Broccoli salad with bacon
Crunchy raw broccoli with crisp bacon, sharp cheddar, sunflower seeds and dried cranberries in a creamy sweet-and-tangy dressing. A potluck classic.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 8 min
- Serves
- 6
- Per serve
- 370 kcal
Ingredients
Method
Lay the bacon in a cold large skillet, set it over medium heat and cook, turning a few times, until crisp. Drain on paper towels.
While the bacon cooks, cut the broccoli into small florets, about the size of a grape, and thinly slice any tender stem.
In a large bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, vinegar and sugar with a pinch of salt and pepper until smooth.
Add the broccoli, cheddar, onion, sunflower seeds and cranberries and toss until everything is coated.
Crumble in the bacon, saving a little for the top, and toss again. Scatter over the rest of the bacon and serve right away, or pack it cold.
Tips
- Cut the florets small: the dressing coats them better and the salad is easier to eat with a fork. Keep it in a cooler with ice packs (under 40°F) until you eat, and don't leave it out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when it's above 90°F.
- Unlike most salads, this one improves as it sits for an hour or so, as the broccoli softens slightly. Keep some bacon back to add just before serving so it stays crisp.
- Most bacon is gluten-free, but check the label on flavored or cured varieties.
