This easy Broccoli Salad with Bacon is a favorite potluck or cookout side! It’s creamy and crunchy with a sweet bite

It’s done in 15 minutes and everyone will be begging you for the recipe!
Looking for more potluck ideas? Try this Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad or these Best Baked Beans! 


My Favorite Broccoli Salad Recipe
Crunchy and creamy. Sweet and savory. These are the flavor combos that really get me going. Give me a big ole bowl of anything creamy and crunchy or sweet and savory and imma gobble up the whole thing!

I love, love, love, the sweet and tart flavor of dried cranberries combined with the salty crisp bacon. And don’t even get me started with the creamy dressing combined with the crunchy chopped pecans.

This Easy Broccoli Salad with Bacon has everything your taste buds want, it’s crunchy and creamy, sweet and savory. And, it’s done in no time at all. If you’re using pre-cooked bacon, it will take you less than 5 minutes. If you’re making your bacon for this dish, you’re still only looking at 15 minutes. Like is said – easy. And perfect for your next potluck or cookout!
Recipe Ingredients
This Easy Broccoli Salad with Bacon recipe has some of my favorite ingredients in it, like broccoli, bacon, and dried cranberries.



Here’s what you’ll need to make this broccoli salad:
broccoli orange bell pepper bacon dried cranberries pecans red onion mayonnaise sugar red wine vinegar ground coriander seed How to Make Crispy Bacon
The key to this recipe is crispy, not soggy, bacon. I find that I get the crispiest bacon by cooking it in the oven – not in a skillet on the stove top.

I put my slices of bacon on a wire rack that is placed on top of a parchment lined baking sheet. This gets my bacon nice and crispy on both sides and allows the bacon fat to drain off of the bacon slices. 


It’s so easy, there’s no need to flip the bacon and it comes out perfectly crispy which is what we really want for this Broccoli Salad! You can find full instructions here on how to cook bacon in the oven! 



How to Make Broccoli Salad
1. Toss: In a large bowl toss together the broccoli florets, chopped bacon, cranberries, pecans, and onion.

2. Whisk: In a small bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar and coriander seed.

3. Dress and Serve: Pour the dressing over the broccoli mixture and toss to coat. Serve.


Tips for the Best Broccoli Salad
I know this is the best broccoli salad recipe you’ll find. Follow these tips and you’ll have the perfect side dish:
Use raw, not blanched broccoli. Many broccoli salad recipes will have you blanch your broccoli but that’s not my style. I like my broccoli to be crisp. You can opt to blanch your broccoli but it’s definitely not necessary. Try to chop evenly. You’ll want your broccoli pieces close in size. Try not to have super tiny pieces of broccoli or crazy big ones, either. Let your broccoli salad sit. The longer this salad sits, the more the flavors will meld together for complete perfection. The broccoli will begin to absorb the dressing and it will create a really nice crispy but a bit tender texture. Just don’t let it sit on the counter top. Cover it with plastic and let it hang out in the fridge for a few hours before serving. Reserve some dressing. For ultra creamy broccoli salad, reserve a bit of the dressing to toss with it right before serving (this is especially important if you refrigerate your broccoli salad for a few hours before serving). Always use REAL chopped bacon. Don’t waste your time with bacon bits. They just won’t do in this broccoli salad. The real deal is definitely a must!

How to Store Broccoli Salad
This is a great make ahead dish! It tastes even better if it’s left to sit for a bit, the broccoli absorbs the dressing and the flavors of the add-ins meld together. Since the dressing contains mayo, it’s important to refrigerate this broccoli salad until you’re ready to serve. It will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
More great potluck ideas! 
Looking for a few more delicious potluck ideas, try some of these reader favorite recipes:
Tuna Pasta Salad Best Banana Pudding Ambrosia Salad Ranch Veggie Bars Baked Mustard, Ham & Cheese Sliders


I’m excited for you to try this recipe for my favorite Broccoli Salad recipe! It’s a family favorite of ours that I make a ton during the Summer. Everyone always begs for the recipe and now I’m finally sharing it with you too! Prepare to fall in love, no one can just have one serving of this particular Broccoli Salad recipe! 
Easy Broccoli Salad with Bacon Yield: 6 Prep Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 15 minutes
This easy Broccoli Salad with Bacon is a favorite side dish! It’s creamy & crunchy with a sweet bite. It’s done in 15 min and everyone will want the recipe!
Print Ingredients 1 large bunch of broccoli, cut into bite size florets 10 slices bacon, cooked and chopped 1/2 cup diced orange bell pepper, optional 1/2 cup dried cranberries 3/4 cup pecans, chopped 1/4 cup red onion, diced 1/2 cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed Instructions In a large bowl toss together the broccoli florets, chopped bacon, orange bell pepper, cranberries, pecans, and onion. In a small bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar and coriander seed. Pour the dressing over the broccoli mixture and toss to coat. This is a great make ahead dish as it tastes even better if it’s left to sit for a bit. Just refrigerate until ready to serve. It will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Nutrition Information: Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 383Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 24gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 460mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 4gSugar: 16gProtein: 9g © Jessica - The Novice Chef Cuisine: American / Category: Salads
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