Broccoli Salad
Updated
Updated
This is my favorite Broccoli Salad! I take cranberries, grapes, bacon, almonds, and toss them all with a wonderful creamy dressing. It takes just minutes to prepare and usually disappears in about the same amount of time. Crunchy, chewy, sweet, and sour, it hits every craving at the same time. I love serving it at family gatherings and backyard feasts.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItThis post may contain affiliate links. If you click on one and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we genuinely love.
5 STAR REVIEW
Broccoli Salad Recipe
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 somewhere where there’ll be a lot of people. And everyone always asks me for the recipe.
I created this salad so it’s well-rounded with fresh broccoli, crunchy almonds, sweet grapes, tart cranberries, and the ultimate in saltiness from the cooked bacon. It’s a true explosion of flavor and texture in every bite and takes me less than half an hour to prepare. This broccoli salad is so good, I almost never have leftovers.
Helpful Tips and Variations
- Fresh broccoli is a must. Do not use frozen broccoli to make this salad, as it won’t hold up well. And, make sure your fresh broccoli is dry after you wash it, so the moisture doesn’t dilute the flavors.
- Small pieces of broccoli. Cut the broccoli florets into small pieces so they are easy to eat and absorb the flavors of the dressing.
- Don’t compromise the chill time. The salad needs time for the flavors to develop and permeate, so give it a few hours in the fridge.
- Toast the almonds. For a deeper, nuttier flavor, toast the almonds. For a nut-free dish, substitute with sunflower or pumpkin seeds.
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
- ⅓ cup cooked chopped bacon pieces
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp 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
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.
Did you make this? Leave a rating below!How to Make Broccoli Salad Step by Step
Gather the ingredients.
Combine the dry ingredients: Place 1 large head of 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 diced scallions, and ⅓ cup cooked chopped bacon pieces in a bowl.
Prepare the dressing: Whisk together 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 tbsp white wine vinegar, and 1 tbsp granulated sugar.
Chill: Cover the salad and chill for a few hours so the flavors can develop.
Serve: Serve the salad and enjoy.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving this broccoli salad when we host backyard BBQs, as it’s great for feeding a crowd. I’ll also prepare traditional backyard food like juicy lucy burgers and a classic potato salad. For dessert, nothing tastes better or disappears quicker than a decadent ice cream sandwich cake.
How to Store
- Make ahead. You can make this broccoli salad up to 2 days in advance and keep it 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.
- Fridge. I find that for the best texture, this salad should be eaten right away, but leftovers can be stored for up to 2 days in the fridge.
Other Side Salad Recipes To Try
- This Cobb Salad is loaded with chicken, crispy bacon, hard-boiled eggs, tomatoes, avocado, blue cheese, and a simple but wonderful dressing.
- I created this Italian Chopped Salad so it tastes like your favorite Italian sub sandwich, but with pasta instead of the bread.
- My Pea Salad Recipe is a true classic, made with bacon, cheddar cheese, red onions, and a sweet dressing.
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.