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Broccoli, Bacon and Cheese Salad Recipe – Ready in Minutes

Broccoli, bacon and cheese salad is one of the few salads I'd occasionally pick up at the deli, but it's amazing how much better it tastes when you make it at home with really fresh ingredients. I served some of this up for my extended family at Easter, and my brother said it was so good he wanted to eat the whole batch.

broccoli bacon and cheese salad in white bowl

With a simple dish like broccoli salad, ingredient quality is key. Make sure your broccoli is fresh and crisp. We like our bacon responsibly raised and naturally cured. If you have “crispy style” soaked and dehydrated sunflower seeds (like these walnuts), they enhance the flavor. Homemade mayo works great if you have it available.

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Broccoli, Bacon and Cheese Salad Recipe

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5 from 1 review

This homemade broccoli, bacon and cheese salad recipe with sunflower seeds tastes so much better than the deli. It's a quick and easy summertime recipe.

  • Author: Laurie Neverman
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 9 servings 1x
  • Category: salad
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 34 cups broccoli florets
  • 2 ounces (1/2 cup) shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped red or sweet onion
  • 8 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled
  • 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons sugar or honey
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine broccoli, cheese, onion, bacon and sunflower seeds. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sugar (or honey), lemon juice and vinegar.

Pour dressing over salad ingredients. Toss to coat. Chill before serving.

Makes 9 (1/2 cup) servings.

Notes

If you like things a little sweeter, throw in some dried cranberries or cherries and use less lemon.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/2 cup

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More Made from Scratch Recipes

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broccoli bacon and cheese salad

Originally posted in 2012, last updated in 2019.

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13 Comments

  1. Some people use cream cheese in place of mayo. And I add a bit of mustard. Been serving this recipe for 30 years never had 1 person say they didn’t like it.

  2. I use to work at a giant eagle deli and prep foods section…. and that broccoli salad is amazing. So excited to try this recipe yayyy thank you!!!

  3. Thats quite a nice recipe, i dont lie broccoli , because i prefer fresh cabbage much more, but still great salad.






  4. This is one of the BEST salads ever. It would even make George H. W. Bush reconsider.

    My mother-in-law makes it and I think she won me over with it. I’m going to match this up with her recipe and compare! Thanks for sharing with the world.

    More people will embrace broccoli with this salad. I’m sure of it! 🙂