This Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Cheese is loaded with crispy bacon, crunchy toasted pecans, creamy cubed cheddar, and tossed in the most amazing homemade dressing. This salad is simple, quick, and super easy to make!
If you prefer broccoli salad without cheddar, you will definitely love my cranberry broccoli salad recipe. And for something a little meatier, try my healthy broccoli chicken salad.
Table Of Contents
Recipe Details
I love this Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Cheese because it’s a simple salad to make and it has so much flavor and texture. You are going to love the way this dish tastes!
- TASTE: From the savory bacon to the sweet cranberries, to the nutty pecans, this salad has so much great flavor. The raw broccoli is amazing with the rich dressing.
- TEXTURE: The vegetables are crisp, the bacon and nuts are crunchy, and the dressing is creamy and thick. This salad has it all.
- TIME: This recipe only takes 15 minutes.
- EASE: It’s so easy to make this dish. With just some simple ingredients and a few minutes, you can make this delicious side anytime.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Mayonnaise– This ingredient gives the dressing its rich flavor and creaminess.
- Sour cream- This adds a creamy texture and a tangy flavor.
- Dijon mustard– This adds tangy flavor, but also acts as an emulsifier, holding the dressing together.
- Apple cider vinegar– This adds bright acidity to the dressing.
- Chopped toasted pecans– Nutty and crunchy, these are a great addition to the salad.
- Cranberries- These add delicious sweetness.
- Bacon- For a salty, savory flavor. The bacon is also nice and crunchy.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Make it lighter- For a healthier broccoli salad, you can replace the mayo with olive oil and replace the sour cream with Greek yogurt.
- Substitute other nuts- Make this salad with other nuts, such as almonds, walnuts, or cashews.
- Add more meat- You can make this salad a main course by adding some chopped chicken, turkey, or steak. You can also add seafood, like shrimp.
- Make it vegan- You can leave off the bacon and substitute the mayonnaise for vegan mayo and the sour cream for plain plant-based yogurt. The cheese can be swapped for plant-based cheddar.
How to Make Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Cheese
- Make the dressing. Just lightly whisk the mayo, sour cream, sugar, dijon, and apple cider vinegar together and set it aside for later.
- Prepare the other ingredients. Now chop up all the onion and pecans, and cube the cheddar cheese.
- Assemble the salad. At this point, you can either toss everything in a large serving bowl or organize it nicely like I did. Then, drizzle on your broccoli salad dressing and stir the salad together.
Pro Tip: For the best presentation, neatly line up the ingredients in the bowl and add the dressing on top. This is perfect for impressing your guests.
Recipe Tips
- Cut the broccoli into small pieces– This makes it easier to have more variety in each bite. This also allows for a more even/equal coating of the dressing with the broccoli.
- Let the dressing and ingredients marinate together- Letting it sit for at least several hours lets the flavors blend together better.
- Add any nuts or seeds at the end prior to eating- This prevents the seeds and nuts from getting soft and losing their crunchiness.
- Use block cheddar that has been cubed- Having your cheese in cubes gives for a better cheddar bite versus shredded cheese.
FAQs
Broccoli alone is low carb. However, it depends on what you put in your dressing. My dressing isn’t the healthiest or entirely low carb since there is sugar in the recipe, but it tastes delicious! You can omit the sugar though, if you prefer.
This is up to you. I don’t recommend blanching the broccoli for this Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Cheese, but if you prefer a sweeter and more tender broccoli floret, then you can blanch them. If you prefer the crunch of the raw broccoli, then don’t.
Serving Suggestions
This Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Cheese is versatile enough to be served with anything. Enjoy it with your favorite main courses, soups, and sides.
- Meats: Pair this salad with Cast Iron Ribeye Steak, Smoked Chicken Thighs, Air Fryer Pork Chops (VIDEO), or Braised Beef Short Ribs (VIDEO).
- Seafood: Serve it with seafood, like this Cedar Plank Salmon, Bang Bang Shrimp, Salmon Wellington, or Pan Fried Cod with Sautéed Vegetables.
- Soups: Enjoy this Broccoli Salad with a bowl of Cream of Mushroom Soup, Potato Leek Soup, Tortellini Soup, or Easy French Onion Soup.
- Sides: Pair this salad with sides like this Eggplant Napoleon, Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts, Parmesan Roasted Potatoes, or Bacon Wrapped Asparagus.
Make This Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: You can prepare the dressing ahead of time and store it in the fridge in an airtight container. You can also cut the onion, pecans, and cheese and store them in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble the salad.
Storing: Store this Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Cheese in an airtight container or covered tightly with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Freeze: I don’t recommend freezing this salad because the dressing is cream-based and won’t thaw well. The broccoli, too, will become mushy when it thaws.
More Scrumptious Salads!
Watch a video on how to make this incredible broccoli salad recipe here:
Full Recipe Instructions
Broccoli Salad With Bacon and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 4 tsp sugar
- 1/4 cup red onion
- 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
- 8 oz medium cheddar
- 5 cups broccoli
- 1/2 cup cranberries
- 8 slices bacon about 1/3 cup
- 1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds
Instructions
- In a small bowl add 1 cup of mayonnaise 1/4 cup sour cream, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 2 tsp apple cider Vinegar, and 4 tsp of sugar. Whisk that all together and set it aside.
- Now dice up 1/4 cup or red onion into tiny pieces, then chop up about 1/2 cup of toasted unsalted pecans.
- Then you’ll want to take a block of medium cheddar and slice it up into cubes using a sharp knife. My cheddar cubes were about 1/2 inch thick.
- Now add 5 cups of broccoli florets into a large bowl, then add the cubed cheddar, 1/2 cup of dried cranberries, the chopped pecans, the diced onion, 1/3 cup of crumbled bacon, and 1/4 cup of sunflower seeds.
- Now you can take the dressing you made earlier and drizzle it over the entire salad. Then toss all the Salad ingredients together until everything is well combined
Notes
- Cut the broccoli into small pieces– This makes it easier to have more variety in each bite. This also allows for a more even/equal coating of the dressing with the broccoli.
- Let the dressing and ingredients marinate together- Letting it sit for at least several hours lets the flavors blend together better.
- Add any nuts or seeds at the end prior to eating- This prevents the seeds and nuts from getting soft and losing their crunchiness.
- Use block cheddar that has been cubed- Having your cheese in cubes gives for a better cheddar bite versus shredded cheese.
Nutrition
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