When you are thinking of a delicious yet nutritious salad, a Broccoli Salad comes to mind! It has some sweet additions like craisins and grapes, yet savory ingredients like onions and bacon. All tossed together with sunflower seeds, pecans, and, of course, broccoli in a tangy, creamy dressing. Perfect as a side for any BBQ, summer gathering, picnic and more.
Love broccoli and want more? Then try our Broccoli Soup or a gorgeous Garlic Roasted Broccolini. Perfect for summer entertaining, too!
Why I Love This Recipe
- Full of crunch
- Easy to make
- Perfect sweet and savory combination
- Great for any gathering
- Easily portable
Helpful Items for This Recipe
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Ingredients in Broccoli Salad
Ingredients
Dressing
Mayonnaise, Olive oil and Apple cider vinegar – These ingredients make up the base of the dressing, giving both a creamy and tangy flavor.
Granulated sugar – Just a touch of sweetness brings this salad dressing together.
Dijon mustard – This adds an amazing tang; I wouldn’t use anything else.
Salt, Garlic powder and Coarse ground pepper – The usual suspects for seasoning.
Salad
Broccoli crowns, chopped into small florets – The main ingredient in this recipe, make sure it is fresh.
Cranberries – I love the sweet and tart flavor of these.
Red grapes, halved – You can use green grapes too, but make sure either are seedless.
Chopped pecans – You can substitute other nuts such as walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, etc.
Red onions, diced – If your onion is spicy, then add less.
Real bacon bits – Don’t get too aggressive with this ingredient as they are small and can take over the flavor of the salad.
Sunflower seeds – The perfect little crunch and flavor booster.
How to Make Broccoli Salad
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayo, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt, garlic powder, and pepper.
Add the broccoli and toss to mix together. Add the dried cranberries, grapes, pecans, red onions, sunflower seeds, and bacon bits. Toss together again. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
Recipe Pro Tips!
FAQs
Customize Your Salad
You can leave out the bacon to make it vegetarian. Also, swap pumpkin seeds in place of sunflower seeds. You can add a chopped red bell pepper. Swap walnuts for pecans. Raisins for craisins. These are just a few options, but the sky is the limit to what you like.
Storage
Store covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. I think this salad tastes best eaten the day or the day after it’s made.
You can make this salad the morning of, but I would leave out the bacon, nuts and sunflower seeds until just before serving for best flavor, crunch and freshness.
WOULD YOU LIKE MORE YUMMY SUMMER SALADS?
We love a good salad and especially in the summer when produce is at its peak. Go to the farmers’ market and grab what you need.
Broccoli Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Dressing
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon coarse ground pepper
Salad
- 1 pound broccoli crowns chopped into small florets
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup red grapes halved
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans
- 1/3 cup red onions diced
- 2 tablespoons real bacon bits
- 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayo, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt, garlic powder, and pepper.
- Add the broccoli and toss to mix together. Add the dried cranberries, grapes, pecans, red onions, sunflower seeds, and bacon bits. Toss together again. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
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