Easy Broccoli Salad

EASY BROCCOLI SALAD WITH BACON – THE PERFECT SUMMER SIDE!

I was born and raised in the Midwest, and ever since I was a kid, every summer barbecue and potluck has included the same classic sides. It just isn’t summer without them on the table:

• An easy macaroni salad (like the deli at my local Jewel grocery store)
• Classic Potato Salad .. or a German Potato salad variation!
• Creamy Coleslaw
• Broccoli Salad with bacon…and cheese!

While I love all the classic summer sides, this Easy Broccoli Salad with crispy bacon is my favorite. It’s the perfect mix of savory and slightly sweet, and it’s always the one everyone goes back to for seconds.

What Makes This The Best Easy Broccoli Salad

This broccoli salad is simply the best and here’s why:

• Ultra easy and quick to prep: from chopping to chilling in under 20 minutes. The flavors meld together perfectly!
• Crunch + flavor: this recipe balances crisp broccoli with cheddar cheese, savory bacon, and summer fresh tomatoes with a slightly sweet dressing making it the perfect crunch and flavor combo!
• Make ahead: make this ahead of time for your next summer barbecue or potluck! It tastes even better after it has had time to chill in the fridge.
• Versatile: I make mine with bacon, cheddar cheese, tomatoes, and onion but you can add any of your favorites: raisins or craisins are a popular choice, as are sunflower seeds.

❤️ Ashley

broccoli salad ingredients

If you are looking for the perfect side dish that checks all of the boxes – easy, fresh, flavorful, and super simple, this broccoli salad is it! Only a few ingredients are needed to make this recipe.

• Fresh broccoli florets – flip the broccoli crown upside down and slice where the florets branch off from the step. This keeps the broccoli florets intact and avoids the mess of those tiny green bits everywhere! I like small little bite sized pieces of broccoli for this recipe.
• Bacon – I like to make my bacon in the oven, but if you are short on time, you can use bacon bits instead. Fresh bacon tastes best, but bacon bits are a great shortcut when you need to keep things simple.
• Cheddar Cheese – cut a hunk of cheddar cheese into cubes, shred it, or buy pre-shredded cheese from the store.
• Red Onion – the trick with the onion in this recipe is to very finely dice it. You do not want the onion to be overpowering.
• Optional add-ins: dried cranberries or craisins, sunflower seeds, chopped nuts

For the creamy homemade dressing you’ll need:

• mayonnaise
• apple cider vinegar
• granulated sugar
• salt and black pepper

how to make broccoli salad

Making this summer salad is as simple as chopping a few fresh ingredients, tossing them together and letting the flavors meld in a creamy, tangy dressing.

1. Prepare the ingredients: cut the broccoli into small pieces, chop the tomatoes, cube or shred the cheese, make the bacon and chop it up, finely dice an onion.
2. Make the dressing: combine the mayo, vinegar, salt and black pepper in a bowl mix well.
3. Combine the dressing with the ingredients, stir to combine, then cover.
4. Chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours before serving.

make ahead

Broccoli salad is the ultimate make-ahead side dish for barbecues and potlucks because it actually tastes better after a few hours in the fridge. Prepping it ahead of time gives the flavors time to blend together and the dressing helps soften the broccoli just a bit while still keeping the crunch.

If you are planning this ahead of time for a summer side dish for your family or for a potluck, make it up to 24 hours ahead of time. Cover it, and store it in the fridge. Just before serving, give it a stir and it’s ready to go!