Bacon and Broccoli Salad

Broccoli, onion, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, cheese, and bacon are mixed together and topped with mayonnaise, sugar, and apple cider vinegar dressing. It’s perfect served as a side dish for dinner, a cookout, or a holiday celebration. Bacon and Broccoli Salad is a quick summer salad that is sure to please your family and guest and make your taste buds dance.

We love broccoli, and we LOVE bacon. This salad is a combination of the two-plus more tasty ingredients.
It is so easy to throw together, and in just minutes you will have a delicious side for a pot luck, holiday, dinner, or a cookout. You can’t go wrong with this dish. It may become a family favorite for you as well.

I made this for our Father’s Day lunch, and not a bite was left. My family loved it, and many asked for the recipe. Be prepared when you serve this to your guest, they WILL ask for the recipe.

Chopping the broccoli and the onion is the hardest part, and I promise —it is so worth it! 🙂 I plan to make this again– this week– to serve to my family for dinner. And yes, I am excited to have leftovers to eat during the week.

This Bacon and Broccoli Salad makes enough to serve 8-10 people as a side dish. It will last for several days in the refrigerator. Maybe! 🙂

Ingredients Needed for Bacon and Broccoli Salad

broccoli florets
 red onion
 dried cranberries
dried roasted sunflower seeds
 bacon, cooked and crumbled
 shredded cheddar cheese

Dressing for Bacon and Broccoli Salad

mayo
sugar
apple cider vinegar

How To Make Bacon and Broccoli Salad

Chop the Broccoli into small pieces.
Add all of the salad ingredients to a medium-sized bowl–except the bacon. Stir until everything is mixed well.
In a small bowl whisk the mayonnaise, sugar, and vinegar until smooth. Spoon the dressing over the salad mixture and stir until evenly coated.
Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Before serving, add the bacon and stir well.

Tips for Making the Best Bacon and Broccoli Salad

Broccoli— use fresh broccoli for this recipe. Chop the broccoli into small pieces for this salad.

Bacon— Yes, please! I love bacon and I love to use it in recipes whenever possible. Sure, you can half the amount called for in this recipe, but why? Wait until you are ready to serve to add the bacon. This should keep it from getting soggy. Who likes soggy bacon?

Red Onion— the red onion adds flavor as well as color to this salad. It also gives it a nice crunch.

Dried Cranberries— the cranberries also add a lot of color and flavor. If you don’t like them– leave them out. The salad will still be just as good.

Apple Cider Vinegar— I like the taste of the vinegar in this recipe. It mixes well for the dressing and add a little tang. If you don’t have ACV, use regular white vinegar. 

Cheese— I use medium cheddar cheese for this recipe. Feel free to use sharp cheddar if so desired.

Can I Make This Salad Ahead of Time?

Yes, you can make this salad up to a day ahead of time if desired. I like to make this salad at least 2-4 hours before I serve it. I wait until serving time to add the bacon. 

How Long Will Bacon and Broccoli Salad Keep In the Refrigerator?

This salad should last up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Keep it tightly covered with plastic wrap or in an air-tight container.

Are you looking for more salad recipes? Try the recipes below for more options.

Easy Mixed Bean Salad--Mixed Bean Salad is perfect for a side dish or to serve as a snack. It has just the right amount of tanginess and color—a great dish for your next party.

Southern Cornbread Salad--Southern Cornbread Salad is a crowd pleasing layered salad with bacon, cheese, and cornbread that comes together easily for all of your gatherings. Perfect for any time of the year.

Carrot Apple Salad--Carrots, pineapple, apple, and raisins make for a delicious salad for just about any occasion. This is an easy dish to throw together with only a few ingredients and little prep work plus it is super yummy!

Some of the links on this page are affiliate links. Home at Cedar Springs Farm may earn a small commission for purchases made after clicking links on this page. Learn More.

This Stainless Steel Covered Mixing Bowl with a non slip coating on the base would be great for transporting food or storing leftovers.

Be sure to order your ingredients for this salad–dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, mayonnaise, sugar, and        apple cider vinegar.

Bacon and Broccoli Salad

Gina Abernathy

It's perfect served as a side dish for dinner, a cookout, or a holiday celebration. Bacon and Broccoli Salad is a quick summer salad that is sure to please your family and guest and make your taste buds dance.

5 from 14 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 8 people

Ingredients

  

Salad Ingredients

• 8 cups broccoli florets finely chopped
• 1/2 medium red onion chopped
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 3/4 cup dried roasted sunflower seeds
• 1 pound bacon cooked and crumbled
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Dressing

• 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar

Instructions

 

• Chop the broccoli into small pieces.
• Add all of the salad ingredients to a medium sized bowl--except the bacon. Stir until everything is mixed well.
• In a small bowl whisk the mayonnaise, sugar, and vinegar until smooth. Spoon the dressing over the salad mixture and stir until evenly coated.
• Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Before serving-add the bacon and stir well.

Keyword Bacon and Broccoli Salad