The Best Broccoli Salad You’ll Ever Make!

Crunchy fresh broccoli, crispy bacon, sharp cheddar cheese, sweet red onion, and sunflower seeds tossed in a creamy, tangy dressing. It’s easy, refreshing, and seriously addictive!

“Love this salad… made it every week for 4 weeks straight and can’t get enough! I might just go fix myself another bowl, haha.”

Ingredients

For the Salad

5 cups fresh broccoli florets, cut into small bite-sized pieces
8 slices bacon, cooked until crispy and crumbled
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
½ cup red onion, finely diced
½ cup sunflower seeds
½ cup raisins or dried cranberries, optional

For the Creamy Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Prepare the broccoli: Wash and thoroughly dry the broccoli. Cut it into small, bite-sized florets and place them in a large mixing bowl.
Add the salad ingredients: Add the crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, diced red onion, sunflower seeds, and raisins or dried cranberries if using.
Make the dressing: In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper until smooth and creamy.
Combine: Pour the dressing over the broccoli mixture. Toss gently until every ingredient is evenly coated.
Chill: Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. This gives the flavors time to blend and makes the salad even more delicious.
Serve: Give the salad another gentle toss just before serving. Add a little extra bacon, cheddar, or sunflower seeds on top if desired.

Tips for the Best Broccoli Salad

Cut the broccoli into small pieces so every bite has plenty of dressing and toppings.
For extra crunch, add chopped almonds or pecans.
For a lighter dressing, replace part of the mayonnaise with Greek yogurt.
For the best flavor, let the salad chill for several hours before serving.
If making it ahead, reserve some bacon and sunflower seeds to sprinkle on top just before serving.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Chill Time: 1 hour
Servings: 6–8

Creamy, crunchy, sweet, salty, and packed with flavor—this is the broccoli salad everyone will ask you to make again!