This classic broccoli salad with bacon and cheese is crunchy, creamy, sweet, and savory with red onion, raisins, and a tangy dressing. It is an easy make-ahead side dish that's perfect for potlucks, cookouts, backyard barbecues, and family gatherings.
"This is a favorite at our house. I make it for almost every potluck we have. I also like to throw in some cashews. Yummy!"
- ★★★★★Kristy
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🔍 Quick Look: Classic Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Cheese
⏱️ Prep Time: 5 minutes
🕒 Cook Time: 15 minutes
👥 Servings: 10
📊 Calories: 344 per serving
🥦 Main Ingredients: Broccoli, bacon, cheddar cheese, raisins, red onions mayonnaise
⭐ Difficulty: Easy
❤️ You'll Love It Because: Creamy, crunchy, sweet, and savory with crispy bacon and tangy homemade dressing
Broccoli salad was a popular side dish to many church potlucks and backyard barbecues that I attended grew up.
While I hated eating cooked broccoli as a child (thank goodness I out grew this), I absolutely loved this salad! There was something about the crunchy fresh broccoli mixed with salty bacon, cheddar cheese, sweet raisins, and that creamy dressing that always won me over.
This salad continues to be a favorite of mine still today. I hope you love it as much as I do. Enjoy! XOXO ~Katie.
Ingredient notes and Substitutions
You will need the following ingredients to make this broccoli salad with bacon.
- broccoli- Use fresh, raw broccoli florets cut into small, bite-sized florets. Frozen broccoli will be too soft for this salad.
- bacon- You can substitute with turkey bacon. I do not recommend bacon bits.
- red onion- Red onion pairs nicely with the other ingredients in this salad, but you can use sweet onion, or white onion.
- cheddar cheese- I like sharp cheddar cheese for this recipe. You can use mild or medium sharp cheddar cheese. Cut the cheese into small cubes rather than shredding it so it holds its shape in the creamy dressing.
- raisins- Adds sweetness that balances the salty bacon and tangy dressing. Dried cranberries can also be substituted.
- white granulated sugar
- mayonnaise- I suggest real mayonnaise. I do not recommend Miracle Whip.
- white vinegar- You can substitute with apple cider vinegar.
(*Full recipe with ingredient measurements is located at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.)
How to Make Broccoli Salad with Bacon
This easy broccoli salad comes together with just a few simple steps. For the best flavor, make it several hours ahead so it has time to chill before serving.
- In a large bowl, mix small bite-sized broccoli, crumbled bacon, red onion, cheddar cheese, and raisins.
- In a separate bowl, mix mayonnaise, sugar, and vinegar.
- Pour creamy dressing mixture over broccoli salad. Mix well. You can eat the salad immediately, but I recommend refrigerating 4 or more hours before serving.
Watch how to Make
Why I Recommend Diced Cheddar Cheese
Dice cheddar cheese into small chunks or cubes as seen in image above. Shredded cheese can become soft and mushy in the dressing. Diced cheese will hold its shape and flavor.
How long does it last in the refrigerator?
This broccoli salad is a great make-ahead side dish. I recommend making it at least 4 hours before serving so the flavors have time to come together.
Store leftover broccoli bacon salad in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Give it a good stir before serving.
Broccoli Salad Variations
There are several variations to this classic broccoli bacon salad! Follow this recipe exactly for a classic version or make it your own with one of these options:
- Omit cheddar cheese
- Omit cheddar cheese and add mandarin oranges
- Add sunflower seeds, roasted pecans, or cashews
- Substitute dried cranberries, dried cherries, dried blueberries, or dried pineapples in place of raisins
- Substitute apple cider vinegar or tarragon vinegar in place of white vinegar
- Add cherry tomatoes
- Use half broccoli and half cauliflower
- For a Keto version, omit the raisins, and substitute sugar with a low carb sweetener
Looking for more classic side dishes for potlucks or barbecues? Try:
Please leave me a comment below if you make this broccoli bacon salad and tell me what you thought about it. I would love to hear back, and so would my readers.
Also post your picture of your broccoli salad on Instagram or Facebook, and tag @aforkstale with #aforkstale hashtags! I will share with my followers! xoxo!
📖 Recipe
Classic Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Cheddar Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- 6 cups broccoli cut into bite sized pieces
- ½ cup red onion diced
- ½ cup raisins
- 4 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese diced into small chunks (1 cup)
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, mix broccoli, crumbled bacon, red onion, sharp cheddar and raisins.8 slices bacon, 6 cups broccoli, ½ cup red onion, 4 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese, ½ cup raisins
- In a small mixing bowl, mix mayonnaise, sugar, and vinegar.¾ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup sugar, 2 tablespoons vinegar
- Mix dressing with broccoli salad. You can serve immediately, but It is best to refrigerate 4 or more hours before serving.
Anita says
Definitely a salad to make to convince the kiddos that they don't actually hate broccoli.
Krissy Allori says
This is a favorite at our house. I make it for almost every potluck we have. I also like to throw in some cashews. Yummy!
kim says
This was super tasty! I'll definitely be making it again!
Deanne says
This broccoli bacon salad had all the right components - creamy, crunchy, salty and sweet! We'll be making it again!
Carrie Robinson says
Yum! Now this is my kind of salad!