This is the best Broccoli Salad recipe! It’s so easy to make, with cranberries, grapes, bacon, almonds, and a wonderful creamy dressing. It will be your go-to for every potluck all year round! Also great for lunch or a side salad for dinner!
Can’t can’t enough broccoli? Us too! Try these: Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry, Chicken Broccoli Pasta Salad, and the absolute best Roasted Broccoli.
My friend, Nicole, made this Broccoli Salad for me years ago. Ever since then it’s been my go-to salad whenever we have a large group over or are invited someplace where there will be a lot of people. And everyone always asks for the recipe.
Broccoli Salad Recipe
This is such a well rounded salad with crunchy broccoli, nutty flavor from the almonds, sweetness from the grapes and dried cranberries, and saltiness from cooked bacon. It’s so good, you go back for second and third helpings…and are bummed when there isn’t any left for the next day.
Since originally making it, and the introduction of Pinterest, I’ve seen a ton of different variations. But this is still my favorite.
Easy Broccoli Salad Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Broccoli: Fresh broccoli cut into small bite-sized florets.
- Grapes: We use red grapes.
- Dried Cranberries: We love dried cranberries, but you could sub in raisins, if preferred.
- Almonds: Roasted, sliced almonds add a nice nutty flavor.
- Scallions: Scallions add a nice subtle onion and peppery flavor.
- Cooked Bacon: Cooked, crispy bacon gives this salad another layer of flavor. Simply omit it if you need a vegetarian option.
- Dressing: The dressing is a simple combination of mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, and sugar. It’s sweet, tangy, and so delicious!
How to Make Broccoli Salad
It’s so easy to make this salad in a few simple steps.
(Scroll below for the printable recipe and exact measurements.)
- Cook the bacon, if using. Allow to cool and then crumble or chop it up.
- Cut the broccoli and grapes. Place them in a bowl along with the dried cranberries, almonds, scallions, and bacon.
- Whisk together the dressing ingredients and pour over the broccoli mixture. Combine and coat.
- Cover and chill for a few hours. Serve and enjoy!
Make Ahead and Storing Leftovers
You can make this broccoli salad up to 2 days in advance and keep stored in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container. I wouldn’t recommend much longer than that because the almonds and bacon tend to get too soft and the dressing will loosen. I also recommend waiting until just before serving to fold in the almonds, so they still have a little crunch to them.
Broccoli Salad Video
Other Favorite Side Salad Recipes
- Pea Salad
- Creamy Cucumber Salad
- Strawberry Spinach Salad
- Mexican Street Corn Salad
- Our favorite simple Side Salad
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Broccoli Salad
Ingredients
- 1 large head broccoli , cut into bite-sized florets
- 2 cups seedless red grapes , sliced in half
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- 1 cup dried cranberries (or cherries or raisins)
- 6 scallions , diced
- 1/3 cup cooked chopped bacon pieces
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
- Mix mayo, vinegar, and sugar together in a small bowl.
- Pour mayo mixture over broccoli mixture and combine well.
- Chill for a few hours and serve.
Video
Nutrition
Other Notes
This is a mouth watering healthy salad that’s even better the next day. My family craves this. It’s east to make if you buy the largest bag of fresh broccoli florets. I cut them to smaller pieces. Also, I use the white grapes.
Love this salad! I had a couple of alterations. I didn’t have almonds on hand so I used sunflower kernels instead. And I didn’t have bacon so just left it out. Very delicious – everyone loved it!
I substituted apple cider vinegar for the white wine vinegar since that’s what I had on hand. I also doubled the bacon. It was fantastic – will definitely make again.
Made this a few days ago, but since I’m not a huge fan of raw broccoli I roasted it for 20 minutes in a 400 degree oven! It was wonderful!
Thank you Amy for the nice salad.
Yummy salad ! Made it again for tonight! But I cut the recipe in half for just the 2of us.
Made this for Thanksgiving, but omitted the bacon for our vegetarian guests. We all absolutely loved it!
Can I substitute the mayo with say greek yogurt?
You can, but it lends a completely different flavor – more sour, less sweet. I love Greek Yogurt, but I much prefer mayo in the recipe. That said, try it!
This was GREAT! I love that the broccoli is raw and there’s no need to blanch it – one less step.