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.

Bacon & Broccoli Salad
Bacon & Broccoli Salad

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.

 

Bacon and Broccoli Salad
Bacon and Broccoli Salad

 

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.

Bacon and Broccoli Salad
Bacon and Broccoli Salad

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

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
Prep Time 15 minutes
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

21 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I loved this salad recipe; 8 cups of fresh broccoli made a lot of salad, so I have lots of leftovers that I will use for my meal prep this week. I did not have fresh bacon, so I used Costco’s bacon bits; it still tasted delicious. I also decreased the amount of sugar a little bit. The salad is crunchy and so full of flavors. This recipe is a keeper! Thanks for sharing your recipe!

  2. 5 stars
    I love bacon and I love broccoli, so this bacon broccoli salad is perfect for me! Thanks for sharing the recipe and including detailed instructions. I look forward to trying it!

  3. While I’m not a fan of bacon, this salad looks really good. Anything involving broccoli is great in my opinion. I will have to give this a try, maybe make a small bacon-free version for myself. Can’t wait to try it.

  4. This recipe looks tasty and easy! Although I must admit I do not eat meat, but I am skilled with the art of substitution so I do plan to make this less the bacon! Nom nom nom!

  5. 5 stars
    This bacon and broccoli salad is a perfect combination. It was so savory and delicious. I had it for lunch and it kept me full all afternoon.

  6. 5 stars
    Such a lovely idea… I replace the bacon with halloumi which still gives that salty hit but I loved everything else about it. The dressing really set off all the other flavours. This recipe is one to keep I think.

  7. 5 stars
    Really great salad! Slightly salty with bacon and sweet dressing, all come together beautifully! Thanks for the recipe!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating