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This is the best Broccoli Salad recipe ever! It’s a sweet and simple salad with fresh broccoli, salty sunflower seeds, crispy bacon and a creamy homemade dressing. This salad is the perfect side dish with so many different meals. Make it at your next summer BBQ alongside some burgers and fries.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This tasty little broccoli salad with sunflower seeds will blow your mind! What sets this one apart? Homemade dressing and all the bacon! The best part is you can adapt this salad to fit your liking and did I mention, all the bacon!?
While the original recipe posted here calls for golden raisins or Craisins (dried cranberries), I recently tried a friend’s version that had halved red seedless grapes…and wow! It was amazing. I highly recommend! Raisins, Craisins or grapes bring a chewy, sweet flavor to the whole salad.
Ingredients For Broccoli Salad with Sunflower Seeds
Just a short list of ingredients to make this mouthwatering broccoli salad!
- fresh broccoli florets– or heads of broccoli, cut into smaller pieces
- red onion
- celery
- sunflower seeds
- bacon– cooked and crumbled. Could also use real bacon bits instead.
- raisins, craisins or grapes– optional
- pantry staples– salt, black pepper
For the creamy dressing:
- granulated sugar
- real mayonnaise– If you’re not a fan of mayo, plain greek yogurt would also work.
- white vinegar– or apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar- using these will slightly change the tangy flavor of the dressing.
How to Make Broccoli Salad
It’s definitely one of the better fail-proof recipes I have in my custody that I am in LOVE with. It’s easy, has a good crunch factor, has the right broccoli to bacon ratio plus that sweet dressing turns otherwise unassuming broccoli into magic. Here is how to make it. For full recipe details, see the printable recipe card down below.
1. Cook Bacon + Prep Veggies
Chop all the vegetables making sure to cut the raw broccoli into bite-size pieces. Cook bacon according to your liking, allow to cool on paper towels and then cut up into small pieces.
While a classic broccoli salad can include various types of cheese (goat cheese, feta cheese or extra sharp cheddar cheese), mine does not. I find it doesn’t need it, while it still has plenty of great flavor.
2. Combine in a Large Mixing Bowl
Place all chopped broccoli salad ingredients into a large bowl and set aside.
3. Make the Creamy Dressing + Toss to Coat
In a small bowl, mix the dressing ingredients (sugar, real mayonnaise, white vinegar and salt + pepper) together to combine. Pour over broccoli mixture and toss to coat. Serve or store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Storing + Make Ahead Instructions
Broccoli salad is one of those salads that honestly tastes better the second day! By then the dressing has had time to marinate and soak into everything. Yum!
Store any leftover broccoli salad in an airtight container, in the fridge for up to 5 days. Beyond this time, the broccoli will start to wilt.
Make Ahead: The best part about this salad is you can chop all the veggies, store it in your refrigerator and add the dressing right before serving. It’s a definite crowd pleaser and is fabulous for holidays and potlucks.
What to Serve With Broccoli Salad:
- Crispy Chicken Wraps
- Air Fryer Garlic Parm Chicken Skewers
- Juicy Turkey Burger
- Smoked Chicken Wings
- Easy Oven Baked Ribs
- Ultimate Big City Grilled Cheese
Other Salad Recipes You Might Like:
- Fruit Salad Recipe
- Cucumber Salad Recipe
- Tuna Pasta Salad
- Chinese Chicken Salad
- Chicken Salad with Grapes
- Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad
What others are saying about this Broccoli Salad Recipe:
“This is by far the best broccoli salad recipe I’ve seen!! Yumm” ~ Stacy
“Made this last weekend and it was delicious! Loved the sunflower seeds” ~ Bryn
“I made this on Saturday night for our Easter dinner. I couldn’t wait to eat it and it was worth the wait. It was delicious. I did add the raisins and some shredded carrot that I had after making your carrot cupcakes. This will be made again.” ~ Teresa
“My Mom would make this often. My three brothers’ Dad and I loved it. Made it for my Hubby, he loved it and said, “you can make this again, anytime”. I will.” ~ Mare
“This salad is a huge hit. I bring it to family parties and everyone loves it.” ~ Dorene
“Absolutely delicious. Has been requested from my family to be made again and again!! Thanks for sharing!!” ~ Karen
This crunchy broccoli salad with salty sunflower seeds is the perfect salad for summer parties and it feeds a large group! Below is the printable recipe card! Have a great day and enjoy, friends!
If you make this recipe, I would really appreciate it if you would give it a star rating and leave your review in the comments! If you have a picture of your finished dish, post it on Instagram using the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.
Broccoli Salad with Sunflower Seeds and Bacon
Ingredients
- 8 cups fresh broccoli florets chopped, bite size
- 1/2 cup red onion finely diced
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 1 cup crumbled bacon
- 1/2 cup raisins or Craisins optional
For the dressing:
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- salt & black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Chop all the vegetables making sure to cut the broccoli into bite-size pieces. Cook bacon according to your liking and cut up into small pieces, or you could buy bacon bits.
- Place all salad ingredients into a large bowl and set aside.
- In a smaller bowl, mix dressing ingredients together to combine. Pour over salad and toss. Serve or store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
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This is truly one of my favorites; my brother makes it and sometimes adds cauliflower!
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So many varieties of this special salad! We add the onion and raisins (Craisins) to the mayo mixture and let it set up over night – plumps the raisins
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This recipe is one of my favorites. I am now vegetarian so I’d skip the bacon but it is still an amazing salad. Yum!
I’m going to try and eat healthier starting with this salad. Always loved broccoli but hardly eat it.
I love broccoli salad! This looks amazing. 🙂 I can’t do the sunflower seeds, but the rest looks delicious.
This is by far the best broccoli salad recipe I’ve seen!! Yumm
Can’t wait to try this recipe!!!!
THis will be so yummy at cookouts and tailgates! Thanks!!!
My daughter loves it!
I’ve been looking for the “good” version of this recipe and so happy to have found it! Thanks for posting.
Oh I love broccoli salad and this one is just different enough that I HAVE to try it! All the ingredients made the shopping list!
Made this last weekend and it was delicious! Loved the sunflower seeds
You make so many yummy foods. I will be trying some this fall.
I made this on Saturday night for our Easter dinner. I couldn’t wait to eat it and it was worth the wait. It was delicious. I did add the rasisins and some shredded carrot that I had after making your carrot cupcakes. This will be made again.
So glad you liked it!!
I made this today it was delcious! Will be making it again for Easter dinner at a family gathering.
I’m with you, Lauren. No raisins OR craisins but love the idea of doubling the bacon and adding shredded cheese!
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I love broccoli and can’t wait to try this salad:)
My Mom would make this often. My three brothers’ Dad and I loved it. Made it for my Hubby, he loved it and said, “you can make this again,,anytime”. I will.
This is one of my favorite side dishes for summer!
Your last comment said you think these should be illegal to add to the broccoli salad but what are you referring to?
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This salad is a huge hit. I bring it to family parties and everyone loves it.
Wow! I put all this in mine except for the raisins too! Thanks for posting this as I don’t have an exact recipe.
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Absolutely delicious. Has been requested from my family to be made again and again!! Thanks for sharing!!
We’ve loved this salad for decades but always, always add shredded cheddar cheese to the ingredients 🙂
I am probably around your mom’s age, and this recipe has been a staple since before by now 34 year old was born. Good things last forever, I think. I find the slight differences in recipes to be interesting…like you, definitely no raisins, but sliced mushrooms have always been there.
Double the bacon!
I use heavy cream instead of mayonnaise (find the mayo too heavy) and always use craisins! This has become a favorite at every gathering, even with those who don’t like broccoli!
I add sharp cheddar cheese. And shredded carrot
Making this for Mother’s Day! Will I ruin it by adding shredded cheddar? I kind of add shredded cheddar to everything. 😉
Craisins yes raisins not a chance. Also use red wine vinegar. Makes a big difference. And add shredded cheese. Mmmm. One of our favs
One of my family’s all time favorites! Your broccoli salad is pretty identical to mine, with a couple small changes I’ve made over the years…
rather than raisins, I use fresh organic grapes, halved if they are large , and I frequently use walnuts or pecans rather than sunflower seeds as both are very tasty in it. I use about half that amount of dressing, made with a blend of mayo and unsweetened yogurt.
Thanks for a great recipe!
I like Annie’s idea – half mayo half yoghurt. I think most or all of the sugar could be left out. Looks like a delicious recipe.
I have been making this for years. Who is your mother?
Just looking at the picture makes me hungry for some. Thanks for posting such beautiful pictures. We love broccoli salad at our house too. I use sliced almonds in mine, not sunflower seeds and yes love the raisins. I don’t care for celery much so I would omit that.
Thanks for the recipe! Had some broccoli salad at a luncheon the other day and was looking for a recipe. Yum!!!!
The craisins are really good in it. I agree on the raisins though. I use red wine vinegar in mine. I’ll have to try adding celery next time.
Love craisins they are delish…raisins too. I always put which ever I have on hand. It is a wonderful blend of flavors and textures for sure!
I happen to LOVE broccoli and broccoli salad is delightful. When we lived in the city and would have dinners at Sweet Tomatoes (boys favorite spot….so many choices) I always put a couple of scoops of their broccoli salad on my plate.
Yummy.