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This easy broccoli cranberry salad recipe pairs fresh broccoli, sweet dried cranberries, and crispy bacon with a tangy, creamy homemade dressing. Toss the salad together and let it chill in the fridge for up to a day before serving as a side dish at any potluck, cookout, or holiday dinner.
What is broccoli cranberry salad?
Here in the Midwest, it seems like every family has their version of this easy broccoli salad, kind of like how every seems to have their own version of macaroni salad. Some have a sweeter dressing. One of my friends has an aunt who makes it without the cheese and uses raisins instead of dried cranberries.
If you’re not familiar with broccoli cranberry salad, it’s an easy no-cook salad that uses broccoli florets as the base. Dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, crumbled bacon, and shredded cheddar cheese are added, and the whole thing gets tossed with a creamy mayo-based dressing.
It’s a salad that’s full of great contrasts in both flavor and texture. Crunchy raw broccoli, crisp and salty bacon, sweet and chewy dried cranberries, and the creamy dressing. It’s a combination of ingredients you wouldn’t expect to go together, but it really does work!
Since this recipe is so easy and doesn’t require any cooking, it’s always a popular side dish at cookouts and summer potlucks. But it also makes a great addition to holiday tables, whether it’s Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter.
Jamie’s testing notes and tips
- Let it chill for at least 2 hours before serving. The salad really does need at least 2 hours in the fridge before serving to allow the flavors to meld. The dried cranberries and broccoli florets also soak up some of the dressing as it sits. You can easily make it the night before you plan to serve it, though.
- The dressing is easy to tweak. My family loves a slightly tangier, lightly sweet dressing. If you prefer a sweeter, less tangy dressing, you can reduce the amount of vinegar and increase the amount of sugar to your liking.
- The bacon and sunflower seeds add plenty of salt to the salad. Between the mayonnaise (which is already seasoned), the salted sunflower seeds, and the crumbled bacon, the salad doesn’t need any additional salt. If you omit the bacon though, you may need to add a pinch of extra salt.
- Wait to add the bacon, cheese, and sunflower seeds until right before serving. Adding them too early will soften the bacon and sunflower seeds and cause the cheese to break down a bit. I find that adding them right before serving keeps all of the texture we want without sacrificing on flavor.
Ingredients and substitutions
⬇️ For the full recipe, including ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below!
- Mayonnaise: For the best flavor, use a good mayonnaise. Duke’s is one of my favorite brands. You could also use homemade mayonnaise.
- Red wine vinegar: Adds tang to the dressing. You could use apple cider vinegar instead.
- Sugar: To add sweetness to the dressing. If you prefer a sweeter dressing, increase the sugar and reduce the vinegar.
- Broccoli: Cut into bite-sized pieces. Don’t cook it! You want the crunchy texture from the raw broccoli. You can also swap some or all of the broccoli for raw cauliflower if you prefer.
- Diced red onion: Substitute diced shallot for a more subtle flavor. You can also soak the diced red onion in ice water for 15 minutes, then drain well before using. This will tone down some of the “bite” that usually accompanies raw red onion.
- Dried cranberries: The tart sweetness and chewy texture both add a lot of depth to this salad.
- Cooked and crumbled bacon: You could also use real bacon bits, although I like the added crispy texture from freshly cooked bacon.
- Shredded cheddar cheese: Optional, but highly recommended. You can shred your own or used pre-shredded cheese.
- Salted sunflower seeds: Make sure to grab salted ones! If you don’t like sunflower seeds, you could roughly chop roasted and salted almonds to use instead.
Make ahead and storage
If you plan to make this broccoli cranberry salad ahead of time, cover and chill for up to a day. As mentioned above, wait to add the final ingredients (bacon, cheese, and sunflower seeds) until just before serving.
Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep in mind that the bacon and sunflower seeds won’t stay as crunchy, but the flavor will still be great.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar and sugar. Add in broccoli, onion and cranberries and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
¾ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup red wine vinegar, 1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar, 2 heads fresh broccoli, ⅓ cup finely diced red onion, ¾ cup dried cranberries
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Before serving, stir in bacon, cheese and sunflower seeds.
½ pound bacon, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, ⅓ cup salted sunflower seeds
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Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days.
Make-ahead and storage
- Salad can be made up to a day ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Wait to add the bacon, cheese, and sunflower seeds until just before serving.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Variations
- Salad can be made with cauliflower in place of the broccoli, or with a mix of broccoli and cauliflower.
- If you prefer a sweeter, less tangy dressing, you can reduce the red wine vinegar and increase the sugar in the dressing.
Calories: 361kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 28g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 33mg, Sodium: 405mg, Potassium: 478mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 891IU, Vitamin C: 109mg, Calcium: 146mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More easy salad recipes
If you love this broccoli salad recipe, you might also enjoy my cranberry chicken salad. It also pairs sweet dried cranberries into a savory salad base that’s great for lunches or picnics.
Pasta salad is always a favorite around here. Bacon ranch pasta salad is super easy and brings in the same bacon and cheese pairing as this recipe.
If you can’t have a cookout or potluck without potato salad, give my easy potato salad recipe a try! The secret to maximum flavor: tossing the hot potatoes in vinegar and salt.
And another regional favorite: Amish pea salad with ham and cheese. It’s another one that can be made in advance and is always a hit at summer gatherings!
