The Best Creamy Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Cheddar
You need this easy, crunchy, and creamy broccoli salad recipe for your next potluck or BBQ. It uses simple ingredients and comes together quickly, making it a perfect make-ahead side dish.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 5 min
- Total Time: 25 min
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 cups fresh broccoli florets, chopped small
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup cooked bacon, crumbled
- 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, toasted
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the bacon first. Cook until crisp, then crumble and set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl, combine the chopped broccoli florets, shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, chopped red onion, raisins or dried cranberries, and toasted sunflower seeds. Mix these ingredients well.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and Dijon mustard until smooth. This creates your tangy broccoli salad dressing.
- Pour the dressing over the broccoli mixture. Toss everything gently until all the vegetables and add-ins are evenly coated.
- Season the salad with salt and pepper to your preference.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate the salad for at least one hour before serving. This allows the flavors to blend and the broccoli to soften slightly.
- Stir the salad again just before serving.
Notes
- Toasting the sunflower seeds enhances their crunch and flavor in this crunchy salad recipe.
- You can prepare the dressing and chop the vegetables a day ahead. Combine everything about two hours before you plan to serve for the best texture.
- For a slightly different flavor profile, try using dried cranberries instead of raisins for a sweeter note in this broccoli cranberry salad.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 350
- Fat: 30
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Unsaturated Fat: 22
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 18
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 8
- Cholesterol: 35