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Broccoli Salad Recipe with Bacon
April 28, 2018
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This is the best Broccoli Salad recipe! It’s sweet, creamy, and crunchy with fresh broccoli, homemade dressing, and lots of bacon!
Broccoli Salad Recipe
Here’s an amazing broccoli salad recipe that will blow your mind! What sets this one apart? Homemade dressing! All the bacon! No raisins! Or craisins! My Mom’s recipe! Did I mention, all the bacon!?
It’s one of the better fail-proof recipes I have in my custody that I am in LOVE with. So I thought I’d share it today with all of you wonderful readers. It’s easy, has a good crunch factor, has the right broccoli to bacon ratio plus that sweet dressing turns otherwise unassuming gross broccoli into magic.
Main Ingredients
- Broccoli Florets – The main ingredient of this salad. You can buy whole broccoli crowns or buy pre-cut broccoli. Either way, the most important thing is to cut them into bite-size pieces.
- Red Onion – This adds a nice spiciness to contrast the sweet and salty.
- Celery – Brings an essential fresh crunch.
- Sunflower Seeds – Little bursts of nutty flavor found in every bite.
- BACON – Salty bacon goodness belongs in any salad recipe if you ask me. Feel free to double this part of the salad 😉
- Raisins or Craisins – Ok, these are totally optional. BUT if you do use them, they bring a chewy sweet flavor to the whole salad.
- Homemade Dressing – You can find this tangy-sweet dressing recipe below. It’s basically the perfect pairing for this broccoli salad.
If broccoli salad isn’t your thing, try these other tasty salads you’re sure to love: macaroni salad, cucumber salad, classic coleslaw, or southwest chicken chop salad.
How to Make Broccoli Salad
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, measure out and mix dressing ingredients together to combine. Pour over salad and toss. 
Serve or store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. This broccoli salad recipe is good for up to five days stored in the fridge.
The best part about this salad is you can chop all the veggies, store it in your fridge and add the dressing right before serving. It’s a definite crowd pleaser and is fabulous for holidays and potlucks.
Below is the printable recipe card!
Have a great day and enjoy, friends!
Broccoli Salad
This is the best Broccoli Salad recipe because it's straight from my Mom! It's sweet, creamy and crunchy with fresh broccoli, homemade dressing and lots of bacon!
Ingredients
- 8 cups fresh broccoli florets 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
For the dressing:
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups real mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- salt & 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.
Video
Notes
*Recipe made according to my liking, but you are free to change and modify to meet your wants!
**I don't add these to my salad because I think they should be illegal in broccoli salads, but I know a lot of people do like them added in, so feel free to add it in.
Nutrition
Calories: 512kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 548mg | Potassium: 526mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 625IU | Vitamin C: 82.7mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 1.6mg
Other salad recipes you might like:
- Fruit Salad Recipe
- Tuna Pasta Salad
- Chinese Chicken Salad
- Chicken Salad with Grapes
- Waldorf Salad from Simply Recipes
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.
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!
Thanks for the recipe! Had some broccoli salad at a luncheon the other day and was looking for a recipe. Yum!!!!
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.
I have been making this for years. Who is your mother?
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.
Craisins yes raisins not a chance. Also use red wine vinegar. Makes a big difference. And add shredded cheese. Mmmm. One of our favs
Making this for Mother’s Day! Will I ruin it by adding shredded cheddar? I kind of add shredded cheddar to everything. 😉
I add sharp cheddar cheese. And shredded carrot
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!
Double the bacon!
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.
We’ve loved this salad for decades but always, always add shredded cheddar cheese to the ingredients 🙂
Absolutely delicious. Has been requested from my family to be made again and again!! Thanks for sharing!!
[…] Broccoli Salad from Lauren’s Latest […]
Wow! I put all this in mine except for the raisins too! Thanks for posting this as I don’t have an exact recipe.
This salad is a huge hit. I bring it to family parties and everyone loves it.
[…] the best dish I’ve had all week. Pat (our helper) is back and made Laura Simonsen’s Broccoli Salad paired with my friend Laila’s pumpkin humus! and it was lick-the-place delicious. Definite […]
Your last comment said you think these should be illegal to add to the broccoli salad but what are you referring to?
This is one of my favorite side dishes for summer!
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.
I love broccoli and can’t wait to try this salad:)
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I’m with you, Lauren. No raisins OR craisins but love the idea of doubling the bacon and adding shredded cheese!
I made this today it was delcious! Will be making it again for Easter dinner at a family gathering.
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!!
You make so many yummy foods. I will be trying some this fall.
Made this last weekend and it was delicious! Loved the sunflower seeds
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!
I’ve been looking for the “good” version of this recipe and so happy to have found it! Thanks for posting.
My daughter loves it!
THis will be so yummy at cookouts and tailgates! Thanks!!!
Can’t wait to try this recipe!!!!
This is by far the best broccoli salad recipe I’ve seen!! Yumm
I love broccoli salad! This looks amazing. 🙂 I can’t do the sunflower seeds, but the rest looks delicious.
I’m going to try and eat healthier starting with this salad. Always loved broccoli but hardly eat it.
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!
[…] Mom’s Broccoli Salad […]
[…] Mom’s Broccoli Salad […]
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
[…] Broccoli Salad […]
[…] Broccoli Salad […]
[…] Broccoli Salad […]
This is truly one of my favorites; my brother makes it and sometimes adds cauliflower!
[…] Broccoli Salad […]
[…] Broccoli Salad […]
[…] Broccoli Salad […]
[…] your summer salad of choice, here are a few other delicious options: coleslaw, cucumber salad, broccoli salad, southwest chicken chop […]
[…] isn’t your summer salad of choice, be sure to check out my macaroni salad, cucumber salad, broccoli salad or southwest chicken chop salad. All fabulous sides for the hot summer […]
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