This Broccoli Salad is a favorite—creamy, sweet, salty, and wonderfully crunchy. It’s an ideal side for barbecues, potlucks, picnics, or parties. Everyone loves it!
One of the best summer side dishes is broccoli salad. The right mix of dressing and additions creates a perfect balance of sweet, salty, and crunchy. This version brings those elements together for a crowd-pleasing result.
Start with fresh broccoli, cut into bite-size florets. Add diced red onion, shredded cheddar, salted sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, and chopped cooked bacon. Together the textures and flavors are delightful. Pro tip: cook bacon starting in a cold pan to keep it flat and render the fat evenly.
The dressing is simple: mayonnaise, granulated sugar, red wine vinegar for brightness, and salt and pepper to taste. The ratio matters—about half as much sugar as mayonnaise helps create a sweet-but-not-cloying dressing that balances the salty cheese, bacon, and seeds.
Toss everything together, then cover and chill for at least 1–2 hours if possible—this allows the flavors to meld and improves the texture. Keep refrigerated until serving.
Broccoli Salad
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Ingredients
Salad:
- 5 cups broccoli florets, (1-2 heads/crowns)
- 1 cup diced red onion, (½ large onion)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup salted sunflower seeds
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup chopped bacon, (5-6 slices, cooked)
Dressing:
- 1 cup mayonnaise, (can use light)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- salt and pepper, to taste (more pepper than salt)
Instructions
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Rinse broccoli and cut into bite-size florets, discarding large stems. Dice the red onion. Cook bacon, drain on paper towels, then chop into small pieces. (Pro tip: start bacon in a cold pan to keep it flat.)
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Combine broccoli, diced red onion, shredded cheddar, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, and chopped bacon in a large bowl.
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In a separate bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, granulated sugar, and red wine vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste—use less salt since the cheese, bacon, and seeds add saltiness.
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Toss the dressing with the salad ingredients until evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Cover and refrigerate at least 1–2 hours for the best flavor. Keep chilled until serving.
Notes
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