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!
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time20 minutesmins
Course: Side Dish, Vegetable Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: broccoli salad, broccoli salad with bacon
Servings: 12
Author: Modern Honey® - www.modernhoney.com
Ingredients
5cupsBroccoli Crowns(cut into small bite-size pieces)
6slicesBacon(cooked and cut into pieces)
1/3cupRed Onion(diced)
3/4cupDried Cranberries(or raisins or dried cherries)
1/2cupSunflower Seeds(or chopped almonds, pecans, or walnuts)
Dressing:
1cupMayonnaise
1 1/2TablespoonsApple Cider Vinegar (or white vinegar)
1/4cupSugar(or 3 Tablespoons if you want it less sweet)
3/4teaspoonSalt
1/2teaspoonPepper
1/2teaspoonRed Pepper Flakes
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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!