Broccoli Salad
User Reviews
5
Broccoli Salad
Description
Broccoli Salad mixes fresh broccoli florets with grated sharp cheddar cheese, sweet dried cranberries, salty bacon crumbles, crunchy sunflower seeds, and finely diced red onion. This combination balances different textures and tastes, creating a multi-dimensional salad. The creamy dressing made of mayonnaise, sour cream, white wine vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper adds a smooth tangy and slightly sweet finish that coats the ingredients evenly.
The salad is served cold, with an hour of refrigeration improving flavor integration while maintaining crispness. The recipe notes mention choosing real bacon over imitation bacon bits for authentic flavor. Some prefer to blanch broccoli briefly for a milder texture, but this recipe uses raw florets. Variations in the dressing include using Greek yogurt in place of sour cream or alternative vinegar types.
This salad can be prepared a few days ahead, with a suggestion to store dressing separately and toss before serving to keep broccoli crunchy. It keeps well refrigerated for 3-4 days, making it a convenient option for gatherings or meal prep.
Ingredients
- 5-6 cups broccoli 1 lb, this was about 2 ½ heads of broccoli for me (450g, florets
- 1 cup cheddar cheese thicker, not finely shredded (115g, sharp
- ⅔ cup dried cranberries (85g)
- ½ cup Bacon 60g, crumbled
- ½ cup sunflower seeds 60g, salted
- ⅓ cup red onion diced into small pieces (50g)
Dressing
- ¾ cup mayonnaise I use olive oil mayo (175g
- ¼ cup sour cream 70g
- 1 ½ Tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 3 Tablespoons sugar (40g)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Combine broccoli florets, cheddar cheese, dried cranberries, bacon, sunflower seeds, and onion in a large bowl.
- In a separate, small bowl, whisk together mayo, sour cream, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper until smooth and well-combined.
- Pour dressing over broccoli combination and toss or stir well.
- Broccoli salad may be served immediately, but for best flavor refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. Make sure to toss broccoli salad thoroughly again before serving.Keep refrigerated if not consuming right away.
Notes
- Broccoli can be blanched for 60 seconds, then cooled and dried, if softer texture is desired, but raw is common.
- Cook and crumble about 8 strips of bacon for the desired amount; avoid imitation bacon bits for best flavor.
- Some or all sour cream may be substituted with plain Greek yogurt for the dressing.
- While white wine vinegar is preferred, red wine, apple cider, or champagne vinegars can be used instead.
- For extended storage, keep dressing separate and toss salad at least an hour before serving.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8cups
Amount Per Serving
Calories 291 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1cup | |
| Calories | 291kcal | 15% |
| Carbohydrates | 17g | 6% |
| Protein | 8g | 16% |
| Fat | 19g | 29% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 33mg | 11% |
| Sodium | 617mg | 26% |
| Potassium | 92mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 12g | 24% |
| Vitamin A | 50IU | 1% |
| Vitamin C | 4.1mg | 5% |
| Calcium | 30mg | 3% |
| Iron | 0.7mg | 4% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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