Fresh, crisp broccoli, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, and chunks of bacon make up the fast salad known as broccoli. All of it is combined with a pretty simple homemade creamy dressing.
It’s a fantastic meal for potlucks and a wonderful addition to a holiday table because Best Broccoli Salad is best prepared ahead of time (plus everyone loves this recipe).
The Reason Why This Is the Best Broccoli Salad
Simple. Delicious. Easy. There aren’t many expensive components required for the greatest broccoli salad recipe.
Making it is really simple.
The three-ingredient dressing is incredibly easy to make, exceptionally creamy, and tangy. We adore the fact that it contains little sugar.
It’s best prepared in advance and is ideal for potlucks, barbecues, or even weekday lunches.
We hardly ever have leftovers, but if we do, they last for approximately 5 days because it is always a hit!
You can easily add extra vegetables to this dish if you need to use them up. Great additions include peppers, celery, cauliflower, zucchini, and cauliflower!
The Best Broccoli Salad (Pinterest)The components in broccoli salad
The centerpiece of this dish is the crisp broccoli florets. There is no need to cook the broccoli first. Simply clean it thoroughly and let it dry (a salad spinner can help).
A salty, smoky flavor is added by crispy bacon. In order to keep this recipe easy, I use real bacon pieces, but if you like, you can cut and crumble your own.
Add-ins consist of:
onions (red or green work well)
Sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, and raisins if desired. Change the seeds for any chopped nut, such as pecans or almonds.
Making Broccoli Salad
This salad has become a favorite because it is probably one of the simplest to make (besides, it is delicious)!
Wash and thoroughly dry the broccoli. Up to 4 days in advance, chop the florets (and the stem) into bite-sized pieces. You can also include some broccoli slaw in the salad if you’d like.
According to the instructions below, combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and set them aside.
Mix the dressing with the ingredients in a sizable mixing dish. Don’t forget to give the recipe enough time to chill in the refrigerator. This allows some of the dressing to seep into the broccoli, making it even more delicious!
Dressing for broccoli salad
This creamy broccoli salad dressing is delicious and takes only three minutes to prepare.
Dressing can be used for mayonnaise (like Miracle Whip).
You can use any sugar replacement you like in this recipe.
Try coleslaw dressing or creamy poppyseed dressing if you’re looking for a readymade dressing.
By omitting the bacon bits and replacing half of the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt, you can make this broccoli salad recipe healthier.
The Best Creamy Broccoli Salad Recipe: Tips
If you can, wash your broccoli in advance to promote good drainage.
This allows the broccoli to absorb some of the dressing, making the salad even tastier!
Give the recipe enough time to chill in the refrigerator. This allows the broccoli to absorb some of the dressing, making the salad even tastier!
Ahead of time and leftovers
Broccoli salad can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before serving. Keep the dressing separate and toss the salad a few hours before serving if you want to prepare it further ahead.
The Best Broccoli Salad (Pinterest)Ingredients
- 8 cups broccoli cut into bite-sized pieces
- ⅓ cup red onion diced
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds
- ½ cup bacon bits
Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, stir the dressing ingredients together. Place aside.
- Broccoli, onion, cranberries, sunflower seeds, and bacon bits should all be combined in a big bowl. Mix thoroughly after adding the prepared dressing.
- Before serving, place in the fridge for at least one hour.
Notes
The broccoli salad can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before serving.
In the refrigerator, leftovers will keep for about 4-5 days.
Dry the broccoli thoroughly so that moisture won’t dilute the dressing. For this dish, broccoli doesn’t need to be cooked.
If preferred, save some crisp bacon for garnish and add it right before serving.
If preferred, store-bought coleslaw dressing can be used in place of the homemade version.