Broccoli Salad with Bacon
This Broccoli Salad with Bacon will be the hit of your next gathering! It’s a crowd pleasing side dish that’s fresh, crunchy and tossed in a creamy coleslaw dressing. It’s gluten-free and it comes together in about 20 minutes!
When it comes to barbecues, the side dishes can easily steal the show. German potato salad and vinegar coleslaw liven up any meal, and it’s just not summer without grilled corn on the cob.
My broccoli slaw has been our all time favorite side for years, but we may have a new favorite.
This Broccoli Salad with Bacon completely rivals that recipe. Smoky bacon, chewy dried cranberries, savory red onion and sunflower seeds pair so well with the crunchy raw broccoli, and the sweet, tangy coleslaw dressing brings it all together.
This salad is a classic for a reason….you just can’t beat it. 🙂
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- This easy broccoli salad has a fresh, crunchy texture and is packed with sweet and savory flavor.
- It’s an easy side dish that can be prepped completely in advance.
- It’s extremely versatile and is perfect for any occasion including bbq’s, holidays and picnics.
- This side dish is great for special diets as it’s dairy and gluten-free. It can also be made vegetarian by omitting the bacon.
Recipe ingredients
Ingredient notes
- Broccoli. This broccoli salad recipe includes about 16 ounces of fresh broccoli, or about 4 cups of florets. I like to use broccoli crowns as it’s much more cost effective, but you can also purchase bags of broccoli florets as well (you will still need to cut them into smaller pieces).
- Bacon. I love thick sliced bacon for this recipe, but you can use your favorite. Cook the bacon according to package instructions or prepare my air fryer bacon — there are no messy splatters! Omit the bacon to make this broccoli salad vegetarian.
- Dried cranberries. Sub the dried cranberries with raisins, currants or even fresh chopped apple.
- Red onion. The red onion has a sharp bite that mellows once it is tossed in the creamy dressing. Green onion is a great alternative.
- Sunflower seeds. Use raw or roasted sunflower seeds, or sub them with your favorite nuts or seeds for added crunch.
- Dressing. My dressing of choice is my homemade coleslaw dressing, which is made with just 3 ingredients. It’s also easily made vegan by using vegan mayo.
How to make this broccoli salad recipe
This broccoli salad comes together very quickly and most of the components can be prepped in advance.
Pro tip: Prep the broccoli, bacon and coleslaw dressing in advance to make salad assembly even faster!
See the recipe card below for full instructions.
- Cut the broccoli into florets and place in a bowl.
- Add the bacon, dried cranberries, red onion and sunflower seeds to the bowl of broccoli.
- Add the coleslaw dressing.
- Toss until the broccoli salad is well coated, adding more dressing as desired.
FAQs
Broccoli salad includes raw broccoli florets, crumbled bacon, dried fruit such as raisins or cranberries, red onion and sunflower seeds. It’s tossed in a creamy coleslaw dressing for a crowd pleasing side dish.
Many broccoli salad recipes also include cheddar cheese, which can be easily added if you prefer.
This recipe can be customized with your favorite ingredients, and the bacon may be omitted to make this recipe vegetarian.
Yes! You can prep the ingredients up to a day ahead and assemble the salad up to a few hours in before you plan to serve it.
Leftover broccoli salad keeps for 2-3 days stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator.
Serving suggestions
This easy broccoli salad can be served with almost anything! See below for my favorites.
- Serve alongside Grilled BBQ chicken or tomahawk steak at your next barbecue. It’s also great with grilled burgers and turkey burgers!
- It makes a great side dish for game day served with pulled pork or chicken wings!
- It’s perfect for picnics served with chicken salad or three bean salad.
- It can be served with air fryer chicken breast or air fryer pork chops for an easy weeknight dinner.
- Broccoli salad with bacon is great for meal prep! Portion it into containers along with korean bbq chicken thighs or grilled shrimp skewers for an easy grab and go meal.
Recipe notes
- Pro tip: Prep the broccoli, bacon and coleslaw dressing in advance to make salad assembly even faster!
- Omit the bacon to make this broccoli salad vegetarian.
- Broccoli salad with bacon can be assembled up to a few hours in advance.
- Store leftovers in an air tight container for up to 2-3 days.
More salad recipes you’ll love:
- Broccoli kale salad
- Classic coleslaw
- Corn and tomato salad
- Greek quinoa salad
- Kale slaw
- Mexican corn salad
- Vinegar coleslaw
Did you try this recipe? If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram
Broccoli Salad with Bacon
Ingredients
- 16 ounces broccoli crowns about 4 cups of florets
- 4 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries sub with raisins or freshly chopped apple
- 1/3 cup chopped red onion sub with green onion
- 1/3 cup sunflower seeds sub with your favorite nuts or seeds
- 1/2 cup coleslaw dressing add more as desired
Instructions
- Cut the broccoli into bite sized florets and place in a large bowl. Add the crumbled bacon, red onion and sunflower seeds.16 ounces broccoli crowns, 4 slices bacon, 1/2 cup dried cranberries, 1/3 cup chopped red onion, 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
- Add the coleslaw dressing and toss well to coat, adding more as needed. Serve and enjoy!1/2 cup coleslaw dressing
Notes
- Pro tip:Â Prep the broccoli, bacon and coleslaw dressing in advance to make salad assembly even faster!
- Omit the bacon to make this broccoli salad vegetarian.
- Broccoli salad with bacon can be assembled up to a few hours in advance.
- Store leftovers in an air tight container for up to 2-3 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
2 Comments on “Broccoli Salad with Bacon”
Marcie, this is a great recipe for those that don’t think they like broccoli. 😊
Yes…it is one of the best ways to enjoy it!