Broccoli Salad

Everyone needs a classic Broccoli Salad Recipe in their arsenal, and this one is the best! Fresh broccoli, bacon, sunflower seeds and more – all covered in a tangy dressing – this broccoli salad doesn’t disappoint.

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We love a good side dish salad! Some other favorites are this Bow Tie Pasta Salad, Antipasto Salad, or Caesar Salad with Pasta.

The Best Broccoli Salad Recipe

I have always been a fan of the good old classic broccoli salad recipe. I know that it is a summer favorite for barbeques, picnics, and potlucks, but funny enough, the first time I published this recipe on Taste and Tell was back in 2010 because of a pregnancy craving. Now, I didn’t get a lot of pregnancy cravings, but apparently, Broccoli Salad was one of them!

Over the years, my sister has become the resident broccoli salad maker for family dinners, but I was craving it again recently (no – not pregnant!) so I decided to go back to this recipe. And I fell back in love all over again. There is something about the crispness of the broccoli, and the sweetness from the raisins and the apples, the saltiness of the bacon – all combined with the tangy dressing that makes this salad one that I know I’ll hold onto for years and years. You can never go wrong with a classic!

Broccoli Salad Ingredients

The ingredients in broccoli salad are pretty straight forward. You can definitely get creative here, too! Here is what I put in my salad:

• broccoli florets
• bacon
• raisins
• sunflower seeds
• chopped onion
• diced apple

You can swap out the sunflower seeds for another nut of your choice, like almonds or walnuts. You can use dried cranberries instead of raisins. The diced apple isn’t as common in broccoli salad, but I love the extra sweetness and crunch that it brings. Many people will also add cheddar cheese. Feel free to add or take away ingredients to make it exactly what you want!

How to make the Broccoli Salad Dressing

Let’s preface this with saying that I know that this salad is not healthy. And that’s why I usually only make it if I’m taking it somewhere, otherwise, I’d be tempted to eat the whole salad myself!!

This Broccoli Salad Dressing consists of only 3 ingredients:

• mayonnaise
• sugar
• white vinegar

All you do is whisk the three ingredients together – easy peasy! I haven’t tried reducing the amount of sugar, but if you want less sweetness, you could definitely try cutting back on the sugar.

How to Make the Broccoli Salad

Combine all of the salad ingredients together in a large bowl – the broccoli, bacon, raisins, sunflower seeds, red onion, and diced apple.

Pour the dressing over the top of the salad ingredients, then stir to mix fully.

Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you cook the broccoli for broccoli salad?

Nope – the broccoli goes in raw! You want to cut the florets small so that you get a bite with all of the different ingredients, though.

If you aren’t a fan of raw broccoli, you can blanch the broccoli first and then put it in ice water to stop the cooking. That will take away some of the crunch and the raw taste.

Is it better to make broccoli salad the night before?

You can make this the night before, but it will get a little bit soggy. My favorite is to make it a few hours in advance. That way, everything stays crisp, but it gives it time for the flavors to meld.

What does broccoli salad pair well with?

I love to serve it with foods that you’d normally have at a potluck or bbq – like burgers, chicken skewers, grilled chicken, or BBQ beef sandwiches.

More Side Dish Salads

Artichoke Pasta Salad
Potato Salad Recipe with Corn and Poblanos
Korean Cucumber Salad
Raspberry Spinach Salad
Tomato and Black Bean Quinoa Salad
Tomato and Herb Salad

This recipe was originally posted September 23, 2010, and republished in 2018.