The Best Creamy Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Cheddar
You make this creamy, crunchy broccoli salad with bacon, cheddar cheese, and sunflower seeds. It is a simple, make-ahead side dish perfect for potlucks, BBQs, or holiday meals.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Total Time: 30 min
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 large head of fresh broccoli, cut into bite-sized florets
- 6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds (shelled)
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
- 1 teaspoon celery seed
Instructions
- Place the broccoli florets in a large bowl. If the florets are very large, chop them into smaller, bite-sized pieces for easier eating.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, red onion, and celery seed until the dressing is smooth.
- Pour the creamy dressing over the broccoli florets. Toss well to coat all the pieces evenly.
- Add the crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, dried cranberries, and sunflower seeds to the bowl. Gently fold all the ingredients together until they are evenly distributed throughout the salad.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate the salad for at least 2 hours before serving. This chilling time allows the flavors to blend and the broccoli to soften slightly.
- Stir the salad again just before serving.
Notes
- For the best crunch, prepare this broccoli salad recipe a few hours ahead of time, but do not let it sit longer than 24 hours, as the broccoli can soften too much.
- If you prefer a tangier dressing, reduce the sugar in the dressing by one tablespoon and add one teaspoon of Dijon mustard.
- You can substitute turkey bacon for regular bacon if you want a lighter option for your potluck salad recipes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 280
- Fat: 26
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Unsaturated Fat: 18
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 16
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 8
- Cholesterol: 35