Broccoli Salad with Cranberries and Bacon
This quick and easy Broccoli Salad with Cranberries and Bacon is a Spring and Summer staple for parties, gatherings, barbecues, and picnics galore!
Servings 8 servings
Calories 369kcal
Ingredients
- 6 cups finely chopped broccoli (approx. 1 pound)
- 1 cup coarsely grated sharp cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
- ½ cup dried cranberries plus extra to taste
- ⅓-½ cup roasted salted sunflower seeds
- ½ cup crumbled bacon (approx. 6-8 slices)
Broccoli Salad Dressing
- 1 cup quality mayo (Duke's is my fav)
- 1 TBSP white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 TBSP fresh lemon juice
- 1 TBSP sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
Instructions
- First whisk together dressing ingredients. Set aside.
- NOTE: The dressing for these salads is traditonally sweetened a bit more. Feel free to sweeten to taste or add extra dried cranberries for sweetness. For a tangy broccoli salad you can replace 1/4 cup of the mayo with sour cream. My biggest tip would be to use a quality mayo like Duke's, Hellman's, or even homemade.
- Next chop broccoli into small bite-sized pieces. I like to include around 5 cups of florets with a cup or so of chopped broccoli stalk
- Add broccoli to a large bowl along with finely chopped onion, dried cranberries, and coarsely grated cheddar cheese.
- Add *HALF* the dressing to the bowl and mix well. Chill for an hour. Chill remaining dressing to add before serving, to taste.
- I love to use fresh ultra-cripsy bacon for this salad. Cook bacon via your favorite method (pan-frying, baking, or air fryer) while the salad chills then add to the salad just before serving for best results. Cook time will vary based on method chosen.
- After chilling, give the salad a taste and then add additional dressing to taste. Mix well.
- Top with sunflower seeds and crumbled bacon. Toss to combine and enjoy!
Notes
Want to veg things up even further? Shredded carrots make a tasty mix-in! Chopped red grapes are a tasty optional mix-in as well as sliced almonds or pepitas.
Nutrition Facts below are estimated for both salad and dressing using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed and enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 369kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 524mg | Potassium: 312mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 589IU | Vitamin C: 62mg | Calcium: 144mg | Iron: 1mg
