• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Skip to content
Preppy Kitchen logo
  • About
    • Meet John Kanell
    • Press
  • Recipes
    • Desserts
    • Breakfast
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Breads
    • Soups
    • Salads
    • Casseroles
    • Instant Pot
    • Appetizers
    • Drinks
    • Holiday
  • Cookbook
  • Shop
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Press
  • All Recipes
  • Cookbook
  • Shop
  • Contact
  • Follow us on

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Side Dishes » Broccoli Salad

    Broccoli Salad

    Published: February 27, 2020 · Modified: Apr 17, 2020 by John Kanell

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

    This crunchy, creamy, delicious broccoli salad recipe has crisp bacon, cheddar, onion, toasted pumpkin seeds and a tangy dressing you'll love. It's the perfect salad for picnics, barbecues, and big parties but because it holds up in the fridge well it's great for meal planning and leftovers.

    Broccoli Salad feature
    361 shares
    • Share
    • Reddit
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    broccoli salad
    broccoli salad in a serving bowl
    broccoli salad in a serving bowl
    broccoli salad in a serving bowl
    broccoli salad in a serving bowl
    broccoli salad on a plate
    broccoli salad on a plate
    broccoli salad on a plate
    broccoli salad on a plate
    broccoli salad on a plate
    broccoli salad on a plate
    broccoli salad on a plate
    broccoli salad on a plate
    broccoli salad in a bowl

    Does broccoli salad get a bad wrap or are you in the know? it’s SO GOOD!!! An amazing combination of creamy crunchy, salty, umami and a little bit sweet. It holds up in the fridge super-well so it’s great for meal planning and leftovers. If you have extra broccoli, then try my broccoli cheddar soup recipe!

    A delicious broccoli salad on a large porcelain serving dish with gold spoons.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What do you eat with broccoli salad?

    Bacon-wrapped filet mignon

    Beef Stew

    Instant Pot roast chicken

    Chicken piccata

    How do you cut broccoli for broccoli salad?

    • Wash thoroughly
    • Cut the florets from the stem
    • Slice the florets from the stem side to the head and break into smaller pieces with your hands as needed.

    How long is broccoli salad good for in the fridge? 

    This salad will keep for up to four days in the fridge but is best when you

    How do you make broccoli slaw from scratch?

    Cut small pieces of broccoli and mix in a large bowl with shredded cheese, chopped onion, nuts and then mix with a creamy dressing.

    Can you make this salad without bacon?

    You can sub in turkey bacon, slices of a flavorful sausage, or sauté some mushrooms

     

    How to Make Broccoli Salad

    Bacon on a wire rack after getting baked crisp for broccoli salad

    1. Cook the bacon until perfectly crisp. The easiest way to do this is in an oven at 400F. Place your bacon on a wire rack over a baking sheet covered in foil and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until crisp. Bake time will increase with thicker cuts. Reduce oven temperature to 350F and toast the pumpkin seeds for about 10 minutes.

    2. While the bacon crisps up you can complete the rest of the salad prep starting with the dressing. Whisk up the mayonnaise, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, salt, and honey on a medium bowl and set aside. Dip a piece of broccoli in and give it a taste test to see if you’d like more salt, vinegar etc.

    Red onion getting chopped and cheddar getting shredded for broccoli salad.

    3. Chop the red onion in to small pieces. Half a small to medium onion is plenty but if you’re not a fan of the bite either substitute them out for shallots or soak in vinegar for a 10 minutes.

    4. Shred your sharp cheddar, or cut into small cubes. I prefer freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese any cheddar or even gouda will work.

    Broccoli salad in a glass bowl ready for dressing to get poured on.

    5. Chop the broccoli florets from the stems then cut and break into smaller pieces. You want bite-sized bits that will not dominate a fork so err on the smaller side.

    6. Add all the ingredients to a large bowl then drizzle with dressing and toss. You might want to reserve a few spoonfuls of bacon, cheddar and onion to sprinkle on top as garnish before serving.

    A plate of broccoli salad on a marble table with pink linens.

    Pro Tips for the BEST Broccoli Salad

    • Get that bacon nice and CRISP and don’t forget to toast the pumpkin seeds.
    • You can sub in sunflower seeds or almond slivers if preferred or easier to find.
    • If you’re making this in advance dress the salad as you go for best results.
    • Dried cranberries or raisins add a nice touch of sweetness.
    • For those who are not so into the crunch you can blanche the florets in boiling water for 30-60 seconds, then plunge in ice water.

    If you love this recipe try these out!

    • Egg salad sprinkled with fresh dill in a porcelain bowl.

      Egg Salad

    • A delicious homemade potato salad on a porcelain plate next to a serving dish.

      Potato Salad

    • Pasta salad on a porcelain plate nest to a large serving dish.

      Pasta Salad

    • A large bowl filled with homemade fruit salad.

      Fruit Salad

    • A bowl of cucumber salad with fresh dill and red onion slices.

      Cucumber Salad

    If you’ve tried this broccoli salad recipe then don’t forget to leave a rating and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! 

    Print
    5 from 5 votes

    Broccoli Salad

    This crunchy, creamy, delicious broccoli salad recipe has crisp bacon, cheddar, onion, toasted pumpkin seeds and a tangy dressing you'll love.
    Course Salad, Side Dish
    Cuisine American
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 15 minutes
    Total Time 25 minutes
    Servings 10 people
    Calories 273kcal
    Author John Kanell

    Ingredients

    • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
    • 1/4 cup sour cream
    • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
    • 1 tbsp honey
    • pinch salt
    • 2 lbs broccoli
    • 7 slices bacon
    • 1 cup sharp cheddar
    • 1 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
    • 1/2 red onion small

    Instructions

    • Place the bacon on a wire rack over a baking sheet lined with foil and bake at 400F for about 15 minutes or until golden and crispy.
    • Toast the pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet at 350F for about 10 minutes.
    • Add the mayonnaise, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, salt and honey to a medium bowl then whisk together until combined and set aside.
    • Wash the broccoli and cut the florets from the stem then break into small pieces then transfer to a large bowl.
    • Shred the cheddar and cut the red onion Into small pieces then place both in the bowl with the broccoli
    • Add in the toasted pumpkin seeds then crumble the bacon into the bowl as well.
    • Spoon the dressing onto the salad and toss to mix.

    Notes

    • Get that bacon nice and CRISP and don't forget to toast the pumpkin seeds. 
    • You can sub in sunflower seeds or almond slivers if preferred or easier to find. 
    • If you're making this in advance dress the salad as you go for best results.
    • Dried cranberries or raisins add a nice touch of sweetness.
    • For those who are not so into the crunch you can blanche the florets in boiling water for 30-60 seconds, then plunge in ice water.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 273kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 279mg | Potassium: 396mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 727IU | Vitamin C: 81mg | Calcium: 135mg | Iron: 1mg
    *Nutrition Disclaimer
    Have you Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @preppykitchen and tag #preppykitchen!
    « Fruit Salad
    Apple Crumble Pie »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Avatar for Mareza van der MerweMareza van der Merwe says

      September 10, 2020 at 5:31 am

      This salad was a total winner at our Braai (BBQ) on Saturday. I just replaced half of the broccoli with cauliflower. Absolutely delicious. Thanks once again for great recipes.

      Reply
      • Avatar for John KanellJohn Kanell says

        September 21, 2020 at 6:30 pm

        So happy you enjoyed!

        Reply
    2. Avatar for SiobhanSiobhan says

      March 11, 2020 at 8:44 am

      5 stars
      Wow, great salad with a wonderful tangy dressing. I roasted the broccoli 15mn, used raspberry vinegar and added some cranberries. Feta cheese instead of cheddar could be a nice combo too, thanks for your mouth-watering recipes!

      Reply
    3. Avatar for RitaRita says

      March 02, 2020 at 8:36 pm

      5 stars
      Broccoli is one of my favorite vegetables, and it’s absolutely delicious as the base for this awesome salad…great creamy salad dressing!

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome to Preppy Kitchen!

    Thanks for stopping by! I’m John Kanell, a husband, dad to twins Lachlan and George, Los Angeles native, and an avid baker and cooker of all things delicious thanks to a life long education from my mother. This blog is where I share all of my kitchen creations!

    Search

    Follow Us On

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Preppy Kitchen Newsletter

    Sign up to receive recipes, recommendations and tips straight to your inbox!

    Buy My Book

    Preppy Kitchen Cookbook

    As Seen On

    As seen on Elle Décor, People, Food Network and more

    Top recipes This Month

    • A stack of peanut butter cookies on a small wooden board

      Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe

    • An Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookie next to a glass of milk

      Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

    • Lemon bars dusted with powdered sugar on a green and white plate.

      Lemon Bars

    • A group of pink macarons on a serving tray next to flowers

      Macaron Recipe

    • A photo of a vanilla cupcake on a cupcake stand with vanilla buttercream frosting beautifully piped on top.

      Buttercream Frosting

    • A plate with multiple cake pops on it with one with a bite taken out.

      Cake Pops

    • A group of shortbread cookies. some are stacked while others are on crumpled paper.

      Shortbread Cookies Recipe

    • A cake stand with a slice of red velvet cake cut out and placed on a plate in front.

      Red Velvet Cake

    • A slice of vanilla cake on a plate in front of the cake on a cake stand.

      Vanilla Cake Recipe

    • A slice of lemon cake on a plate in front of a cake stand holding the rest of the cake.

      Lemon Cake

    Footer

    As Seen On:

    Elle Décor, People, Country Living, Better Homes & Gardens, Food Network, Woman's Day, forkly, Yummly, the Bump, Buzz Feed, Home and Family and New York magazine.

    The Brand

    • About John
    • Press

    Preppy Kitchen Logo

    Dessert Recipes

    • Cakes
    • Cookies
    • Cupcakes
    • Pies
    • All Desserts

    Main Course Recipes

    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Casseroles
    • InstantPot
    • Soups
    • Salads

    COPYRIGHT © 2015–2023 PREPPY KITCHEN | PRIVACY POLICY

    361 shares