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Amish Broccoli Salad is a classic side dish recipe with fresh broccoli, bacon, cheese, sunflower seeds, and dried cranberries tossed in a creamy, tangy, and sweet dressing. This salad is full of creamy flavor, crunch, and texture.
Amish Broccoli Salad Recipe
Amish broccoli salad is a delicious salad recipe with fresh broccoli florets, bacon, cheese, sunflower seeds, and dried cranberries tossed in a creamy sweet dressing.
The crunchy vegetables pair perfectly with the flavors of the savory bacon, salty sunflower seeds, and the tangy flavors of the sweeter dressing.
I think this is the perfect side dish because it’s so versatile! It makes for the perfect summer side dish for summer cookouts and picnics, it’s easy to transport to a potluck or family gatherings, and it’s ‘fancy’ enough for a holiday dinner like Thanksgiving, or as a side dish for family dinners during the week.
I just love ‘amish’ recipes because they are usually very simple, but crazy delicious, versions of a recipe that taste like moms home cooking. Like there is not much to this salad, but oh boy, the taste and textures of it are incredible.
Ingredients Needed
Broccoli Salad Ingredients
- Fresh Broccoli Florets : You need 6 cups of chopped broccoli florets, which is about 2 heads of broccoli from the grocery store.
- Finely Diced Red Onion
- Crumbled Cooked Crispy Bacon : It’s best to cook bacon slices (about 6-7 of them) your preferred way and then chop it up. You could use bacon bits if you’re in a hurry, but fresh bacon slices that have been cooked until crispy will have the best flavor.
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- Sunflower Seeds
- Dried Cranberries
Creamy Dressing Ingredients
- Mayonnaise : For the best thick and creamy texture and flavor, I recommend using full fat mayonnaise in this recipe.
- Sour Cream
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Granulated Sugar
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
How To Make Creamy Broccoli Salad (Printable Recipe Card)
In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped broccoli florets, diced red onion, crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, sunflower seeds, and dried cranberries.
In a smaller separate mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper until smooth and well combined.
Pour the dressing over the broccoli salad mixture and stir gently until all the ingredients are evenly coated in the creamy dressing.
Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 6 hours, to allow the flavors to blend and the broccoli to soften slightly.
Before serving, give the salad a quick stir to redistribute the dressing, taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve & enjoy!
How To Store Leftover Classic Broccoli Salad
The salad should be noted in an airtight container, in the refrigerator, for up to 3-4 days. The broccoli, bacon, and sunflower seeds will soften and lose some of their texture the longer it sits in the fridge, but leftovers are still fabulous and the flavors I think get better and better.
Amish broccoli salad is best served chilled from the fridge.
Substitutions & Ingredient Notes
- Broccoli : You can also use a mix of fresh broccoli + fresh cauliflower florets for added color and texture. Still use 6 cups total, but instead of all broccoli use half and half.
- Bacon : Turkey bacon, diced ham, or even chopped prosciutto can al be used in place of regular bacon. You could also use bacon bits if you are in a hurry or just don’t have fresh bacon slices available.
- Cheddar Cheese : Mild, medium, or sharp cheddar cheese can all be used. You could also use Pepper Jack, Monterey Jack, Swiss, or Colby Jack cheese.
- Sunflower Seeds : Use chopped toasted almonds, pecans, or pumpkin seeds for a different nutty flavor.
- Dried Cranberries : Swap with raisins, golden raisins, dried cherries, or diced fresh apples for a different sweetness.
- Mayo & Sour Cream : For the best texture and rich & creamy taste, I recommend using full-fat mayonnaise and sour cream. However, if you prefer a lighter dressing use plain Greek yogurt in place of some or all of the mayo + sour cream. The final taste of the salad will be different of you use Greek yogurt. You can also try using lite mayonnaise, olive oil mayo, or avocado oil mayo.
Recipe FAQs
Can I Make This Delicious Side Salad Ahead of Time?
Yes, this salad is perfect for making ahead! Assemble the salad components and toss with the dressing up to 4-6 hours before serving. This allows time for the flavors to blend and the broccoli to slightly soften. Be sure to give the salad a quick toss before serving to redistribute the dressing. I prefer the taste and texture of this salad after it has chilled for a few hours.
Could I Use Frozen Broccoli Instead of Fresh?
Using fresh broccoli is recommended. I don’t suggest using frozen broccoli as the flavor will be different and the texture will be softer, less crisp, and mushier.
Is Amish Broccoli Salad Gluten-Free?
Yes, this amish broccoli salad is naturally gluten-free as long as you ensure that all the individual ingredients are (mainly the bacon and sunflower seeds) and not processed in a facility that handles wheat products.
Can I Use A Different Type of Cheese?
Cheddar cheese is the classic choice for this salad, but you can experiment with other types of cheese. Pepper Jack will add slight spice to the salad, or other options are Monterey Jack, White Cheddar, Colby Jack, Swiss, or you could even use crumbled feta cheese or bleu cheese for a different flavor profile. I also recommend shredding your own cheese from a block of cheese, rather than using pre shredded cheese from the store.
Any Tips For Cutting Broccoli Florets?
For the salad, with the best texture, make sure to cut the heads of broccoli into bite-size pieces. I avoid the thicker stem parts and just chop right at the base of the floret (or ‘the tree’ is what my kids call it). This way, you end up with smaller chopped pieces of just the broccoli florets and not big pieces of the stems.
More Broccoli Recipes
- Baked Cheesy Broccoli (With Boursin Cheese)
- Broccoli Cheese Soup with Velveeta Cheese
- One Pot Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice
- Mozzarella Bacon Broccoli Salad
- Bacon Mandarin Broccoli Salad
- Creamy Broccoli Chicken Divan Casserole
- Creamy Broccoli Casserole Recipe (Buttery Cracker Topping)
- Crock Pot Beef and Broccoli
Amish Broccoli Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
Broccoli Salad
- 6 cups chopped fresh broccoli florets (about 2 large broccoli heads)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup finely diced red onion
- 1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon (about 6-7 bacon slices, cooked)
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
Creamy Dressing
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped broccoli florets, shredded cheddar cheese, diced red onion, crumbled bacon, sunflower seeds, and dried cranberries.6 cups chopped fresh broccoli florets, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup finely diced red onion, 1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon, 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- In a separate small mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper until smooth and well combined.3/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Pour the dressing over the broccoli salad mixture and stir gently until all the ingredients are evenly coated in the creamy dressing.
- Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 6 hours, to allow the flavors to blend and the broccoli to soften slightly.*I prefer the taste and texture of the salad after it has refrigerated for a longer time, about 4-6 hours.
- Before serving, give the salad a quick stir to redistribute the dressing, taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve & enjoy!
Notes
- Broccoli : You can also use a mix of fresh broccoli + fresh cauliflower florets for added color and texture. Still use 6 cups total, but instead of all broccoli use half and half. I recommend only chopping the leafy green broccoli parts (the tree part) and not the thick stems. You just want the green broccoli floret trees in the salad. Chop them into small bite-sized pieces.
- Bacon : Turkey bacon, diced ham, or even chopped prosciutto can al be used in place of regular bacon. You could also use bacon bits if you are in a hurry or just don’t have fresh bacon slices available. I like to use the Costco Kirkland Signature bacon slices that cook in the microwave, but you can also cook bacon slices your preferred way (skillet pan, oven, air fryer, etc).
- Cheddar Cheese : Mild, medium, or sharp cheddar cheese can all be used. You could also use Pepper Jack, Monterey Jack, Swiss, or Colby Jack cheese.
- Sunflower Seeds : Use chopped toasted almonds, pecans, or pumpkin seeds for a different nutty flavor.
- Dried Cranberries : Swap with raisins, golden raisins, dried cherries, or diced fresh apples for a different sweetness.
- Mayo & Sour Cream : For the best texture and rich & creamy taste, I recommend using full-fat mayonnaise and sour cream. However, if you prefer a lighter dressing use plain Greek yogurt in place of some or all of the mayo + sour cream. The final taste of the salad will be different of you use Greek yogurt. You can also try using lite mayonnaise, olive oil mayo, or avocado oil mayo.
Nutrition
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