How to Make Broccoli Salad Recipe With Bacon!

PIN IT

This simple broccoli salad is delicious and extremely easy to pull together. The balance of sweet and savory with the crunch of fresh broccoli is delicious at any meal. Have this recipe handy if you bring it to a party; you’ll definitely be asked to share it!

What to Serve with Broccoli Salad

This salad is great to serve with any kind of barbeque. My family enjoys this refreshing salad with burgers, sausages, pulled pork, and grilled chicken. This is also a great option for fall and holiday get-togethers. Due to the bacon and cranberries, you may find the flavors also pair well with almost any ham or turkey meals. 

Making Broccoli Salad Ahead of Time

This salad is a great option if you are preparing for a gathering and you want to get as much done a day or so ahead of time. Unlike salads with lettuce or other leafy greens, this salad can handle being assembled, sauce and all, a day or so ahead of serving. In fact, I encourage you to make this at least a few hours ahead of when you need to serve. Doing so allows for all of the flavors to marinate and develop with each other.

How to Store Broccoli Salad

If you make this side dish ahead of your gathering, be sure to store it in the fridge in an airtight container. Although the broccoli is a very sturdy green even with the mayonnaise sauce, it’s best to keep everything cold until serving. 

The Shelflife

If you end up with any leftovers, it’s best to eat them within a week of preparation. For best results, keep this salad in an airtight container and in the fridge until you’re ready to eat it.

The Dressing for Broccoli Salad

The dressing for this salad is a mayonnaise based sauce and is very simple to make. The combination of flavors within this sauce and the rest of this salad make for a delicious and well rounded side dish for any occasion. 

In addition to mayonnaise, this dressing includes a little apple cider vinegar, sugar and salt. The apple cider vinegar provides some acidity to the dressing. The sugar and salt are added to help balance out that acidity. 

Substitutions

Almost any recipe can withstand a few substitutions and the same general flavor and experience can be achieved. This salad is no exception! If you don’t have dried cranberries, you can use raisins or any other small dried fruit.

The yellow onion here can be swapped for red or white onion. Just be sure to finely chop your chosen onion. This will help keep the flavor evenly distributed and no one should bite into a large chunk of onion.

Instead of bacon, you could substitute small & thin pieces of ham. The flavor of the overall salad will be slightly different but still very similar. 

If you are unable to use hulled sunflower seeds, I suggest using any other soft nut or seed in its place. Something like a walnut or pecan that is finely chopped to a similar size should work just as well. You could also use a hulled pumpkin seed or hulled hemp seed.

Ingredients and Tools

½ cup Dried, unsweetened cranberries or raisins 

6 cups Fresh Broccoli florets, cut into small pieces

½ medium yellow onion, finely chopped

8-12 oz Bacon, chopped and cooked

⅓ cup Hulled sunflower seeds

1 cup Mayonnaise-learn how to make your own HERE

1 TBSP Apple cider vinegar

½ tsp Sea Salt – I like to use Redmond Real Salt to add good minerals

2 TBSP Raw cane sugar

A medium mixing bowl

Large spoon

Measuring cups and spoons

Directions 

Begin by chopping raw bacon into small pieces and cook in a cast iron skillet. When fully cooked, remove from the pan and cool on a paper towel.

While the bacon is cooking, begin chopping the broccoli in small, bite sized pieces.

Add broccoli finely chopped onion, cranberries & room temperature bacon to a medium mixing bowl. 

Mix to evenly distribute all the ingredients. 

Prepare the sauce by mixing mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar and salt. 

Pour the mayonnaise mixture over the bowl of broccoli & mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.

Place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour. 

Just before serving, add hulled sunflower seeds and mix until well incorporated. 

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Consume within 4-7 days.

PIN IT

Broccoli Salad FAQ:

What to Serve with Broccoli Salad

This salad is great to serve with any kind of barbeque. My family enjoys this refreshing salad with burgers, sausages, pulled pork, and grilled chicken. This is also a great option for fall and holiday get-togethers. Due to the bacon and cranberries, you may find the flavors also pair well with almost any ham or turkey meals. 

Can I Make Broccoli Salad Ahead of Time?

Yes! This salad is a great option if you are preparing for a gathering and you want to get as much done a day or so ahead of time. Unlike salads with lettuce or other leafy greens, this salad can handle being assembled, sauce and all, a day or so ahead of serving. In fact, I encourage you to make this at least a few hours ahead of when you need to serve. Doing so allows for all of the flavors to marinate and develop with each other.

How Do I Store Broccoli Salad?

If you make this side dish ahead of your gathering, be sure to store it in the fridge in an airtight container. Although the broccoli is a very sturdy green even with the mayonnaise sauce, it’s best to keep everything cold until serving. 

If you end up with any leftovers, it’s best to eat them within a week of preparation. For best results, keep this salad in an airtight container and in the fridge until you’re ready to eat it.

What is the Dressing for Broccoli Salad?

The dressing for this salad is a mayonnaise based sauce and is very simple to make. The combination of flavors within this sauce and the rest of this salad make for a delicious and well rounded side dish for any occasion. 

In addition to mayonnaise, this dressing includes a little apple cider vinegar, sugar and salt. The apple cider vinegar provides some acidity to the dressing. The sugar and salt are added to help balance out that acidity. 

Can I Make Substitutions in This Recipe?

Almost any recipe can withstand a few substitutions and the same general flavor and experience can be achieved. This salad is no exception! If you don’t have dried cranberries, you can use raisins or any other small dried fruit.

The yellow onion here can be swapped for red or white onion. Just be sure to finely chop your chosen onion. This will help keep the flavor evenly distributed and no one should bite into a large chunk of onion.

Instead of bacon, you could substitute small & thin pieces of ham. The flavor of the overall salad will be slightly different but still very similar. 

If you are unable to use hulled sunflower seeds, I suggest using a nut or seed that has a similar soft texture. Something like a walnut or pecan that is finely chopped to a similar size should work just as well. You could also use a hulled pumpkin seed or hulled hemp seed.

Did you try this? Share your creations in the comments or by tagging @MissysHomestead on Instagram.