July 20, 2025
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This Broccoli Salad Recipe with bacon and sunflower seeds is every little thing you need in a make-ahead facet. It’s based mostly on my mother’s traditional recipe and hits that excellent stability of taste and texture each time. Even with a home made dressing, it’s nonetheless quite simple to make, straightforward to prep forward, and at all times a crowd favourite.
Ingredient Notes + Variations
This broccoli salad retains it easy, which is the entire level. However just a few substances deserve a more in-depth look so you can also make it your individual and nonetheless get it proper.
- Broccoli – Recent solely. Chop it small so nobody’s caught with large timber on their plate.
- Pink onion – Diced fantastic so it doesn’t overpower, however you continue to get that chew.
- Sunflower seeds – Roasted and salted work greatest right here. They provide the salad some texture and a nutty taste with out being an excessive amount of.
- Bacon – Cook dinner it crisp and crumble it your self. Or go lazy with store-bought bacon bits in case you should. No judgment. I prefer to bake my bacon within the oven at 425° F.
- Raisins or Craisins – Completely elective, however they add a chewy sweetness that balances every little thing out.
- Mayonnaise – Use full-fat for greatest taste and texture.
- Sugar – It sweetens the dressing however doesn’t make it syrupy. You want it, belief me.
Whereas a traditional broccoli salad can embrace numerous kinds of cheese (goat cheese, feta cheese or additional sharp cheddar cheese), my mother’s recipe doesn’t. I discover cheese isn’t crucial. It nonetheless supplies large taste.
The way to Make Broccoli Salad
It’s positively one of many higher fail-proof recipes I’ve in my custody that I’m in LOVE with. It’s straightforward, has a very good crunch issue, has the correct broccoli to bacon ratio plus that candy dressing turns in any other case unassuming broccoli into magic. For full recipe particulars, together with substances wanted and measurements, see the printable recipe card down beneath.
Step 1: Cook dinner Bacon + Prep Veggies
chop all veggies ensuring broccoli is reduce into chew measurement items
cook dinner bacon + chop into small items
Step 2: Combine the Salad
toss chopped veggies into a big bowl + add sunflower seeds and craisins
Step 3: Make the Dressing
In a small bowl, combine the dressing substances collectively to mix. Pour over broccoli combination and toss to coat. Serve or retailer within the fridge till able to serve.
Step 4: Toss + Chill
pour dressing over the salad + toss effectively to coat and chill.
Suggestions for Success
- Let the salad chill for at the very least half-hour earlier than serving. The flavour will get higher.
- Minimize every little thing small, particularly the broccoli. You don’t need large chunks.
- Make the dressing upfront so the sugar totally dissolves.
- If utilizing bacon bits, use a beneficiant quantity. Pre-cooked variations are usually skimpy on taste.
- Making a day forward is definitely beneficial to provide the dressing time to marinate every little thing.
What to Serve With Broccoli Salad
You don’t must overthink this one. Simply make it, serve it, and watch it disappear. 🙂
Mother’s Broccoli Salad
That is the perfect Broccoli Salad recipe that can be devoured at your subsequent barbecue! It is candy, creamy and crunchy with contemporary broccoli, home made dressing and many bacon!
Elements
- 8 cups contemporary broccoli florets chopped, chew measurement
- 1/2 cup crimson onion finely diced
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 1 cup crumbled bacon
- 1/2 cup raisins or Craisins elective
Directions
Chop all of the greens ensuring to chop the broccoli into bite-size items. Cook dinner bacon in accordance with your liking and reduce up into small items, or you can purchase bacon bits.
Place all salad substances into a big bowl and put aside.
In a smaller bowl, combine dressing substances collectively to mix. Pour over salad and toss. Serve or retailer within the fridge till able to serve.
Notes
Storing + Make Forward Directions
Broccoli salad is a type of salads that truthfully tastes higher the second day! By then the dressing has had time to marinate and soak into every little thing. Yum! Retailer any leftover broccoli salad in an hermetic container, within the fridge for as much as 5 days. Past this time, the broccoli will begin to wilt. Make Forward: The very best half about this salad is you may chop all of the veggies, retailer it in your fridge and add the dressing proper earlier than serving. It’s a particular crowd pleaser and is fabulous for holidays and potlucks.Vitamin
Energy: 512kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 9gFats: 41gSaturated Fats: 7gLdl cholesterol: 31mgSodium: 548mgPotassium: 526mgFiber: 3gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 625IUVitamin C: 82.7mgCalcium: 62mgIron: 1.6mg
Different Salad Recipes You May Like
- Cucumber Salad – creamy-sweet dressing, identical to Grandma made
- Tuna Pasta Salad with Peas – this one’s cool, creamy, and surprisingly addictive
- Chinese language Rooster Salad Recipe – Shredded hen, crunchy noodles, and a sesame dressing that’s higher than takeout.
- Rooster Salad with Grapes – creamy, crunchy, candy, savory, and simply an absolute traditional
- Shaved Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad – a twist on Caesar with shaved Brussels sprouts, daring and oh so good.
This crunchy broccoli salad with salty sunflower seeds is the right salad for summer season events and it feeds a big group! Have an incredible day and revel in, associates!
Should you make this recipe, I’d actually respect it in case you would give it a star score and depart your overview within the feedback! When you’ve got an image of your completed dish, put up it on Instagram utilizing the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.