Our Broccoli Salad with bacon recipe is the perfect summer picnic dish (also great for potlucks)! Not only is it incredibly easy to make, but it’s crunchy, salty, sweet, creamy, and slightly tart – a real treat for your tastebuds!

I also love this recipe because it holds well for several days and the longer it sits, the more the dressing infuses into the broccoli florets! Yum!

How to Make Our Broccoli Salad with Bacon

Process

Broccoli salad ingredients on a kitchen table.

DRESSING

Place all dressing ingredients into a small mixing bowl.
Whisk Together.

Broccoli salad dressing ingredients mixed in a bowl with a whisk.

SALAD ASSEMBLY

Place broccoli pieces into a large bowl and top with dressing.
Fold together until fully combined.

Broccoli in a bowl with dressing to make broccoli salad.

Broccoli salad mixed with dressing in a bowl.

Add remaining ingredients.
Fold together until completely combined. Adjust seasonings as needed. Place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Give salad a good toss before serving.

Broccoli salad ingredients in a bowl with a spoon.

Close up on a broccoli salad recipe in a bowl.

Tips and Tricks for Broccoli Salad Success

Our easy broccoli salad recipe is truly very simple, but there are a few things we recommend to ensure you have the best broccoli salad with bacon ever!

Cut the broccoli into small, bite sized pieces. It makes all the difference in the world. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve gotten broccoli salad at the market and the florets are kept whole and huge! If the pieces are too big it makes it very difficult to eat and way less enjoyable.
Don’t be afraid to use the stalks, they’re delicious! Broccoli stalks are just as nutritious as broccoli florets and provide a really great crunch to the overall salad.
If making the broccoli salad recipe over 1 day in advance, don’t add the cashews until just before serving. This will ensure the cashews don’t get soggy from the dressing and keep their great, crunchy texture!
Don’t skip out on the Zante currants! They provide tiny bursts of tart flavor to our broccoli salad recipe which compliments the creamy dressing so well!

A broccoli salad recipe in a bowl with a spoon.

Variations for Our Broccoli Salad Recipe

We love how simple this salad is and all the different flavors going on in it, but every now and then we like to switch it up. Our favorite variations and substitutions are:

Swap the cashews out for sunflower seeds or sliced almonds! The flavor of sunflower seeds are also really delicious when used in our recipe. I also like the smaller crunchy bits distributed throughout the salad.
Use plain Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise for a healthier dressing alternative. You still get a deliciously creamy dressing, but it’s just a little better for you.
Add some diced red onion! The red onion provides a slightly sweet and acidic flavor that also goes really well with the broccoli and bacon.
Replace the Zante currants with raisins or dried cranberries. I know I just mentioned above not to skip out on the dried currants, but if you’re unable to find them or they’re too tart for your palate raisins and dried cranberries (which are still a bit tart) are a great alternative!
Omit the bacon for a vegetarian friendly option; or replace it with a vegan “bacon”.

Make Ahead Instructions

Our broccoli salad with bacon can be made up to 3 days ahead of time. Store the broccoli salad in an airtight container until ready to use. Toss salad together a couple times before serving.

If making the salad more than a day ahead of time, hold off on adding the cashews until you’re ready to serve it. This will prevent the cashews from getting soggy.