Broccoli salad with bacon, raisins, and cheddar cheese is a great way to eat lots of broccoli! This salad has a perfect combination of everything: sweet and savory flavors, crunchy veggies and soft cheese, saltiness and smokiness from bacon, freshness and fiber from the vegetables!
If you like bacon, you’ll love this refreshing salad – it’s a great way to consume bacon in a healthier way. If you want to have more broccoli in your diet or just happen to have too much broccoli in your refrigerator, this is a delicious recipe to use it up and free up some space in your fridge!
Perfect salad for any time of the year: winter or summer, spring or fall. So easy to make – the recipe uses the most basic ingredients found in any pantry!
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You can add lots of salad dressing (all of what’s indicated in the recipe below) or you can add just half – let your taste dictate whether you want the salad to be more or less creamy.
Ingredients
- 1 head broccoli, with leaves trimmed off
- 6 to 8 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 8 ounces sharp Cheddar, cut into very small chunks
- 3/4 cup or less mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Wash the broccoli head. Cut the broccoli head into flowerets and small bite-size pieces. Wash them thoroughly again. Dry on paper towels.
- Add clean and dry broccoli pieces into a large mixing bowl. Add crumbled bacon, chopped onions, raisins, cranberries and sliced Cheddar cheese.
- To make a salad dressing, in a separate small mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, white vinegar, and sugar and whisk until well-combined. Add the desired amount of this salad dressing to the salad and toss to combine.
Notes
Adapted from Food Network
This is my go-to recipe for Broccoli salad. I substitute Craisens for the raisins. They give it just a little bit more tartness while retaining the sweetness of the raisin. I also Add Pecans. Everyone Loves this and has asked for the recipe several times. It’s A Winner Every time. Thank you Julia for sharing this.
You’re very welcome! So glad you’ve been enjoying this salad! 🙂
Can I make this the night before? Or should do it the morning of?
I think it’s better the day after.
Good morning Julia. I discovered your recipe for Broccoli & Raisin Salad. What a pretty picture:) I have one question. A friend says she always blanches her broccoli & lets it drain, cool, & then she pats it dry. I know your recipe does not state doing that, but just
wanted to check with you if perhaps you do. If so, what is your procedure? Thank you in advance for addresssing my question. Have a great Friday!!
December 2, 2016
Trisha, blanching is always a great idea for broccoli! I don’t think I did it in this recipe, but in all my recent recipes I do blanch broccoli before adding it. Great suggestion!
Trying this for Thanksgiving looks scrumptious!!!!!! 🙂
I hope you enjoyed it!
Add pecans! ADD PECANS!!!
Great idea!
Darling Julia, I am making this at the cabin for the millionth time for Cline and I and Susan and John (next door in LP). Thank you!!
Judy, thank you so much! I am glad you like this salad. 🙂
Is this salad quite sweet with the sugar, mayonnaise and raisins?
It has a sweetness, but it’s not overwhelming because the bacon and cheese are salty, and the vinegar is tart–I skip the raisins and double the craisins which I think adds extra tartness and is perfect.
I cut the sugar in half and use cranberries in place of the raisins.
Yes, you can definitely cut the sugar in half, it’s up to your taste buds. And, yes, cranberries work great in place of the raisins.
Did you use regular mayo or mircle whip? I would think it would be regular? Thank you for sharing this yummy recipe…
I used regular mayo.