Classic Broccoli Salad

If you’re looking for a fresh new salad to liven up your menus, this classic broccoli salad with bacon, cheese, fruit, and nuts is sure to delight. Read on for the easy recipe.

What Are the Ingredients in Broccoli Salad?

This vibrant salad starts with crisp, fresh broccoli florets as the base. Their bright green color looks so inviting! We complement the broccoli with sweet dried cranberries, crunchy bacon pieces, red onion, nutty sunflower seeds, and creamy goat cheese. You can customize the mix-ins to suit your tastes. Feeling extra hungry? Throw in some shredded chicken! The salad ingredients pair beautifully with the creamy dressing.

What Goes into the Creamy Dressing?

A mayonnaise-yogurt dressing pulls the full broccoli salad together. The mayo base provides thickness and richness while the yogurt adds a tangy flavor and boosts the creaminess. The result is a luscious dressing that clings to each tasty ingredient. No need to add extra sugar since the fruits and veggies provide plenty of natural sweetness!

How Can I Easily Make Broccoli Salad at Home?

Broccoli salad comes together in just minutes with a few simple steps:

First, bake bacon pieces so they turn out crispy. Then mix together the raw broccoli, red onion, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, and goat cheese in a large bowl. Crumble in the cooked bacon. In a separate small bowl, whisk up the mayo-yogurt dressing, then pour it over the salad ingredients. Toss everything together until evenly coated. Easy peasy!

How Should I Store Leftover Broccoli Salad?

One major perk of this salad is that it stores easily for meal prepping and potlucks. Simply keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The broccoli stays crisp and the dressing keeps everything nicely moist. Prepare a double batch on Sunday to enjoy tasty broccoli salad all week long!

Whip up this crowd-pleasing broccoli salad for your next gathering! The interplay of flavors and textures makes it highly addictive. Your friends and family will surely request second helpings.

Classic Broccoli Salad Recipe

Ingredients List:

Bacon: 8 slices
Broccoli florets: 5 cups (from a large broccoli head)
Red onion, diced: ⅓ cup
Dried unsweetened cranberries: ½ cup
Sunflower seeds: ½ cup
Goat cheese, crumbled: ¼ cup

Dressing for Broccoli Salad:

Mayonnaise: ½ cup
Plain yogurt: ¼ cup

Preparation Instructions:

Cooking Bacon: Start by heating your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking tray with parchment paper and arrange the bacon slices on it. Bake for 15-18 minutes until crispy. Once done, transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain and cool.
Salad Assembly: In a large mixing bowl, combine broccoli florets, diced red onion, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, and goat cheese.
Bacon Topping: Once the bacon has cooled, crumble it and sprinkle over the salad.
Preparing Dressing: In a separate small bowl, blend together mayonnaise and yogurt until smooth.
Final Touch: Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss well to ensure all ingredients are evenly coated.