Our Best Broccoli Salad
Broccoli salad is only a recent love of mine but it’s our best broccoli salad recipe as I was determined to make it awesome right from the start. When I was dating my husband he surprised me one night with an amazing home cooked meal. He picked me up after I had attended a bridal shower and took me back to his apartment so that we could work on our Anatomy and Physiology lab. When I walked in he had made steak, rolls, loaded baked potatoes, and Broccoli and Cheese Sauce. I thought, “Oh no!! he has no idea how much I hate broccoli.” I was so impressed with everything that I didn’t want to hurt his feelings, so…
What Are the Health Benefits of Broccoli?
Broccoli is a great source of vitamins K and C, a good source of folate (folic acid) and also provides potassium, fiber.
Vitamin C – builds collagen, which forms body tissue and bone, and helps cuts and wounds heal.
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and protects the body from damaging free radicals.
I dug in. IT. WAS. DELICIOUS. Oh, I still can taste it. That was the first food he had ever cooked for me and he blew me away. Everything was fantastic, including the broccoli.
This man has changed my life in many ways, but definitely in the food department that night. I started trying all sorts of new things that Cade loved (never Sushi. I still don’t eat that even though he loves it and continually tries to convince me).
Do You Cook Broccoli for Broccoli Salad?
I love broccoli now, and this is the first quick and easy side using broccoli I’ve made. Our BEST broccoli salad I’ve ever made. The question does arise though, do you need to cook the broccoli for broccoli salad? The answer is yes or no. The truth is, it’s entirely up to you! In this recipe we like the crunch of the broccoli and the dressing does help to soften things up a bit, but if you want to give it a quick blanch, add a little water to a pot with broccoli and place the lid on. Steam for a couple of minutes, just until it turns bright green and then quickly drain and toss in a bowl of ice water. Just be sure you drain it well before tossing it in the bowl with the ingredients.
What to Add to Broccoli Salad
It’s our best broccoli salad recipe, but it’s originally from my friend Tiffany. That’s something I love about this broccoli salad side dish, it’s really easy to add whatever you like, peas, carrots, hard boiled eggs, olives, anything goes!
Storing Broccoli Salad
We like to chill ours for a bit and then toss in the bacon right before serving but sometimes life happens and we need to make it and serve it immediately so it all gets stirred together like the video. In a pinch you could actually use coleslaw dressing if you needed to as well.
Store any leftovers in the fridge for 2-3 days, but make sure you cover it or it will dry out.
Our BEST Broccoli Salad
Our BEST Broccoli Salad
Ingredients
Recipe adapted from The Shills
- 4 Heads of Broccoli chopped (8 cups chopped)
- 1/2 Cup Golden Raisins
- 1/2 Cup Craisins
- 1 Cup Roasted and Salted Sunflower Seeds
- 8 Sliced of Applewood Smoked Bacon cooked and chopped
- 1/2 Cup Frozen Peas
- 1/2 Cup Diced Red Onion
For the Dressing
- 1 Cup Mayo
- 1/4 Cup Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 Cup Shredded Colby Jack Cheese
Instructions
- In a large salad bowl mix together the vegetables, raisins, and craisins. Leave the bacon and sunflower seeds for right before serving.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the dressing and pour over the vegetables.
- Toss well to evenly coat everything.
- Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
- Right before serving add the crumbled bacon and sunflower seeds, and toss to evenly distribute.
- Serve and enjoy.
Video
Nutrition
Looking for more BBQ ideas? We love The Best Low and Slow Oven Baked BBQ Ribs.
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Oh my God. So so good. I made this recipe last night (half) and brought some to work for lunch today. I used a 12 oz bag of (Trader Joe’s) broccoli florets which to me is about half the recipe so I halved all the other ingredients. Wow. This is so so delicious. I did not blanch the broccoli and nor did I defrost the frozen peas. I just used the peas as is since I knew the salad would sit in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight. Also, I realized I did not have bacon so the portion I ate today was without it, yet it was yummy. But I have some leftover salad at home which I will make sure to use with bacon.
Yay! We are so glad you loved it! It really is so delicious! We get asked for this recipe anytime we take this salad anywhere!
How come 2 different nutritious charts 1 says 223 calories in 1 cup other says over 400 in 1/2 cup. Which one is the correct one?
I’m not sure where the other is coming from but the 223 is correct
You have frozen peas listed in the ingredients but neither the video nor the recipe instruction include this. Do the frozen peas go directly in this or do you need to defrost them?
Ahhh, I’m sorry about that. We occasionally throw them in, I’ll make note. You can put them in a bowl and run cool water over them, drain and add.
do you have the nutritional values for this salad?
Hi Alex,
Sorry about that, it’s showing now. 🙂
hey girl- this salad looks so good!
I didn’t see cheese and purple onion on the recipe. How much of each?
Hi Elaine,
Sorry about that, I accidentally deleted when I was editing the recipe I guess. It’s back in there!
the broccoli salad video has shredded cheese but this is not listed in recipe, how much cheese did you use?
Sounds Deliciouds
I like broccoli salad
sounds good have totry
In the dressing I use lemon juice instead of vinegar and a dash of celery seed
love that idea!
Hi , this sounds delicious . Could you possibly use frozen broccoli ? I was thinking if you steamed it & then cooled it .
I was dissapointed you didn’t add Cade’s cheesy broccoli recipes from the first dinner he prepared for you. Jo
oh! I should do that recipe!
I love broccoli salad. I do add chopped red onions, as well as finely chopped cauliflower and chopped toasted almonds. Never tried the frozen peas but, will do so next time I make this delicious salad. Also, I plump my raisins before adding to the salad.
I like that idea of plumping the raisins!!
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Very nice salad, you can add some corn and other veggies chopped, it all tastes great.
I would have left out the onions also. I put peas in everything too. They give that little sweet crisp pop…mmmm frozen baby peas are so good. My daughter will eat them frozen.
=P Onions are the only thing you left out for him, and peas are great easy extra nutrients to add. =) It was the best broccoli salad I've every had! Thanks Sis!