Broccoli Salad

Broccoli Salad is one of my favorite side dishes to enjoy during the summer months. It pairs well with just about any main entree and is super easy to make. For this salad, we combine broccoli, bacon, red onion, roasted almonds, sunflower seeds, sharp cheddar cheese, and dried cranberries with a creamy mayo-based dressing. The dressing is a delicious mixture of mayonnaise, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and spices. It is not too sweet and provides the perfect balance against the earthy flavors of the salad.

I love that this recipe is so versatile! Feel free to substitute items to your liking and omit ones that do not suit your palate. This salad is also great for making in advance. To do so, prepare the salad and dressing according to our recipe but wait to incorporate the dressing until the day you are ready to serve.

Broccoli Salad Key Ingredients

Let’s take a closer look at the ingredients that make up this delicious dish.

Broccoli

We use fresh broccoli florets for this recipe. You may either buy these pre-cut or use heads of broccoli. Even when using pre-cut florets, I prefer to trim them down into smaller pieces but this is completely optional. I do not blanch my broccoli either. If you prefer to blanch it, feel free to do so!

Bacon

Be sure to cook your bacon according to package instructions before adding to the salad.

Roasted Almonds

I love the flavor and added crunch roasted salted almonds bring to this dish. Before adding to the salad, I roughly chop these by hand or using my food processor. If you would like to keep the dish nut-free, you may replace the almonds with more sunflower seeds.

Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Be sure to select shredded sharp cheddar cheese that is on the thicker side. You do not want to use the fine cut cheese in this recipe.

Sunflower Seeds and Dried Cranberries

I use salted sunflower seeds (kernels) in this dish and any kind of dried cranberries.

Apple Cider Vinegar

I typically use apple cider vinegar when making this dish but red wine vinegar and white wine vinegar work great too!

Can I Make Broccoli Salad In Advance?

Absolutely! If you would like to prepare this a few days ahead, simply combine all the ingredients for the salad in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator. Do the same for the dressing but wait to mix the dressing into the salad until the day you are ready to serve. A few hours prior to serving, thoroughly mix dressing into salad and refrigerate.

Tips

• Broccoli – No need to blanch broccoli. Use fresh, raw broccoli florets and cut into desired sizes.
• Sharp cheddar cheese – Shredded cheese should be on the thicker side.
• Make ahead – This dish can easily be made ahead of time. To do so, prepare the salad and dressing according to our recipe but wait to incorporate the dressing until the day you are ready to serve.

My Preferred Tools

You may already have many of these items in your kitchen. I recommend the following for this recipe:

• Sharp knife set – to chop veggies
• Cutting board – to chop veggies
• Food Processor – to roughly chop almonds

If you enjoyed this recipe, try our

• Macaroni Salad
• The Best Potato Salad
• Lemon Dijon Carrot Salad
• Black Bean Corn Salad

5 from 1 reviews

Broccoli Salad

August 5, 2024

Servings: 8.5 cups

Prep: 30 min

Cook:

Total: 30 min

Difficulty: Easy

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This Broccoli Salad combines broccoli, bacon, red onion, roasted almonds, sunflower seeds, sharp cheddar cheese, and dried cranberries with a delicious homemade dressing.

By: The Kelly Kitchen

Ingredients

• SALAD:
• 6 cups fresh broccoli florets
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• ¾ cup bacon, cooked and crumbled
• ½ cup salted sunflower seeds
• ½ cup smoked salted almonds, roughly chopped
• 1/3 cup red onion, diced
• DRESSING:
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper

Directions

• Step 1 SALAD: In a large bowl, combine broccoli florets, cheddar cheese, dried cranberries, crumbled bacon, sunflower seeds, chopped almonds, and red onion. (I prefer to chop my broccoli florets into smaller pieces but this is completely optional.)
• Step 2 DRESSING: Whisk together all ingredients for the dressing in a separate medium bowl until smooth.
• Step 3 ASSEMBLY: Pour dressing over salad and stir thoroughly until everything is coated. Broccoli salad may be served immediately but tastes best if allowed to chill in refrigerator for at least one hour prior to serving.
• Step 4 STORAGE: Store salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

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