Best Broccoli Salad
Crunchy, easy broccoli salad with crispy bacon, sweet dried cranberries, onion, and nuts all tossed in a sweet and tangy dressing. Tips for making the best broccoli salad. A classic potluck, BBQ, or summer side dish recipe!
Servings: 12
Ingredients
- 5 cups Broccoli Crowns (cut into small bite-size pieces)
- 6 slices Bacon (cooked and cut into pieces)
- 1/3 cup Red Onion (diced)
- 3/4 cup Dried Cranberries (or raisins or dried cherries)
- 1/2 cup Sunflower Seeds (or chopped almonds, pecans, or walnuts)
Dressing:
- 1 cup Mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar (or white vinegar)
- 1/4 cup Sugar (or 3 Tablespoons if you want it less sweet)
- 3/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
Instructions
- Cook bacon according to package instructions until very crispy. If you want to cook it in the oven, set the oven to 400 degrees and cook on a foil-lined baking sheet for about 20 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Cut into bite-size pieces.
- In a large bowl, toss together broccoli, onion, cranberries, and bacon.
- In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Pour over broccoli salad and toss well until it is completely coated.
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving. This salad lasts for days in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Broccoli: You want to focus on the broccoli crown part (which is the very top) and cut off most of the stem. If you want to save time, you can buy a bag of pre-cut broccoli crowns so you have less waste. Cut them into small bite-size pieces.
- Bacon: We want crispy bacon for this recipe so that it stands up against the dressing. When cooking the bacon, you can use a skillet, a microwave, or an oven. I love to use the oven when cooking bacon because it is less messy. It is so easy -- just set your oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Cook for about 20 minutes, depending on how crispy you like it.
- Red Onion: Diced red onions have a strong punch of flavor, a perfect balance to the sweet cranberries and the savory bacon. Once again, dice these to be very small.
- Dried Cranberries: Can also used dried cherries or raisins. You want these sweet fruits in the salad to provide balance and a fun burst of flavor.
- Sunflower Seeds: Most recipes for broccoli salad call for sunflower seeds. You can also use almonds, walnuts, or pecans. Either way, the crunch of nuts or seeds are characteristics of a classic broccoli salad. I have tried both sunflower seeds and almonds and either one tastes delicious!