Nothing screams “summer sides” quite like this broccoli salad recipe.

Growing up, broccoli salad was a staple at my annual family reunions. I wish I could say that I always loved it – but my family would always make it with cheese! Cheese and I have not always gotten along and thus, my hatred for broccoli salad ensued.

Now that I’m not forced to eat things that I don’t like (and can alter the ingredients as I see fit), broccoli salad is a welcome side dish in my house!

In fact, I’ve made this broccoli salad recipe countless times now and don’t see myself stopping anytime soon. It’s truly my favorite broccoli salad recipe and I’m so excited to share it with you all!

Why you’ll love this broccoli salad recipe

It’s always a welcome dish. Next time you’re invited to a party, make and bring this broccoli salad and watch how many people are in awe with your cooking skills!

It’s best after it’s sat in the fridge for a while. Because the “dry ingredients” in this dish soak up the broccoli salad dressing after sitting in the fridge, it’s often best to eat days later! It’s an awesome side dish to make ahead of time.

This is an easy broccoli salad recipe. Apart from cooking the bacon and chopping the broccoli florets, there’s not much work you need to do to put this broccoli salad together!

Ingredients

For this broccoli salad recipe, you’ll need:

• Broccoli – You can’t have broccoli salad without broccoli! Tiny broccoli florets are a must in this recipe. No large chunks!
• Golden raisins – Most people typically use dried cranberries in their broccoli salad recipe – but I’m a huge fan of golden raisins!
• Bacon – If you’ve never had broccoli salad with bacon… this is your sign to have it ASAP! Crispy bacon is the key to a good broccoli salad (and you can’t beat a good broccoli salad with bacon).
• Red onion – While I typically always use red onion, green onions also work!
• Sunflower seeds – Sunflower seeds are some of my favorite nuts to add into this broccoli salad! Feel free to add sliced almonds, toasted almonds, slivered almonds, cashews, or any other nut you have on hand!
• Mayonnaise – This is the base of the broccoli salad dressing. Some people use a mixture of mayonnaise and sour cream, but I’ve found that mayonnaise on it’s own works well!
• White wine vinegar – I’ve found that white wine vinegar tastes the best in my broccoli salad. However, apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar are awesome substitutes!
• Sugar – Sugar helps to sweeten the broccoli salad dressing a bit. Feel free to omit if you’d like!
• Salt and pepper

And that’s it!

One of my favorite things about broccoli salads is that the ingredients are able to be swapped as you see fit.

If you’re looking to lighten up this broccoli salad, feel free to swap the mayo with some plain greek yogurt! It works like a charm and makes a delicious homemade broccoli salad dressing.

PSA: If you are someone that likes broccoli salad with cheese, I’d recommend adding some sharp cheddar cheese.

How to make broccoli salad

First, cook the bacon. However you choose to do this is up to you – but I love popping it in the oven until crispy.

While the bacon is cooking, wash the broccoli florets under some water (or place them in a salad spinner to wash them). Set to the side for now and make the dressing.

Add mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper to a medium size bowl and whisk until fully combined. Here’s what it should look like once fully incorporated:

Add the broccoli, golden raisins, red onion, sunflower seeds, and bacon to the homemade dressing and toss to combine.

Serve and enjoy!

Frequently asked questions

Have a question not answered below? Feel free to leave me a comment below and I’ll answer it ASAP 🙂

Is broccoli salad good for you?

I’d say yes!

However, there are ways to make broccoli salad better for you if you’re super health conscious! For example, you can use greek yogurt instead of mayo in the dressing.

Or you can use olive oil mayonnaise in place of regular mayonnaise!

Do you have to cook the broccoli before making broccoli salad?

You absolutely do not have to! In fact, I’d recommend that you leave your broccoli raw – fresh broccoli is the key to making this broccoli salad crisp and bright!

How long does broccoli salad last?

Typically, broccoli salad will last for up to four days if stored in an airtight container!

If you want to make this broccoli salad days in advance, I’d recommend not adding the dressing until you’re ready to serve it. Without the dressing on top, it’ll last for about a week in an airtight container.

The Best Broccoli Salad Recipe

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Looking for your new favorite summer side dish? This easy and delicious broccoli salad is calling your name!

• Author: Kayla
• Prep Time: 20 Minutes
• Total Time: 20 Minutes
• Yield: 4 Servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Dry ingredients:

• 3 cups broccoli florets (about 2 heads of broccoli)
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup crispy bacon
• 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup red onion, diced

Dressing ingredients:

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 TBSP white wine vinegar
• 2 TBSP cane sugar
• 1 TSP salt and pepper

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Instructions

1. First, cook the bacon. However you choose to do this is up to you – but I love popping it in the oven until crispy.
2. While the bacon is cooking, wash the broccoli florets under some water (or place them in a salad spinner to wash them). Set to the side for now and make the dressing.
3. Add mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper to a medium size bowl and whisk until fully combined.
4. Add the broccoli, golden raisins, red onion, sunflower seeds, and bacon to the homemade dressing and toss to combine.
5. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

* Prep time includes the time needed to cook bacon!