Southern Broccoli Salad

By Kay Chun

Published June 27, 2022

Southern Broccoli Salad
Chris Simpson for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Frances Boswell.
Total Time
15 minutes
Rating
4(570)
Comments
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A classic sweet and savory Southern broccoli salad combines raw (or barely cooked) broccoli with sweet dried fruit (typically raisins or cranberries), crunchy sunflower seeds and savory Cheddar in a creamy, tangy mayonnaise dressing. Briefly blanching the broccoli in boiling water ensures bright green veggies with a crisp-tender texture. The salad gets better with time, so make it a few hours ahead and refrigerate it. (Reserve the crispy bacon and sprinkle it on top right before serving.) And, if your tastes skew sweet, further increase the sugar by another tablespoon.

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Ingredients

Yield:8 to 10 servings
  • Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and pepper
  • 8ounces bacon (any type)
  • 10cups (1½ pounds) 1- to 1½-inch broccoli florets
  • 1cup mayonnaise
  • ¼cup finely chopped red onion
  • 2tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1cup coarsely grated Cheddar
  • ½cup golden raisins
  • ½cup roasted, salted sunflower seeds
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)

386 calories; 34 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 10 grams monounsaturated fat; 14 grams polyunsaturated fat; 13 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 10 grams protein; 795 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil.

  2. Step 2

    Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium. Add bacon and cook, turning occasionally, until golden and crispy, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain; discard bacon fat or reserve for another use. Chop the bacon into bite-size pieces.

  3. Step 3

    Meanwhile, add broccoli to boiling water and cook until bright green, 1 minute. Rinse under cold water until cool (or transfer to an ice bath). Drain broccoli well and pat dry.

  4. Step 4

    In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, onion, vinegar and sugar and mix well. Add the broccoli, cheese, raisins and sunflower seeds. Season with salt and pepper, and toss until well combined. (If time allows, refrigerate for 30 minutes to 3 hours to allow flavors to meld, stirring occasionally.)

  5. Step 5

    Transfer broccoli salad to a serving bowl or platter. Top with bacon. Salad can be served immediately, or refrigerated and served chilled.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
570 user ratings
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Comments

petals356

We make a version of this at the hotel I’ve been working for,however we soak the cranberries in Earl Grey black tea for about 10 minutes before draining well and adding…personally I don’t like EG but this gives it a lovely fresh taste!

cook.bot

This recipe is pretty much exactly how broccoli salad gets made in my region of the Carolinas, except I personally prefer pepita (pumpkin) seeds to the sunflowers, and also think the salad's texture is better served with cheddar that's cut in tiny cubes rather than shredded.

Tracy

Yum. For anyone wondering about the amount of Mayo, I only used 2 heaping tablespoons and found it to be more than enough. Delicious.

Melcarr

This was good, but there was way too much bacon. I will do it again but only use about three slices of bacon. It was overwhelming

Kate

Made this today. It may have been my mistake but the dressing was a bit thin.

Kristin

Made as written and it was very good. Next time, I would try skipping par-boiling the broccoli and see how I liked it. I would also increase sugar to 3tbsp and vinegar to 4tbsp. Might reduce the mayo just a touch. I think the increase in vinegar will help tame the red onion a little more, as well as having it better suited to our taste.

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