The Best Broccoli Salad (Crunchy, Creamy & Impossible to Stop Eating)

Every potluck, every barbecue, every holiday table has that one dish that runs out before everything else. The one that makes people walk back to the table for a second helping before they have even finished their first plate.

The one that gets asked about and requested by name at every gathering going forward. At every event I have ever brought this broccoli salad to, it has been that dish.

And before you say anything — yes, it is a broccoli salad. And yes, it is genuinely one of the most popular things I make. The people who say they do not like broccoli always come back for seconds.

The reason is the combination — crisp raw broccoli florets, salty crispy bacon, sweet chewy dried cranberries, sharp red onion, and crunchy sunflower seeds all brought together with a creamy dressing that is sweet, tangy, and rich all at the same time. Every single bite has something different going on and somehow it all works together perfectly.

The dressing is the key. Mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and a pinch of salt. It sounds simple because it is simple and it is exactly right. The acidity of the vinegar cuts through the richness of the mayo, the sugar balances both, and the whole thing coats every piece of broccoli in a way that makes raw broccoli taste better than you ever thought possible. Make this once and it becomes a permanent fixture in your recipe rotation. Let me show you exactly how it comes together.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• No cooking required beyond the bacon. Everything in this salad is raw and that is entirely intentional. The crunch of the raw broccoli against the creamy dressing is a huge part of what makes this salad so satisfying. This is a recipe that takes fifteen minutes of actual work.
• That dressing is genuinely outstanding. Sweet, tangy, creamy, and just rich enough to coat every ingredient without being heavy. Once you taste it you will want to put it on everything.
• It gets better as it sits. Unlike most salads that wilt and suffer in the refrigerator, this one improves over time. The broccoli softens very slightly as it marinates in the dressing, the flavors meld together, and the whole thing tastes even better the next day. Make-ahead is not just permitted here — it is encouraged.
• The texture combination is unbeatable. Crunchy raw broccoli, crispy bacon, chewy cranberries, sharp onion, crunchy sunflower seeds, creamy dressing. Every single bite has multiple textures happening at once and it is completely addictive.
• Feeds a crowd effortlessly. This recipe makes a big generous bowl that serves eight comfortably. It doubles easily for larger gatherings and holds up beautifully over several hours.
• Works for every occasion. Easter brunch side dish, summer potluck, Thanksgiving, Sunday dinner — this salad fits every table and season and always gets the same reaction from people eating it for the first time.

Ingredients

For the Broccoli Salad

• 6 cups fresh broccoli florets, cut into small bite-sized pieces — fresh only. Frozen broccoli is too soft and watery for this salad — you need the crunch that only fresh raw broccoli provides. Cut the florets small — about the size of a grape — so every bite has a good ratio of broccoli to dressing and the other mix-ins. Do not blanch the broccoli. Raw is the right choice here and the dressing does all the work of making it delicious.
• 8 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled — cook it as crispy as you can get it. The crunch of the bacon against the creamy dressing is one of the best textural elements in the whole salad and soft bacon loses that contrast. Crumble it into rough irregular pieces rather than uniform dice — the varied sizes add visual interest and make sure some bites have a big piece and some have smaller ones.
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries — sweet, slightly chewy, and a beautiful deep red color that looks stunning against the bright green broccoli. Craisins are the most widely available option and work perfectly. Raisins are a classic substitute if you prefer or if cranberries are not available.
• 1/2 cup red onion, finely diced — red onion adds a sharp, pungent bite that cuts through the richness of the dressing and gives the whole salad a necessary savory edge. Finely dice it so the onion flavor distributes evenly without any one bite being overwhelmingly onion-forward. If you find raw red onion too sharp, soak the diced onion in cold water for 10 minutes and pat dry before adding — this mellows the sharpness significantly while keeping the color.
• 1/3 cup roasted salted sunflower seeds — adds a final layer of crunch and a nutty, slightly salty note that plays beautifully against the sweet cranberries. Roasted and salted is the right choice — raw unsalted sunflower seeds lack the depth of flavor you need here. Pepitas work as a substitute if you prefer.
• 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded — optional but highly recommended. Small pieces of sharp cheddar add a savory, slightly tangy dairy note that rounds out the dressing and adds another flavor layer. Freshly shredded from a block melts very slightly into the dressing and distributes more evenly than pre-shredded.

For the Creamy Dressing

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise — full-fat mayo is the base of the dressing and gives you that rich, creamy coating quality that makes this salad so satisfying. Duke's is the gold standard in the South and produces a noticeably better dressing than other brands. Hellmann's is the widely available second choice. Do not use Miracle Whip — the flavor profile is too sweet and too different.
• 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar — the acid that makes this dressing taste bright and balanced rather than heavy and one-dimensional. Apple cider vinegar specifically — white vinegar is too sharp and lacks the slight fruitiness that makes this dressing work so well.
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar — balances the acidity of the vinegar and gives the dressing that signature sweet-tangy quality. Start with 3 tablespoons and adjust to your preference — some people prefer a slightly sweeter dressing and some prefer more tang. Taste and adjust.
• 1/2 tsp salt — brings all the flavors together and makes everything taste more pronounced.
• 1/4 tsp black pepper — adds a subtle warmth to the dressing.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep the Broccoli

1. Wash the broccoli thoroughly and shake off or pat dry any excess water. Wet broccoli dilutes the dressing — make sure it is as dry as possible before you start cutting.
2. Cut the broccoli into small bite-sized florets — roughly the size of a grape. Cut the larger florets down to size and save any stems for another use or peel and dice them and add them to the salad for extra crunch. The stems are completely edible and have a great texture.
3. Place the cut broccoli florets in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Step 2: Cook the Bacon

4. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until deeply crispy and golden. Lay the strips out on a paper towel-lined plate and let them cool completely before crumbling. Warm bacon releases fat as it crumbles and creates greasy pools in the dressing.
5. Once completely cool, crumble the bacon into rough irregular pieces and set aside.

Step 3: Make the Dressing

6. Whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, granulated sugar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until completely smooth and the sugar is fully dissolved. Taste the dressing — it should be creamy, sweet, and noticeably tangy. Adjust the sugar and vinegar balance to your preference before adding it to the salad.

Step 4: Assemble the Salad

7. Add the dried cranberries, diced red onion, sunflower seeds, and shredded cheddar to the bowl with the broccoli and toss to distribute everything evenly.
8. Pour the dressing over the broccoli mixture and toss thoroughly until every piece of broccoli and every mix-in is evenly coated in the creamy dressing. Use a large spoon or rubber spatula and take your time — you want complete, even coating throughout.
9. Add the crumbled bacon and toss once more gently. Adding the bacon last and tossing gently preserves more of its crunch — it softens slightly in the dressing over time but starting with larger pieces helps maintain texture.

Step 5: Chill Before Serving

10. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. This resting period is important — it allows the broccoli to absorb some of the dressing flavor and the whole salad to come together as a unified dish rather than a collection of separate ingredients.
11. Taste again just before serving and adjust salt, sugar, or vinegar as needed. The flavors shift slightly as the salad chills and a final adjustment before serving makes a noticeable difference.
12. Give the salad a good toss right before serving to redistribute the dressing that has settled to the bottom of the bowl.

Serving Suggestions

This broccoli salad is versatile enough to go with almost anything. Here are some of the best pairings:

• Serve alongside grilled chicken or burgers at a backyard barbecue. The creamy tangy dressing is the perfect counterpoint to smoky grilled meat and makes the whole cookout spread feel complete.
• Bring it to an Easter brunch or dinner as a fresh, crunchy side dish that holds up beautifully on the table for hours without wilting or deteriorating. It is genuinely one of the best make-ahead sides for a large gathering.
• Pair with pulled pork or ribs. The sweet tangy dressing alongside smoky barbecue is a combination that works every single time. The coolness and crunch of the salad against hot smoky meat is genuinely perfect.
• Serve at Thanksgiving alongside the heavier sides. A fresh crunchy broccoli salad is a welcome contrast to mashed potatoes, stuffing, and gravy-heavy dishes. It adds brightness and texture to a traditionally rich holiday spread.
• Pack it for lunch the next day. This salad packs beautifully for work lunches and tastes even better the second day. It holds up in the refrigerator for days and the flavors continue to develop over time.
• Serve as part of a potluck spread in a large serving bowl with a big spoon. It travels well, needs no reheating, and holds up at room temperature for up to two hours during a gathering. The ideal potluck dish.

Storage Tips

• Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This salad genuinely improves over the first 24 hours as the flavors meld and the broccoli marinates in the dressing. Day two is often even better than day one.
• The Bacon: If you want to maintain maximum bacon crispness, store the crumbled bacon separately in a small airtight bag and add it to each serving rather than mixing it all in at once. This is optional — most people do not mind the slightly softer bacon and the flavor is still outstanding either way.
• Make-Ahead Option: This is one of the best make-ahead side dishes you can have in your repertoire. Make it the night before your gathering, cover it tightly, and refrigerate. Pull it out 15 minutes before serving to take the chill off slightly and give it a final toss and taste. It will be perfect.
• Freezer: This salad does not freeze well. The mayonnaise-based dressing breaks on thawing and the broccoli becomes soft and watery. Make it fresh and enjoy it within 4 days. With how fast it disappears that will not be a problem.
• Room Temperature: This salad can sit out at room temperature for up to 2 hours during a gathering. After that the mayonnaise-based dressing needs to go back in the refrigerator. Keep it in a bowl over ice if you are serving it outdoors in warm weather.

The Side Dish That Earns a Permanent Spot at Your Table

The most requested recipes in any cook's life are rarely the most complicated ones. They are the ones that taste genuinely great, travel well, feed a crowd without stress, and make people happy every single time they appear on the table. This broccoli salad is exactly that recipe.

Fifteen minutes of prep, thirty minutes in the refrigerator, and a side dish that consistently outperforms everything else on the spread. Whether it is Easter dinner, a summer cookout, a holiday potluck, or just a Sunday meal — this salad belongs there and it always earns its place.

Make it this week and let me know in the comments what your crowd thought. And if you bring it somewhere and it disappears first — which it will — drop a comment and tell me about it. Tag me on Pinterest or Instagram too. Watching this salad show up on tables across the country never gets old. Happy cooking.

— Kip