Broccoli Bacon Salad is a wonderfully easy side dish recipe. It is a family favorite that is on our holiday table whether it’s Easter, Christmas or 4th of July.
Most of the ingredients are raw, except for the bacon- which can be made ahead, so it really lightens your workload on holidays when you are preparing more labor intensive dishes.
It is also a great side dish to have with anything grilled on a non-holiday night.
Raw Onion Tip
You know how when you eat raw onions the flavor can stick around a lot longer than you would like? It doesn’t have to be that way!
Before you dice the onion give it a generous rinse (or you can soak it for 5 minutes) under cool water, slightly separating the layers of the onion. This will wash away the enzyme that keeps the onion flavor around long after you have eaten it!
How to Make Broccoli Bacon Salad
This veggie side dish is so easy to prepare and makes the perfect fresh salad to add to any dinner.
You simply assemble the chopped broccoli, raisins, sunflower seeds and diced red onions in a large bowl.
Cook and crumble the bacon, then add to the broccoli mixture.
Make the dressing by whisking together the mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar. Pour over the broccoli bacon mixture. Stir to coat everything.
Let the salad sit for 15-30 minutes before serving.
To Make Ahead
Prep the broccoli, sunflower seeds, raisins and onions together in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate.
Prepare the dressing and refrigerate seperate from the salad.
Cook and crumble the bacon- I store my cooked bacon in an airtight container at room temp.
About 10 minutes before it is time to eat assemble the salad!
Broccoli Bacon Salad Recipe
Broccoli Bacon Salad
Ingredients
- 1 ½ – 2 heads broccoli about 4-5 cups, chopped into bite sized florets
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ cup sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup red onion diced, see kitchen tip in notes about onion
- 8-10 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl add the 1 cup mayo, ⅓ cup sugar, and 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar. Whisk or stir together until completely smooth.
- In a separate large bowl combine the cut broccoli florets, ½ cup raisins, ½ cup sunflower seeds, ¼ cup diced red onion, crumbled bacon and the dressing mixture.
- Stir to combine ingredients and coat completely with the mayo dressing.
- Let rest for 15-30 minutes before serving.
Notes:
If nutrition facts are provided they are calculated as an estimate to the best of our knowledge.
Originally posted April 2017 – Photos & copy updated March 2020
DeniseDenise
The proportions of ingredients for this salad are way off. If you are starting with 2 heads of broccoli that give 5 cups of florets, there is way too much of everything else. I cut the 1/3 cup of sugar in the mayo dressing in half and it was still too sweet, and then I needed only a couple spoonfuls of the mayo dressing. Too many raisins, sunflower seeds, onion and bacon.
Michelle
This is one of my all time favorite salads. I could make a meal out of this!
John
Perfect side dish for any lunch or dinner. Heck I’d eat it with breakfast!
Susie
me too!