has dissolved.
- Add the onion, cranberries, sunflower kernels, broccoli, and bacon. Toss gently, taking care not to break up the broccoli, until well mixed and coated with the dressing.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour for flavors to combine.
Notes
- Save time by purchasing ready to cook broccoli florets rather than whole heads of broccoli.
- For best results, be sure to make the salad ahead of time so that the flavors have a chance to mellow. Refrigerate it for at least one hour and up to eight hours.
- Store the leftovers in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.
- Be sure to grate the cheese yourself. Don't buy the pre-grated cheese for this recipe.
- To save time, use the real bacon pieces (not bits!) available in the salad dressing section at your grocery store.
- If the red onion seems too strong, rinse it briefly under cool water and let it dry before adding to the salad.
- Instead of mayonnaise, substitute a good quality plain Greek yogurt.
- Raisins make a great substitute for the dried cranberries.
- In place of the sunflower kernels you can use roasted, salted peanuts, pecans, walnuts, pepitas, pine nuts, or pistachios. Almost any roasted salted nut will work fine.
- Use a sugar substitute such as Splenda.
- Use cider vinegar instead of white vinegar.
- Broccoli salad multiplies really well to feed a crowd. The recipe using 12 ounces of florets makes 6 servings, so plan on 2 ounces of raw broccoli florets per person and multiply the other ingredients accordingly.
- I love to serve broccoli salad with turkey burgers, grilled chicken, grilled pork chops, and my citrus marinated ribeye steaks!
- You can keep broccoli salad in a tightly sealed container in your refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your health care provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
-- This post was originally published on May 23, 2014.
More Vegetable Salad Recipes ...
- Black Pepper Cauliflower Salad from 101 Cookbooks
- Kale Salad with Cherries and Pecans from Steamy Kitchen
- Blueberry Corn Salad from Two Peas and Their Pod
- Apple, Pecan, and Blue Cheese Salad with Dried Cherries from The Pioneer Woman
- Asparagus Artichoke Salad from Simply Recipes
S says
I make a similar salad, but never cook the broccoli. I also put half a head of cauliflower in to make it go further and have even more crunch.
Angie says
This is my husband's favorite salad. I always tried to make it by memory, but never got it quite right. He's going to be on cloud nine when I make this later this week!
Nutmeg Nanny says
Does life get any better than broccoli and bacon? Yum!
Pat says
Oh, that looks lovely, Lana! Yes, I also have a version of this wonderful salad and it is great for a large gathering in the backyard for a BBQ. Or any other time! Thanks for sharing.....:)
Kristen Duke says
This salad sounds delicious! I get tired of the same old lettuce/tomato salads too, this one sounds like a a perfect summer salad!
Kellie @ The Suburban Soapbox says
I love broccoli salad, it's been my first stop at the picnic table since I can remember. I love the addition of yogurt and cranberries! YUM!