This easy broccoli salad recipe is quick to make and loaded with tastes and textures you’ll love. A crowd-pleasing option, it’s the perfect side dish for family gatherings and celebrations!
Why you’ll love this broccoli salad recipe
The first time I ever had this broccoli bacon salad was at my friend’s daughter’s first birthday party. The birthday girl’s great-grandmother, Linda, prepared it, and it was so good that everyone went back for seconds!
Thankfully, she was happy to share the recipe, and it has been a staple at my own family gatherings ever since.
- Quick – Preparing the bacon is the only actual cooking you need to do. Then, all that’s left is chopping the veggies and combining everything!
- Large batch – One batch makes enough for up to 8 servings and can easily be doubled or even tripled for a hungry crowd.
- Make ahead – This broccoli salad with grapes actually tastes better as it sits, meaning it’s perfect for assembling a day or so in advance!
Feel free to mix and match the ingredients to make this broccoli salad recipe your own! Enjoy it as a side dish, or add your favorite protein for an easy meal prep option. No matter what you really can’t go wrong.
Key Ingredient Notes
- Sugar – A tiny pinch of granulated sugar balances the tang of the dressing for a well-rounded taste.
- Bacon – Cooked bacon adds a bit of crunch and a delicious savory, salty flavor. I use center-cut pork bacon, but turkey bacon will also work if you need to keep this recipe pork-free.
- Broccoli – You can’t have broccoli salad without broccoli! I buy whole heads of broccoli and chop them myself. However, you can also use ready-to-eat chopped florets if you want to cut down a bit of the prep time.
- Red onion – Chopped finely, this adds extra texture and a bit of tang.
- Grapes – Use red grapes instead of green grapes for a sweet taste.
- Craisins – These are sweetened dried cranberries that add a bit of chewy texture and a sweet taste to the salad. Raisins also work well if you have them on hand.
- Sunflower seeds – Use plain or roasted salted sunflower seeds without the shell. Or, substitute slivered almonds or chopped walnuts for a similar taste and texture.
- Mayo – This forms the base of the dressing. Make sure to use full-fat mayo, not lite varieties! Linda, the creator of this recipe, recommended using Hellamn’s.
- Red wine vinegar – Use this to add a subtle tang to the dressing. Apple cider vinegar will also work and adds a slight apple flavor.
How to make broccoli salad
1. Cook the bacon
- Cut the bacon into small pieces.
- Cook it in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until it’s nice and crispy, about 8 minutes.
- Transfer the cooked pieces to a paper towel-lined plate.
2. Prep the produce
- Cut the broccoli into small bite-sized pieces.
- Mince the red onion.
- Cut the grapes in half.
Dry the produce
Make sure all the produce is dry before combining the ingredients, or your salad is likely to become soggy!
3. Make the dressing and mix
- Whisk the mayo, sugar, and red wine vinegar in a separate bowl until smooth.
- Pour the dressing over the broccoli salad.
- Toss to combine and coat the ingredients.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Tips for Success
- Cut your broccoli into small bite-sized pieces so that it’s easy to eat and you get a little bit of everything in each bite.
- Add the sunflower seeds just before serving to keep them nice and crunchy.
- Eyeball the amount of mix-ins included, adding as little or as much as you like.
- Chill your broccoli salad in the fridge before serving to allow the flavors to soak in and meld together.
Make-Ahead Tips
This cold broccoli salad recipe is great to prepare in advance. In fact, I think it tastes even better the next day!
Just combine all the ingredients, store the salad in an airtight container in the fridge, and give it a good stir before serving.
It’s not totally necessary, but I recommend leaving out the sunflower seeds until you’re ready to eat to prevent them from becoming soggy.
Storing Tips
Store leftover broccoli salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. I don’t recommend freezing it, because it will become soggy once thawed!
FAQs:
Yes, broccoli can be eaten raw and provides a nice crunch when served in salads uncooked.
Broccoli salad can get watery if the broccoli is wet. So, make sure to dry it well before adding it to the salad!
Feel free to use a different dressing, or add seasonings like garlic powder, onion powder, or smoked paprika. Experiment to find what you like best!
More Salad Recipes:
The BEST Broccoli Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb bacon
- 1 head broccoli washed
- ½ red onion
- 2-3 cups seedless grapes washed
- 1 cup craisins
- ½ cup sunflower seeds
- Salt & pepper to taste
Dressing:
- 1 cup mayo
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup sugar
Instructions
- To cook the bacon, cut bacon into small pieces.
- In a medium skillet, cook chopped bacon over medium high heat until nice and crispy, about 8 minutes. Remove bacon bits onto a plate, lined with a paper towel.
- To prep the veggies, cut the broccoli into small bite-size pieces.
- Mince red onion.
- Cut the grapes in half.
- In a large bowl, combine chopped broccoli, bacon, onion, grapes, craisins and sunflower seeds.
- To make the dressing, whisk mayo, sugar and red wine vinegar until smooth.
- Pour the dressing over the prepared salad ingredients and mix well. Salt and pepper to taste.
Tips & Notes
– You can make this broccoli salad a day in advance.
– Refrigerate until ready to serve. The leftover salad is good, refrigerated, for 3-4 days.
– I don’t recommend freezing this recipe!
Nutrition
This is a popular salad for Summer in New Zealand. I make it a lot. Your version is gorgeous. I make it with dried craisins or raisins – I’m not so fond of the grapes in my broccoli salad, dunno why🤷♀️ And often I use some honey roasted peanuts. I use bacon and finely Chopped onion that I cook together in a pan and no Sweeteners, just Bestfoods mayonnaise. Yum yum! The craisins and honey Roast peanuts add enough sweet or sometimes instead of peanuts I do walnuts or cashews just plain raw or roasted. Also if you don’t have broccoli, go ahead and do This with coleslaw and add Some grated tasty cheese😋