This classic broccoli salad will delight you time and again! It’s the tastiest mix of crunchy broccoli, crispy bacon, red onion, cranberries, sunflower seeds, goat cheese, and a creamy mayo-yogurt dressing.
Why You’ll Love This Broccoli Salad
When it comes to the perfect year-round salad recipe, this broccoli salad reigns supreme! It’s great for holidays, potlucks, picnics, barbecues, and even weekly meal prep. Needless to say, it’s a classic for good reason, with its simultaneously crispy, creamy, sweet, and savory flavor. That’s why folks always go back for seconds! And did I mention bacon is involved? Here’s a few more reasons why you’ll love my broccoli salad recipe:
- It’s easily customizable. Swap out any of the add-ins with your favorite dried fruit, seeds, nuts, or cheese.
- It only takes 20 minutes. My favorite thing about this!
- It’s super durable. That means it’ll hold up for several days in the fridge.
- It’s always a holiday party hit. Whether that’s Easter, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, or Christmas.
Broccoli Salad Ingredients
- Broccoli: Chop the raw broccoli florets into bite-sized pieces.
- Red onion: I love diced red onion for a punch of flavor, but green onion works too.
- Bacon: Crispy bacon adds protein and that irresistible savory bite. Want another protein-packed broccoli salad? Try my broccoli tuna salad.
- Dried Cranberries: I use unsweetened dried cranberries, but raisins or dried cherries are great alternatives.
- Sunflower Seeds: For a little crunch, sunflower seeds are my go-to. But slivered almonds or your favorite nuts or seeds also work great.
- Goat Cheese: Just a sprinkle adds amazing creaminess. Crumbled feta or shredded cheddar are also delicious options.
- Broccoli Salad Dressing: This creamy mayonnaise-based dressing gets an upgrade with a bit of homemade yogurt. I skip the added sugar since yogurt adds just the right hint of sweetness and tang.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below
How to Make The Best Broccoli Salad
Step one: Cook the bacon in the oven (it’s way easier), and when that’s done, blot it dry with a paper towel.
Step two: While the bacon is cooking, slice the broccoli florets and red onion, and add them to the bowl along with the sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, and goat cheese. Once the bacon is cooked and cooled, crumble the bacon in the bowl and mix it together.
Step three: In a separate small bowl, make the dressing by stirring together the mayonnaise and yogurt. Add that to the salad and stir everything together until it’s well combined. Voila, your broccoli salad is done!
Common Questions
Most traditional broccoli salads use raw broccoli for its crunchy texture. But if you can’t digest raw broccoli or don’t love the texture, you can blanch the florets for a few minutes. This will slightly soften them while retaining their bright green color and crispness.
Absolutely! Just omit the goat cheese or use a dairy-free alternative, and swap in dairy-free yogurt for the dressing. It’ll still be creamy and delicious.
Yes, you can! Simply leave out the bacon or use a plant-based bacon alternative. For the dressing, opt for vegan mayonnaise.
More Salad Recipes
- Chicken Salad: A spring/summertime classic.
- Tuna Salad: Perfect for a speedy lunch.
- Waldorf Salad: Another holiday favorite.
- Cobb Salad: The perfect high-protein salad.
- Greek Salad: The best Mediterranean salad.
- Or browse through my list of salad recipes and summer salads for more ideas!
If you make this broccoli salad recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment box below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re hungry for more healthy food inspiration and exclusive content, join my free newsletter here.
Description
Video
Equipment
- Glass Mixing Bowls Perfect for prepping and mixing all the components.
- Heavy Duty Sheet Pans My favorite sheet pans!
Ingredients
Broccoli Salad
- 8 slices bacon
- 5 cups broccoli florets (from 1 large head of broccoli)
- ⅓ cup diced red onion
- ½ cup dried unsweetened cranberries
- ½ cup sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup crumbled goat cheese
Broccoli Salad Dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup plain yogurt
Instructions
- Cook the bacon. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Add the bacon slices to a parchment-lined baking tray and cook for 15 to 18 minutes, or until crispy. Remove the bacon from the oven and transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate to dry and cool.
- Add everything to a mixing bowl. Add the broccoli, red onion, cranberries, sunflower seeds, and goat cheese to a large mixing bowl. When the bacon is cool to the touch, crumble it on top.
- Make the dressing. Add the mayonnaise and yogurt to a small bowl and stir together.
- Toss to combine. Pour the dressing on top of the broccoli salad and toss to combine.
Lisa’s Tips
- Storage tip: Broccoli salad will stay fresh for 4 to 5 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. If you’re making it for a holiday party or gathering, you can prep it the day before, either with or without the dressing.
- Make sure you’ve sliced the broccoli florets into small, bite-sized pieces. It makes it far easier to eat that way.
- If you’re wondering what to do with the broccoli stem, spiralize it! Yes, you can totally spiralize a broccoli stem, just as you would a zucchini. It’s delicious! And while I don’t show you how to spiralize a broccoli stem in my Spiralizer Beginner’s Guide video, you can still get a little inspiration from the video.
Nutrition
©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
Recipe originally posted June 2018, but updated to include new information and information for your benefit.
This looks so delicious! What a perfect one to keep in the fridge as a lunch meal prep or a side to dinner!
Hi Suzanne – This is definitely one of my go to salads since it keeps in the fridge for so long!
Hi Lisa,
Would it totally ruin the salad if I blanched the broccoli first? Raw broccoli is a digestive nightmare for me. Do you (or anyone reading this) have other suggestions?
Thank you!
Hi Becky – You can give the broccoli a light steam if you’d like! It will take away some of the crunch from raw broccoli if that is something you are okay with :)
After steaming or blanching, if you shock them in ice cold water and drain them, then they keep their crunchiness.
All time favorite! Easy to make and it’s delicious!
Hi Nancy – I’m glad you enjoyed this salad :)
Love this recipe! So easy to make and is a fabulous “make ahead” recipe.
Hi Rayia – So glad you enjoyed this recipe :)
Can you use frozen broccoli instead of fresh?
Hi Sophia – You can if you’d like, but fresh broccoli might be better for a salad :)
Loved this salad!! I thought I would miss the typical sugary dressing in other broccoli salads, but I will never go back to those again. This was very delicious, thank you!
Hi Amy – Glad to hear I can change your mind about the sugary dressings! :)
So so good!!!! Every loves that recipe. It’a a new clssic for pur family
Hi Genevieve – This is also a weekly rotational salad for me :) Glad you and your family enjoyed this!
I make this every summer! So delicious! Lisa, your recipes are the bomb!
of all the recipes from your website, this is by far the one I have made the most. Everywhere I go for potlucks now I bring this salad and every single person loves it. Even the ones that usually say that dont like broccoli, somehow they loved this salad. I am so thankful that you shared this recipe! Love love love! <3
Thanks so much Dea! I’m happy you love this recipe. It really is the best broccoli salad for potlucks and amazingly flavorful. It’s always fun to surprise people with it. ;)
Made this for dinner tonight, absolutely AWESOME! Received rave reviews from my husband and kids. I was going to try your coleslaw, but my kids don’t like any coleslaw, so I opted for your healthy broccoli salad instead. I will save the coleslaw recipe for just my hubby and I. The broccoli salad received excellent rating from my family. They didn’t miss the usual sugar that I have always used in my past broccoli salad dressings! Incredible! I did squeeze some lemon juice over mine.
I also tried your Garlic Butter Shrimp tonight, absolutely amazing!!
I am hoping to transform my body and my health one Downshiftology recipe at a time. I have learned so much from your videos and blog.
Thank you for your excellent video content and flavorful recipes.
Never had broccoli raw before this salad and now loving it! Well balanced flavors. Simply delicious. And so easy to make. My family and me absolutely love this recipe!
Hi Katharina – So glad you and your family enjoyed this salad!
So good! I used sliced almonds instead of sunflower seeds and non-fat, plain greek yogurt with regular mayo and it was delicious. I think it’s good with or without goat cheese. I did not put the goat cheese into the whole mixture, but I did add some feta in my own individual serving which was very tasty.
Glad you enjoyed the recipe Shea!
So delicious, the only problem with your recipes is that they are so perfect that I am afraid to ever tweak anything…Thank you, Lisa, for this wealth of awesome food ideas <3
Haha, thanks so much Ioana! You can always make it once my way, and then tweak on future versions. ;)
Hi! I am making this for the first time for meal prep lunches. Any recommendations if I should mix the dressing on as I prep or day of when I go eat the lunch? Wondering if it would get too soggy if I dress today for a lunch in 2 two days?
Any advice appreciated! I’m excited to try this recipe, a friend passed it along to me because she LOVED it!
Hi Emily – the great thing about this salad is that it’s really sturdy, it won’t go soggy. So feel free to dress it and enjoy over several days! :)
Any suggestions on what to use instead of mayo? Boyfriend isn’t a fan heh :) Thanks!
Yogurt and sour cream are always great alternatives. :)
We are vegetarian (not vegan) so could you suggest something to replace the bacon in this recipe please
You could do vegan bacon, pressed and baked tofu, sautéed mushrooms or fried shallots (for that crispy alternative). Lots of options!
SO GOOD! I am always looking for ways to get my two year old to eat more veggies and this is the perfect “disguise.” I had avocado mayo and plain greek yogurt and it still turned out perfectly. We omitted the cranberries as well (picky eaters) but this is going into the recipe book! Thank you so much. :)
Awesome! Recipe success with a two year old should definitely be celebrated. :) So happy you all loved it!
If you cut up veggies, even broccoli, into bite size pieces and put them on their high chair tray, kids will put them in their mouths and chew, I promise. (Mom and Grandma with experience.)
This was a great recipe. I did add a little grated carrot and used organic mayonnaise. Delicious and healthy.
Wonderful! Carrot is always a great addition to broccoli salad. Glad you enjoyed it Melanie!
Totally love this Broccoli Salad! The melange of cranberries, goat cheese, sesame seeds and bacon were just delightful. I am excited to try more recipes, next on the list Shrimp Tacos! You encourage us all to eat healthier and live a simple life. I am a huge fan of yours. You have made cooking more exciting and fun. I love watching your videos not only about food, but how to sleep better and just seeing your beautiful home on the screen has helped me to declutter and strive to be like you. You are very much appreciated and I wish you the best!
Aw, thanks so much Charlotte for your kind words! I’m thrilled you love this broccoli salad recipe and my other posts and videos as well. I really appreciate that! :) x
Surprisingly delicious and hearty. I feel full after eating a bowl of this, unlike other salads. Also, it travels well. Picnics, bag lunches, road trips, the hearty broccoli doesn’t wilt and the flavors are good cold, warm, or hot.
Thanks for the kind comment, Amber! I’m so glad you loved the broccoli salad recipe. And you’re totally right about its versatility :)
Sounds excellent, but my substitution will be replacing the bacon with a leaner part of the pig, like pork loin ? Yes after all, I think I read back at the beginning of this thread that its about HEALTHY EATING . and probably delete the yogurt and add a puree of strawberry, mango or something like that. Thx for a great idea, so looking forward to this !
Sounds perfect, Carl! I hope you enjoy! :)
Made this salad without the cranberries since my husband doesn’t like “fruit” in food unless it’s dessert :) Also exchanged the sunflower seeds for walnuts (just because I had them on hand) and the goat cheese for feta (because my husband doesn’t like goat cheese). We were super surprised by the flavor and the crunchy bacon is just perfect. I will make this my staple salad for summer to bring to any bbq and people are going to want the recipe. I just know it! Yummmy! Thanks Lisa – as always – for broadening my food horizon :)
Oh yay! I’m so happy you loved the recipe Lena. It’s a perfect summer salad recipe and great with so many variations. Definitely tweak it to your liking! :) x
Hi how many servings does it make?
Hi Suzi – Servings are mentioned in the beginning of the recipe card. For this recipe it makes 6 servings. :)
I made this and brought to an Easter dinner. So easy to make and really good! Healthier and also cheaper than buying the bagged salad kits. Thanks Lisa!
Thanks for the kind comment, Jackie! I’m so glad you enjoyed the salad and yes, it’s super easy to make. Bag salads no more! ;)
What kind of goat cheese do you recommend?
I’ve used many brands, but I just look for organic goat cheese when possible. :)
This recipe looks delicious, I can’t wait to try it! Can you make this ahead? How long will it keep?
Thanks Olyvia! And yes, it’s a really sturdy salad. I’ve had mine last up to 5 days in the fridge no problem. :)
This salad is delicious! I’m not a fan of mayonnaise, so I just used more plain yogurt. The result probably isn’t as creamy but it’s really tasty. I also used crumbled blue cheese-my favorite. Cooking the bacon in the oven is brilliant. I may never cook it on the stovetop again! Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe. I’m hooked!
Yay! I’m glad you loved the broccoli salad Cheryl! And I think your subs with the yogurt and blue cheese are perfect. It’s all about tweaking it to your liking. :)
This was delicious! I added some chopped kale, slivered almonds and pumpkin seeds. Everyone loved it and wanted recipe.
Yum! Love those additions Linda! I’m glad you enjoyed it. :)
I want to add this delicious looking recipe to my meal program. Are the fat grams listed per serving and is the serving equivalent to like a cup or 2 cups?
Yes, the fat grams listed are per serving. And I’d estimate each serving is approximately 1.5-2 cups.
Could you cook the broccoli and cool it down before adding it to the salad? I’m not a huge fan of raw broccoli but love the idea of this salad!
Yes, no problem. Many folks have lightly steamed the broccoli, cooled it, then used it in this recipe. :)
Lisa, could you please suggest a substitution for goat cheese, as I’m not a fan of it. Can’t wait to try this recipe, since it fits in with my low-carb diet!
How about feta or mascarpone?
This was fantastic! Forgot how good uncooked broccoli can be. Thanks for another fantastic recipe! Sooo looking forward to the next meal prep video!
Happy you loved it Steph! I love raw broccoli and how nice and crisp it is. And my next meal prep is coming soon! :)
Topped mine with avocado yum!! I cooked the bacon yesterday while making Carne Asada chips. So to whip them up took no time at all! Yes, even made home made mayo is so easy. Worth coming home for!!
You can never go wrong with a little extra avocado! ;) And well done on the homemade mayo. Woot!
I made this salad for potluck lunch at work today and everyone loved it! I love your recipes and videos. And please make more food prep videos. The best food prep ever?
Yay – I’m glad everyone enjoyed the recipe! And I’ve got a winter meal prep coming up in January, so stay tuned. :) Thanks Miho!
Can I give it 6 stars? :) Made this last night and it was soo good, thanks Lisa. I did blanch the broccoli though, just so it’ll be a bit nicer on my gut. I’ll definitely add this to the list of meal prep ideas for hubby’s lunch. YUM!
Yes, you can definitely give it 6 stars! ;) So happy you enjoyed the recipe Lea and yes, blanching is a great way to make the broccoli more digestible for sensitive guts. Enjoy!
Loved this recipe – and so did my family! I fried the onions so that my children would eat them and would try more yoghurt and less mayo into the sauce next time. But this was delish!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I subscribed to your YouTube channel and then found your website and I’m glad o have because this salad is delicious!! I’ve made it for quite a few people now and the next day they’ve all asked for the recipe. Such a good mix of crunch, sweetness and it keeps well in the fridge. Thank you!!
Wonderful! So happy you and your friends love this recipe Laura! And thanks so much for subscribing to my YouTube channel. :) x
This recipe showed up at a great time for me. I recently visited home (USA) and had an awesome broccoli salad. With that still fresh in my memory, your video popped up in my feed. As even a better bonus, I was just looking for quick, easy recipes for one of my health coaching clients that needs more greens in her diet. Her two year old can’t get enough of broccoli so I have also recommended it to her.
Thanks so much, I enjoy all your videos.
Wonderful! Perfect timing indeed! So happy you enjoyed the recipe Megan and thank you for recommending the recipe to your client. I appreciate that! :) x
This was delish. Ate it for lunch five days in a row. It kept just fine in the fridge.
Glad you enjoyed it! And yes, it’s a very sturdy recipe – and great for meal prep!
This isn’t quite vegetarian now, is it?
Thanks for the catch! I’ve just fixed it. :)
Love, Love, Love your recipes! Did I mention, Love?! ;)
…and so does hubby!!
Lettuce wraps and spring rolls, our faves, so far!
For the broccoli salad, I used 2/3 cup cashew yogurt and only 1/4 cup mayo…delish! :))
Thanks so much Sheri!! So happy to hear that. :) x
O-M-G! So many different flavours attacking my tastebuds – in a nice way. Beautiful!!! Definitely going to be making this more often, I can just imagine living off sweet potato egg for breakfast, this for lunch, salmon frittatas for tea along with chia seed pudding every day. Awesome!!
I know – crazy how a little broccoli salad can be so flavorful, right? And that sounds like a pretty well rounded meal plan to me! ;) x
Loved it so much, I’m actually in the shop to get more broccoli and cranberries. Can’t wait until lunch!
Woot! And now you’re making me want to make it again. ;)
This salad is so good! I wanted to eat the whole bowl myself and not serve it for Father’s Day. I was leery of the raw onions but trusted Lisa because I have always liked her recipes.
Yay! So happy you enjoyed it Karen! And thanks for trusting me. :) x
I love this salad! It is such a great alternative to green, leafy salads and takes less active prep time. It is also very hearty and satisfying. I added shredded Brussels sprouts and did a combo of sunflower seeds, sliced almonds, and pumpkin seeds. Thank you for the recipe!
So happy you enjoyed it Kristen! And yum, shredded brussels sprouts would be amazing on it!!
That looks like one tasty salad. I never add broccoli to salad and now I am thinking why not? I will skip the bacon when I try this however as I am veggie. It’s still going to be one tasty salad..
Yes, it sure will! You could also use a vegan bacon as well. :)
I simply love broccoli and it’s definitely one of my favorite vegetables in the world. This salad looks so healthy, colorful and delicious I simply have to try it soon! Perfect for a light dinner!
Yes, it’s a light dinner or lunch or perfect as a side salad. Delicious either way! Hope you enjoy it!
Love this! My husband loves broccoli and I”m slowly learning to eat it. I started with broccoli slaw. I still can’t stand it steamed. But this recipe looks good enough to make me want to see if I can eat larger bits.
It sounds like you’re off to a great start with the broccoli slaw and you can definitely keep the broccoli chopped fairly small in this recipe as well. Hope you enjoy it!
What a wholesome and delicious salad!! I literally love every ingredient here!! What a combination of great textures too!! Love it
Thanks Camila! It really is a delicious salad and SO easy to make! Enjoy. :) x
Having a Father’s Day cook out Sunday, would like to make this- guests don’t eat pork, please suggest substitute for the bacon?
How about turkey bacon?
I can’t wait to try this. I make a broccoli salad but yours is definitely a healthier version so I’m very happy that I’ll be able to have it again – just couldn’t justify it anymore with the sugar that was in the original recipe. Thanks Lisa!
I find that with the cranberries, goat cheese and yogurt this version is sweet enough on it’s own, so no added sugar is necessary. Hope you love this version as well Jason! :)
Definitely having that on Monday. We are away this weekend, it has everything Inlove eating. I tend to slice up the stems the following day for stir fry. Will definitely spiralise it.
Awesome! And yes, the stems are perfect for stir fry or spiralizing. Hope you enjoy it! :) x