If there’s a side dish salad that will bring joy to your life, it’s this easy Broccoli Salad! It’s fresh, crisp, and bursting with sweet and savory flavors.

overhead closeup view of broccoli salad in a wooden serving bowl

Why You Will Love Broccoli Salad

It’s a tasty blend of sweet and savory, with the savory salad ingredients paired with a sweet homemade dressing and raisins.
It can be easily bumped from side dish to main meal. This salad is actually pretty hearty on its own, and if you add cooked chicken (canned chicken is my favorite addition), a main meal is born!
It’s ideal for summer shindigs, potlucks, cookouts, or whenever you crave a side dish that steals the show!

Ingredients Needed for Broccoli Salad with Bacon

Ingredient quantities for this easy homemade vegetable salad are located in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Bacon
Broccoli florets
Red onion
Sliced almonds
Raisins
Shredded cheddar cheese
Mayonnaise
Sour cream
Powdered sugar
Apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper

How To Make Broccoli Salad Recipe (Quick Overview)

The steps below are just a quick overview of how to make the recipe. The full process in detail is located in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Gather your ingredients and cook the bacon.

Make the homemade salad dressing with mayonnaise, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, and powdered sugar. You can also add some salt and pepper to taste if desired.

overhead view of six small bowls and one large bowl with broccoli salad ingredients ready to be combined

🥦 About the broccoli: This salad usually features raw broccoli for a crisp bite, but if you prefer a softer texture, give the broccoli a quick blanch for 1-2 minutes. Before constructing the salad with branched broccoli, make sure it is fully cooled and patted dry.

⭐ About the raisins: If available to you, I recommend using Sun-Maid Mixed Jumbo Raisins (or similar) in this recipe for a fun mix of colors and flavors. Any raisins will do though!

🧀 About the cheese: If you only have block cheese (or want a slightly different salad texture), you can use cubed cheddar instead of shredded cheddar. Make sure your cubes are bite-sized!

overhead view of all broccoli salad ingredients poured into mixing bowl

Combine all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl.

Then add the salad dressing and give everything a hearty mix so the ingredients are well-coated.

overhead view of broccoli salad ingredients mixed and thoroughly combined and ready to be served

Enjoy! Serve immediately, or store in the fridge for up to three days.

More Healthy Salad Recipes

Make this easy antipasto salad as a protein-packed side salad, or make it your go-to picnic food salad!
Want another protein-packed side salad? This garbanzo bean salad is a breeze to make.
A summer strawberry chicken salad is refreshing and super delicious with its maple balsamic vinegar dressing!
Creamy and delicious, cucumber salad with bacon is the perfect complement to almost any summer dish.
Switch things up with a taco salad with ground turkey. It’s delicious and one of those healthy meal ideas you’ll crave over and over! This recipe uses this sensational homemade taco seasoning recipe.

overhead view of antipasto salad in a white serving bowl — **Antipasto Salad**

overhead view of chickpea salad with cucumbers and avocado in a wooden serving bowl — **Antipasto Salad**

I hope you and whoever you serve this salad to love it!

sideview of wooden bowl with broccoli salad and ready to be served

Perfect Pairings for Bacon Broccoli Cheese Salad

Chicken thighs in the air fryer pair perfectly with your creamy broccoli salad!
Or, make air fryer chicken breasts as an alternative to the chicken thighs.
Grilled pork chops are a great main dish with a creamy salad!

overhead view of three cooked air fryer crispy brown chicken thighs on a white serving plate — **Air Fryer Chicken Thighs**

overhead view of a seasoned and evenly sliced air fryer chicken breast on a bed of salad greens in a wooden bowl, ready to be served — **Air Fryer Chicken Thighs**

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Broccoli Salad

If there's a side dish salad that will bring joy to your life, it's this easy Broccoli Salad! It's fresh, crisp, and bursting with sweet and savory flavors.

Servings

Course Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Western

Keyword broccoli salad, healthy broccoli salad

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Ingredients

Salad Ingredients

8 oz bacon
5 cups broccoli florets (cut into small pieces)
1/2 small red onion (diced)
3/4 cup sliced almonds
3/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Dressing Ingredients

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Instructions

Put bacon in a skillet on the stovetop and set at medium heat.
Turn every 4-5 minutes to evenly fry it.
Remove from the skillet to cool and pat down with a paper towel to reduce fat. When cooled, crumble the bacon.
Prepare dressing in a small bowl by mixing together all Dressing Ingredients.
Add all Salad Ingredients to a large bowl and mix well to combine.
Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat evenly.
Serve immediately or store in the fridge for up to three days.

Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutrition Estimates are per serving and included as a courtesy only. They are accurate to the best of our knowledge based on the ingredients and brands used, but their accuracy is not guaranteed.

Broccoli Salad

Why You Will Love Broccoli Salad

Ingredients Needed for Broccoli Salad with Bacon

How To Make Broccoli Salad Recipe (Quick Overview)

More Healthy Salad Recipes