Textual Chef Textual Chef

Broccoli Salad

A classic American potluck salad with crisp raw broccoli florets, smoky bacon, sharp cheddar, and sunflower seeds all tossed in a tangy-sweet creamy dressing. Best made ahead so the flavors meld. Plan ahead: chill at least 1 hour before serving.

30 minEasyServes 6410 cal/serving

AmericanSaladStovetopStandardGluten-FreeCorn-Free

Ingredients

  • 2 broccoli heads, cut into small florets
  • 8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, diced small
  • 1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
  • 1/3 cup roasted sunflower seeds
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

Instructions

  1. 1

    Cook 8 bacon strips in a skillet over medium heat until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, let cool, then crumble.

  2. 2

    In a large bowl, combine 2 cut into small florets broccoli heads, crumbled bacon, 1 cup diced small sharp cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup finely diced red onion, 1/3 cup roasted sunflower seeds, and 1/3 cup dried cranberries.

  3. 3

    Whisk together 1 cup mayonnaise, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp granulated sugar, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl.

  4. 4

    Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well to coat.

  5. 5

    Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Toss again before serving.

Questions

Can I make Broccoli Salad dairy-free?

Yes. The dairy in this entry is 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, diced small. Swap the cheese for a plant-based melting cheese (expect a milder flavor). The richness shifts slightly, but the method does not change.

Can I make Broccoli Salad ahead?

Yes, it takes well to being made ahead. Dressed, it is best the day it is made. Keep the components separate and refrigerated and they hold about two days; dress just before serving.

Can I halve or double Broccoli Salad?

Yes. As written it serves 6. Every ingredient in this entry carries precomputed half and double quantities, and the app's batch dial rewrites them inside each step. When doubling on the stovetop, use your widest pan or work in two batches so the food sears instead of steaming.

Serve it with

Cook this free in the app

Textual Chef is 4,512 plain-text recipes, free to read and free to cook from. No account, no paywall, no ads, no life stories. Open this one in the app and each quantity sits inside the step that uses it, so you read once and cook.

Every recipe is curated or public-domain sourced, written to one template and checked before it publishes. Nothing here is a scraped blog post.

Cook this free in the appNo download needed. It opens in your browser. The kitchen tools (planner, shopping list, pantry, import) are $5.33 a month billed annually; the first 30 days are free.