Broccoli Salad with Bacon, Raisins and Sunflower Seeds

Broccoli salad has been a mainstay potluck recipe for me for many, many years now. I’ve made it time and again for potlucks, and am frequently asked for the recipe.

This creamy (and yes, loaded with crispy bacon!), sweet and tangy (in equal measures), Iowa tradition, think church suppers and graduation parties, salad is sure to please! Grab those two bunches of broccoli hiding in the back of your crisper, along with some salty sunflower seeds, raisins, green onions and bacon, and get started!

Now, here’s the key, you need to cut the broccoli a certain way.

Why This Broccoli Salad Works

This salad has two distinct textures – it’s creamy AND crunchy! Here’s the secret…In most broccoli salad recipes the broccoli is treated the same, but in this recipe it will be divided into two even piles.

Half of it will be processed in a food processor until it is very finely ground (think of the texture of coarse crumbs). This half of the broccoli will soak up the dressing and give it that creamy texture. It also acts like glue holding everything together (no running away dressing!).

The other half will be coarsely chopped into bite-size pieces (about the size of a blueberry) by hand and this will provide some much needed crunch to this salad.

What if you don’t divide the broccoli up and use one preparation style or the other? If you only use the larger pieces, the dressing will seep away into the bottom of the bowl and if you use all of the processed broccoli you’ll end up with a sad bowl of mushed up green gook.

Flavor balance is also critical in salads, balancing each competing flavor (salty, sweet, toasty, sharp, mild, etc…). This salad has salty bacon, sweet raisins, sharp vinegar, mild onion and toasty seeds. No one ingredient overwhelms the others.

The Ingredients, One at a Time

Now on to the ingredients… Every ingredient mentioned plays an important part in this salad recipe, and specific amounts can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post!

Broccoli

For this recipe I used 2 bunches of broccoli. When picking out broccoli look for dark green heads and make sure the buds are tightly closed. Skip any broccoli that starts to turn yellow, which can give it a bitter taste.

Another common problem with this salad is the mayonnaise-based dressing can get really soupy if you are using frozen broccoli which is starting to thaw.

Use the florets and also use some of the slim, branch like stems. I wouldn’t recommend using the larger trunk part as that part tends to be more woody (and hard to chop!). Personal tip: I use the woody trunk part in soups!

Bacon

3/4 pound bacon cooked and cooled, and crumbled. I know it’s not always practical but try and cook your bacon at home.

I prefer to bake mine in the oven this way I can lay the pieces out flat to ensure they’re cooked evenly (and crisp) all the way through. When you cook it in a skillet it can get really crisp in some areas but then stay a little too soft in others, as the bacon curls up in the skillet.

Pre cooked bacon that you buy at the store does not have the same crisp that bacon cooked at home does. Trust me it’s worth it!

Green Onions

In this recipe I’m using the white and green portion of 3 stems chopped. Green onion offers a milder bite in this salad, as it would be completely over powering if you used a regular yellow onion (raw).

Raisins

½ cup raisins (golden raisins will do just as well, if that’s what you have). Don’t be tempted to scale these down.

The chewy sweetness helps to balance out the saltiness of the bacon and the acidity of the dressing. Without some sort of dried fruit, the salad seems a bit one-note.

Sunflower Seeds

½ cup shelled, roasted and salted sunflower seeds. Roasted seeds have a nutty, toasty flavor and a satisfying crunch. Raw sunflower seeds are bland, and you’ll miss that salty pop.

If you can’t find shelled seeds near the baking supplies, try the nut or snack aisle.

Mayonnaise

½ cup mayonnaise. Use full fat. Lower fat mayo makes for a thinner dressing.

Don’t use Miracle Whip. It’s much sweeter than regular mayo, and the dressing has enough sugar already.

Sugar and White Vinegar

½ cup sugar and 2 tbsp. white vinegar complete the dressing. You could use apple cider vinegar instead, but white vinegar has a sharper taste and apple cider vinegar is a bit warmer. Choose whichever one you prefer.

Finally, you’ll need approximately 1 cup white vinegar to clean the broccoli. This is different from the vinegar used for the dressing.

How to Make Broccoli Salad

Prep: about 25 min. Cook: 20 min. Chill: at least 2 hrs.

Step 1: Bake the Bacon

Preheat the oven to 400°F, and cover a baking sheet with foil. Arrange the bacon slices on the baking sheet, without overlapping.

Bake the bacon in the preheated oven for 18 to 22 minutes (depending upon how thick-cut your bacon slices are), until browned and crispy. Transfer bacon to a paper-towel lined plate to drain, and set aside until completely cooled. Crumble bacon when ready to use.

Step 2: Wash the Broccoli

Meanwhile, wash broccoli, as there is usually a surprising amount of dirt hiding inside of those little florets! Add 1 cup of white vinegar to a large bowl filled with cold water. Place the broccoli into the bowl and soak it for 5 minutes.

Lift the broccoli up out of the water to keep the dirt in the bottom of the bowl. Rinse with cold water.

Step 3: Dry It Well

Drain well in a colander, and pat dry with paper towels or a clean dish towel (you could also put the broccoli in a salad spinner and give it a whirl, if it’s still really wet).

It’s important to dry the broccoli as best as you can – any excess water will water down the dressing.

Step 4: Cut and Split the Broccoli

Remove the florets (and thinner stem areas) of the broccoli from the thick center trunk(s). Divide the cut broccoli in half – you’ll prepare each half differently, to create two different textures.

Step 5: Process One Pile, Hand-Chop the Other

Place one half of the broccoli in a food processor. Pulse (in short bursts, not leaving the switch depressed) until the broccoli pieces are the consistency of coarse crumbs – be careful not to over-process, you don’t want broccoli mush!

With a sharp knife, roughly chop the remaining half of broccoli into small (think blueberry-sized) pieces.

Step 6: Add the Mix-Ins

In a large serving bowl, combine the food processed broccoli, hand chopped broccoli, crumbled bacon, green onions, raisins and sunflower seeds; toss together lightly.

Step 7: Whisk the Dressing

To prepare dressing, combine the mayonnaise, sugar and white vinegar in a separate small bowl; whisk together until well combined and sugar is mostly (may not be completely) dissolved.

Note that dressing will seem very thin and runny – it will thicken after sitting on the broccoli.

Step 8: Dress, Chill and Stir

Pour dressing over broccoli mixture and stir really well, making sure all the pieces are well coated with dressing. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or 4 hours if possible.

Stir again just before serving, as much of the dressing settles down during chilling time.

Tips for Getting It Right

The dressing should seem a bit too vinegary and sweet since broccoli tames it considerably. If the dressing seems just right, add another dash of vinegar.

The recipe may seem sweet (1/2 cup of sugar!), but trust me, without all that vinegar it’d be more dessert than salad! If the dressing doesn’t seem sharp enough, add a little more vinegar.

Make sure the bacon is completely cool before adding it because bacon’s residual cooking heat will melt the mayonnaise and make the salad greasy. Besides, food poisoning is no fun, and warm stuff + mayo dressing = food poisoning city.

Don’t overdo it with the food processor since if you puree it too much it’ll end up half mush. Stop pulsing it when it still looks chunky.

Let the salad sit for a few hours before serving. It won’t be as good right away because the broccoli will taste more raw and the dressing will seem sharper, but given some time, the broccoli softens a bit, the raisins plump up, and the flavors meld nicely.

Tools That Save Time

Unless you’re a knife-savvy ninja, it’ll take you about 15-20 mins to chop down two bunches of broccoli.

I use a food processor (which will do a bunch in about 30 seconds flat) and also a veggie chopper (which is slower than a FP, but quicker than a knife). Between the two, I was able to prep both of my batches in less than 5 mins.

Trust me – it’s also difficult to match the FP’s fine texture using a knife!

What to Serve with Broccoli Salad

It’s a cold side dish that can be used wherever you’d use a potato or pasta salad. It pairs well with burgers, brats, pulled pork, grilled or fried chicken and even holiday ham.

This dish works well for grilling season, graduation parties, church dinners and family reunions. The cool crunchiness is a nice counterpoint to any rich or smoky flavors from the grill.

Ways to Change It Up

• Cauliflower: You could use cauliflower instead of one of the two bunches of broccoli (use an equal amount of cauliflower). You’ll process some of it and chop some by hand just like you do the broccoli (half one way and half the other). The results will be a little different because of the color, much milder flavor, and it will soak up the dressing a little differently.
• Bagged broccoli slaw: You could use this instead of the florets. It has a different texture (a little more fibrous) and the flavor isn’t as distinctly “broccoli” in my opinion.
• Sugar: You could go as low as 1/3 cup if you prefer a less sweet (meaning more tangy) broccoli salad, although I think it needs all 1/2 cup. It’s pretty classic potluck broccoli salad that way!
• Greek yogurt: You can sub Greek yogurt for some of the mayo, and I’d say no more than half though or the dressing will be too thin and the flavor a bit too yogurt-y. Use regular plain full fat greek yogurt.
• Vegan mayo: You could sub but I find vegan mayos to be either really lacking in flavor or to have a bit of an after taste which I notice more in something like this salad that is all fresh/raw ingredients.
• Dried cranberries: You can sub dried cranberries for the raisins if you prefer. Cranberries are a little tarter, and my family is not a huge cranberry fan so raisins it is for us in this recipe!
• Pepitas: These can sub for the sunflower seeds. A little milder in flavor and softer.
• Cheese: This is a pretty popular addition. Usually sharp cheddar either shredded or diced into teeny tiny pieces. You could go with a feta (crumbled) if you wanted to take it in a more savory and less creamy direction. I wouldn’t go with a really soft cheese since it will melt into the mayo dressing and get kind of gross/greasy.

Make Ahead, Storage and Leftovers

Can be made the night before, and many people prefer it that way. The texture is best within about a day.

For parties/cookouts etc where you’ll be eating it as soon as you get there, I would keep the sunflower seeds in a separate bag and mix them in when you get ready to serve because they won’t be crunchy after a couple of hours in the dressing.

Dressing can be made ahead of time, keep in fridge, stir before using.

Since this is a mayonnaise salad, it shouldn’t sit out at the party for 2 hours or more. If it sat out for 2 hours or more throw away.

Leftover salad should keep 3 to 4 days in refrigerator, in an airtight container. The longer you keep the salad the softer the broccoli will get and the seeds won’t be as crisp, and raisins will be very plump.

Freezer: Do not freeze this recipe. Mayonnaise will separate and the broccoli will get mushy.

Broccoli Salad FAQ

Can I use frozen broccoli?

No, this recipe needs to be made with fresh broccoli. As frozen broccoli thaws it will release liquid and will make the salad soupy. The dressing will be very diluted as well.

Can this recipe be made ahead of time?

This recipe is best within 24 hours. It is ok to make this recipe the night before but if making further ahead hold the addition of the sunflower seeds and add just before serving. Adding ahead of time will lose the crunch.

Can raisins be substituted with something else?

You do need some type of dried fruit otherwise the broccoli salad will taste a little flat. Dried cranberries would probably be the easiest switch.

Why is my broccoli salad soupy/watery?

This can happen for two reasons. Using frozen broccoli (see answer above), or not draining well enough after rinsing. Be sure broccoli is very dry before chopping. Use a salad spinner or dry with a towel if need be.

Can I use raw sunflower seeds?

You can but I prefer the roasted and salted sunflower seeds. The raw just don’t have the same flavor or crunch. I highly recommend going with the roasted/salted, already shelled.

My picky eater does not like eating broccoli. Ideas?

Try pulsing the broccoli in a food processor until the pieces are really small. That way it will combine with the other ingredients (bacon, raisins, sunflower seeds) and won’t be as noticeable.