Classic Broccoli Bacon Salad with Raisins and Cheddar Cheese is an easy and simple side dish that everybody will love! It's a perfect recipe for parties, picnics, potlucks, and barbecues!
This broccoli bacon salad is a perfect combination of everything: sweet and savory flavors, crunchy veggies, and comfort food. The salad is made with fresh broccoli and has a good amount of fiber.
If you like bacon, you'll love this refreshing salad. This recipe a great way to consume bacon in a healthier way, with some veggies. 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 way to use it up and free up some space in your fridge!
Cooking Tips
- Use 1 head of broccoli. Trim the leaves off. Optionally, you can quickly blanch the broccoli by dipping it into the pot of boiling water for about 3 minutes. Then, chop the broccoli into small bites.
- In this recipe, I use a block of sharp Cheddar cheese, not the shredded kind. Chop up the Cheddar cheese into small cubes. It makes a nice presentation.
- Pre-cook the bacon in the oven, drain the fat, and chop it up into small bites.
- I use both dried cranberries and raisins in this broccoli salad because raisins are usually too sweet for me, so I like to add some dried cranberries that have more tartness to them.
- If you want to reduce the amount of mayo in the dressing, substitute half of mayo with sour cream. Or, for the leaner version of this salad dressing, use Greek yogurt to replace half of the mayo.
This broccoli salad with raisins and bacon is perfect 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!
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.
Other delicious broccoli salad recipes
- Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad
- Broccoli, Cashew, Apple and Pear Salad
- Broccoli Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Broccoli Bacon Salad with Raisins and Cheddar Cheese
Ingredients
Broccoli Salad
- 1 head broccoli , with leaves trimmed off
- 8 slices bacon , cooked, crumbled
- ½ cup red onion , chopped
- ¼ cup raisins
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- 8 ounces sharp Cheddar , cut into very small chunks
Creamy Salad Dressing:
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- ¼ cup sugar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
How to make broccoli salad
- 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.
How to make creamy 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
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Diana
A little clarification please. Are you using craisins rather than cranberries? I can't wait to try this recipe. Your presentation is beautiful
Julia
You can use craisins or dried cranberries. Soaking them in hot water and then draining makes them even better and plumper. 🙂
Shirley
Does any know the calories per cup for this recipe?
Judy
I am eating this for lunch right now! I REALLY love this salad and you're right, the cheese adds the final touch! Yum!
Julia
Ha-ha! I am glad you made it! When I made this salad a while ago I really loved it too!
Judy P
Oh my!! I had not put cheese in it before....sooooo yummy!!!
Julia
Thanks Judy! It's a really good salad, the cheese really adds something!
Judy P
Okay....this is too funny. I Googled "Broccoli and bacon salad" in order to make one of my favorites. And about fifth down the list what is there? Julia's Album!!! No one will know why it's funny....but you will!!
Julia
I just googled myself - I am the fifth (or sixth) on that list! That's pretty cool! I am there in a good company, right after AllRecipes, Betty Crocker, and Food Network 🙂
Christy
What is the serving size on this?? I adapted a few of the ingredients and made it a weight watchers recipe.
Julia
This is about 6 servings. What did you change to make it a weight watchers recipe? Low fat mayonnaise?
Jenn Howland :)
This is delicious!! I did not include cranberries, and instead added a few extra raisins, and I used a 2.5 oz. bag of Equate brand real bacon pieces instead of cooking my own bacon. Thanks for sharing the recipe 🙂
Kaye
I made your recipe over the weekend. It was delicious and even better day 2. I am filing this recipe under my "entertaining" folder. Thanks! So pretty too!
Jessica @ Sprinkle Some Sugar
What a beautiful bright salad! Looks yummy! Pinned. 🙂