This easy recipe for creamy broccoli salad with cheese and bacon has quickly become one of our family’s absolute favorite salads! It combines the healthy crunch of raw broccoli with a burst of amazing savory, sweet, and tangy flavors from carefully selected ingredients.

I can tell you one thing for sure: this creamy broccoli salad doesn’t last long in our house! Every time I make it, the bowl is empty in no time. We genuinely believe it’s the best broccoli salad recipe you’ll ever try, and I have no doubt that your family and friends will adore it just as much as ours does. It’s a fantastic addition to any menu, providing a fresh, flavorful, and satisfying crunch.

Why This Creamy Broccoli Salad Will Be Your New Favorite

Beyond its incredible taste and delightful textures, there are so many practical reasons why this easy broccoli salad recipe deserves a spot in your culinary repertoire:

1. Effortlessly Make-Ahead Friendly: One of the biggest advantages of this creamy broccoli salad is that it can be prepared well in advance. Whether you’re bringing it to your next potluck gathering, a vibrant summer party, or a special holiday dinner, you can rest assured it will remain perfectly crisp and incredibly flavorful, even when made the day before. This feature takes the stress out of last-minute meal prep.
2. The Ultimate Versatile Side Dish: This isn’t just a basic salad; it’s a complementary superstar! I personally love serving this easy broccoli salad recipe alongside hearty steaks, delicious homemade pizzas, or traditional roast chicken dinners. It also pairs wonderfully with grilled fish, pulled pork sandwiches, or any barbecue fare, cutting through richer flavors with its freshness.
3. Made with Simple, Accessible Ingredients: You won’t need to hunt for obscure specialty items. Every ingredient required for this delightful salad can be easily found at your local grocery store. We focus on fresh, high-quality components that come together to create an extraordinary taste without any fuss.
4. Perfect for Any Season, Year-Round: This fresh broccoli salad truly shines regardless of the calendar. Whether you’re seeking a refreshing, vibrant addition to your summer BBQ spread or a hearty, satisfying vegetable side dish for a Thanksgiving feast, this recipe fits the bill perfectly. Its robust flavors and textures are welcome at any table, any time.
5. Healthy & Wholesome (with options!): Packed with nutrient-rich raw broccoli, this salad offers a healthy base. Plus, with our suggested substitutions, it’s incredibly adaptable to various dietary needs, including low carb, keto, dairy-free, and gluten-free diets, making it accessible to almost everyone.

Note for Special Diets: Customize Your Broccoli Salad!

It’s incredibly easy to adapt this versatile recipe to fit various dietary needs, including making it keto, low carb, dairy-free, and/or gluten-free. Explore the “Substitutions” section further down for more detailed guidance on how to tailor this delicious salad to your preferences.

Essential Ingredients for the Best Broccoli Salad

Crafting the perfect creamy broccoli salad starts with selecting the right ingredients. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need and some tips for choosing them:

• Broccoli: The star of our salad! You’ll need approximately 7-8 cups of fresh broccoli florets, which usually translates to about 2 large bunches of broccoli. For the best texture, ensure your florets are bite-sized. Don’t be afraid to chop larger ones into smaller pieces. A fantastic shortcut is to purchase pre-bagged fresh broccoli florets, which saves a lot of prep time. When choosing fresh broccoli, look for firm, dark green heads with tightly closed florets.
• Cheese: We highly recommend using a nice, sharp cheddar cheese. Its robust, tangy flavor provides a wonderful contrast to the sweetness of the cranberries and pairs absolutely perfectly with the savory bacon. While pre-shredded cheese is convenient, shredding your own from a block often yields a creamier texture and better melt (though for a cold salad, either works well!).
• Bacon: Crispy, salty bacon bits are a non-negotiable component of a truly great broccoli salad. You’ll need about ½ cup of cooked bacon pieces, which typically comes from 4-6 slices of bacon. For the ideal texture and size, I highly recommend checking out my detailed recipe for homemade bacon bits, which guides you on how to achieve perfectly crispy, flavorful pieces every time.
• Dried Cranberries: These little gems are crucial for adding a burst of both sweetness and tartness to the salad. They create a fantastic balance of flavors that elevates the entire dish. If cranberries aren’t your preference, golden or dark raisins make an excellent substitute, offering a similar sweet-tart profile.
• Sunflower Seeds: For that essential satisfying crunch! Sunflower seeds add a wonderful textural element and a subtle nutty flavor. I’ve also tested this recipe with pumpkin seeds, which were indeed tasty, but our testers overwhelmingly preferred the classic flavor and crunch of sunflower seeds. For an extra layer of flavor, you can lightly toast them before adding them to the salad.

Crafting the Creamy Dressing: The Heart of the Salad

The dressing is what brings all the amazing ingredients together in this classic broccoli salad. It’s creamy, tangy, and subtly sweet, making every bite irresistible.

• Mayonnaise: For the richest flavor and creamiest texture, real, full-fat mayonnaise is highly recommended. Brands like Duke’s or Hellmann’s (Best Foods on the West Coast) are excellent choices that provide that quintessential creamy base. You can opt for a light mayonnaise, but adjust seasoning and sweetness as needed.
• Sour Cream: This adds a lovely tang and extra creaminess to the dressing, complementing the mayonnaise beautifully. I always recommend using a thick, good-quality brand such as Daisy or Good Culture (or Gay Lea Gold in Canada) for the best results. Full-fat sour cream provides the richest texture. Greek yogurt can also be used for a lighter, tangier alternative.
• Sugar: A touch of regular white granulated sugar is essential to balance the acidity from the vinegar and the savory elements of the bacon and cheese. It dissolves perfectly into the dressing, creating a harmonious sweet-tangy profile. If you’re looking for a low-carb or sugar-free option, you can easily swap it for a granulated low-carb sweetener of your choice that measures 1:1 with sugar.
• Cider Vinegar: This vinegar is chosen for its mild, fruity flavor and perfect level of acidity, which brightens up the entire dressing without being overpowering. It cuts through the richness of the mayonnaise and sour cream beautifully, adding that signature tang to our broccoli salad dressing.

Storing Your Delicious Broccoli Salad Leftovers

Proper storage is key to enjoying your creamy broccoli salad for days. If you have any leftovers (which is rare with this recipe!), simply transfer them to an airtight container or cover the serving bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Store the salad in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Before serving, give it a good stir to redistribute the dressing and ingredients, ensuring every spoonful is as fresh and flavorful as the first.

Expert Tips for Making Broccoli Salad Ahead of Time

Broccoli salad is famously a potluck favorite precisely because it can be easily prepared the night or day before. To ensure you get the absolute best results when making this creamy broccoli salad ahead of time, keep these essential tips in mind:

• Optimal Timing (Within 24 Hours): If your goal is to prepare this creamy broccoli salad in advance, I strongly recommend assembling it within a 24-hour timeframe before you plan to serve it. While it can last longer, making it more than one day before serving might cause the broccoli to lose some of its desirable crisp texture, and the bacon can become less firm.
• Add Cheese and Bacon Last for Best Texture: The longer the salad rests in the dressing, the softer the bacon and shredded cheese will become. For the ultimate texture — crispy bacon and distinct cheese— I highly recommend waiting to add these particular ingredients until you’re closer to the serving time, ideally within an hour or two. You can prep them beforehand and store them separately.
• Assemble Just Before Serving for Peak Freshness: For the absolute freshest and crispest broccoli salad experience, consider preparing the creamy dressing and all the mix-ins (bacon, cheese, cranberries, sunflower seeds) and keeping them separate in airtight containers. Then, combine everything together just about 1-2 hours before you plan to serve. This method ensures maximum crunch and vibrant flavors.
• Blanching Broccoli (Optional): For those who prefer a slightly less “raw” texture, you can very briefly blanch the broccoli florets in boiling water for about 30 seconds, then immediately plunge them into an ice bath. This will slightly soften them while retaining their vibrant green color, but be careful not to overcook!

Delicious Variations to Customize Your Broccoli Salad

While the classic creamy broccoli salad with bacon and cheddar is fantastic on its own, it’s also wonderfully adaptable! Feel free to experiment with these variations to suit your taste or create new flavor profiles:

• With Red Onion: Many people enjoy the pungent kick of red onion in their broccoli salad. If you wish to add some, start with ½ of a small red onion, very finely chopped. For a milder flavor, soak the chopped red onion in ice water (or very cold water) for about 10-15 minutes, then drain thoroughly before adding. This helps to reduce its sharp bite.
• With Cauliflower: To add more vegetable variety and a slightly different texture, substitute one bunch of broccoli (or about half of the total florets) for a small head of cauliflower, creating a delightful mix of broccoli and cauliflower salad. Prepare the cauliflower florets in the same bite-sized manner as the broccoli.
• With Goat Cheese: For a sophisticated twist, swap out the sharp cheddar cheese for creamy, tangy goat cheese. When using goat cheese, consider substituting the granulated sugar in the dressing for 2-3 tablespoons of maple syrup or honey, which pairs beautifully with the goat cheese’s distinct flavor.
• Add Other Nuts or Seeds: Instead of or in addition to sunflower seeds, try toasted pecans, walnuts, slivered almonds, or even roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas) for different crunchy elements and nutty flavors.
• Spice It Up: For a touch of heat, finely mince a small amount of jalapeño or a pinch of red pepper flakes into the dressing. Start with a tiny amount and add more to taste.
• Fresh Herbs: Elevate the freshness by stirring in a tablespoon or two of finely chopped fresh dill, parsley, or chives just before serving. These herbs add a bright, aromatic quality.
• Sweetness Factor: Adjust the sweetness to your liking. Besides dried cranberries, consider adding chopped apples (Granny Smith for tartness, Fuji for sweetness) or even a small amount of canned mandarin oranges (drained well) for a fruity burst.
• Add Other Vegetables: Finely shredded carrots, diced bell peppers (red or yellow for color), or even thinly sliced celery can add extra crunch, color, and nutrients to your salad.

Clever Shortcuts for a Quicker Broccoli Salad

Life can get busy, and sometimes you need to get a delicious meal on the table fast. Here are some smart shortcuts that allow you to enjoy this creamy broccoli salad with minimal effort without sacrificing too much flavor or quality:

• Cheese Convenience: While freshly shredded cheese often has a superior texture and flavor, you can absolutely use a pre-shredded cheddar cheese from the grocery store for ultimate ease and convenience. Just be aware it might not be quite as creamy as freshly shredded.
• Bacon in a Pinch: To save time on cooking bacon, opt for packaged, pre-cooked bacon bits or crumbled bacon. Ensure you choose a high-quality brand for the best flavor. While freshly cooked bacon is highly recommended, this is a great alternative when time is of the essence.
• Pre-Cut Broccoli: Skip the chopping entirely by purchasing a large bag of pre-cut fresh broccoli florets from the produce section. Many grocery stores offer these, and they are usually perfectly sized for this salad, significantly cutting down on prep time.

Dietary Adaptations & Ingredient Substitutions

This creamy broccoli salad is incredibly versatile and can be easily adjusted to accommodate various dietary preferences and needs:

• Vinegar Alternatives: The recipe calls for cider vinegar due to its mild and slightly fruity flavor. However, you have several excellent substitutes. Apple cider vinegar can be used for a similar, but slightly stronger, flavor profile. White wine vinegar or red wine vinegar are also good options, each adding its own subtle nuance to the dressing.
• Keto & Low Carb Broccoli Salad: To make this delicious salad suitable for a keto or low-carb diet, there are two key adjustments. First, substitute the granulated sugar in the dressing for a sugar-free sweetener of your choice that measures 1:1 with sugar (e.g., erythritol or monk fruit blend). Second, omit the dried cranberries entirely, or use a very small amount, as they are high in natural sugars. You can also replace them with a few finely chopped pecans or walnuts for crunch.
• Dairy-Free Broccoli Salad: For a dairy-free version, simply substitute the sour cream with your favorite dairy-free sour cream alternative or a plain, unsweetened dairy-free yogurt (such as almond or coconut-based). Additionally, use dairy-free shredded cheese in place of the cheddar cheese. Ensure your mayonnaise is also dairy-free if that’s a concern.
• Gluten-Free Broccoli Salad: The beauty of this recipe is that, as written, it is completely gluten-free! All the core ingredients—fresh broccoli, mayonnaise, sour cream, sugar, cider vinegar, bacon, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, and cheddar cheese—are naturally gluten-free. Ingredients like sunflower seeds are generally low risk for gluten cross-contamination, but if you have a severe allergy (celiac disease), always check the labels for a “may contains” statement. As long as it is prepared in a separate and clean workspace from other foods that contain gluten, it should be perfectly safe for celiacs.
• Nut-Free Option: If you need a nut-free salad, sunflower seeds are a great choice as they are not tree nuts. Always double-check ingredient labels to ensure no cross-contamination warnings are present for severe allergies.