This broccoli salad is fully loaded and ready to add a ton of flavor to your next potluck or BBQ. Crunchy broccoli florets are mixed with sweet craisins, smoky bacon, crunchy pecans, and more. Then, it’s all mixed with Chick-fil-A lime ranch dressing. It’s crunchy, creamy, and oh-so-good.
One of the best parts of any summer party is the side dishes. Of course, all that BBQ and grilled meat is fantastic, but what about the great sides to accompany it all? That takes things to a new level.
This time of year, I love serving up creamy sides like the best potato salad or spicy, smoky dishes like these smoked bacon wrapped armadillo eggs. Anything with tons of texture and flavor is always on my side dish menu.
That’s why I love serving my new recipe, this crunchy, creamy broccoli salad. Every bite is filled with a variety of flavors and textures, and they all pair well with any main dish.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Limited Ingredients: This recipe only requires a handful of ingredients commonly found in any grocery store.
- Easy: All you have to do is mix and chill. It doesn’t get easier than that!
- So Much Texture: This salad features a mix of crunchy and creamy textures.
- Full of Flavor: This recipe combines the bright, fresh flavor of broccoli with the smokiness of bacon, the sweet fruit flavor, and the earthy nut and seed flavors.
- Perfect for Any Party: This is a great dish for potlucks, cookouts, and barbecues.
Ingredients
Refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for a complete list of ingredients and their exact quantities.
Variations
- Craisins: Any dried fruit works well in this recipe. Use different varieties to create different flavor profiles.
- Pecans: Walnuts, almonds, or your favorite nuts will work well.
- Bacon: Use your favorite brand and variety for this recipe. Each one adds a slightly different flavor to the salad.
- Dressing: Create your own dressing by combining mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, and sugar.
How to Make Broccoli Salad
Step 1: Mix all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: Stir to combine, chill in the refrigerator and enjoy.
Tips
- Chop the broccoli florets into bite-size pieces for easy eating.
- Use a folding motion to mix the salad to help keep the florets intact.
- Use pre-chopped pecans from the baking aisle to save some time.
- When choosing broccoli, look for firm, crisp heads with no marring or black spots.
Broccoli Salad FAQ
Traditional broccoli salad is made with mayonnaise or a mayonnaise-based dressing featuring vinegar or lemon juice. This version uses Chick-fil-A Avocado Lime Ranch dressing.
No. Broccoli salad’s wonderful flavor and texture come from using raw broccoli florets.
Yes, you can. In fact, that’s how most people eat it, particularly in the case of broccoli salad.
More Broccoli Recipes
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Broccoli Salad
Ingredients
- 5 cups broccoli florets, chopped
- 6 strips bacon, crispy, crumbled
- ½ cup craisins
- ½ cup Colby Jack cheese, small cubes
- 3 roma tomatoes, diced
- ⅓ cup sunflower seeds
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans
- 12 ounce Chick-fil-a Avocado Lime Ranch dressing
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add all of the ingredients and mix together until combined.
- Cover and place in the fridge to chill.
- Serve as a side dish or enjoy with chips.
Notes
- Refrigerate for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
- Freezing is not recommended.
- Chop the broccoli florets into bite-size pieces for easy eating.
- Use a folding motion to mix the salad to help keep the florets intact.
- Use pre-chopped pecans from the baking aisle to save some time.
- When choosing broccoli, look for firm, crisp heads with no marring or black spots.
Nutrition
First time trying a creamy salad like this and it was a total hit! Love the sweet craisins and pecans in there for a salty, sweet combo. Great salad cannot wait to make again!
I’m a huge fan of a good broccoli salad, and yours looks perfectly balanced! I love the mix of textures and that savory-sweet dressing.
All my favorites in one salad! So delicious and easy to make. Lasts a few days for me cause I’m the only salad lover in my house!
The falvor and texture aer so classic. I love the nice twist with the sunflower seeds and pecans. Nice!
We really enjoyed this! I made it with hot dogs and pretended it was summer instead of the dead of winter.
I love how creamy and crunchy this is. It’s really tasty.
What can be used instead of the Chick-fil-a Avocado Lime Ranch dressing? not available in small rural areas.
Hi Nancy, you can mix BBQ sauce and mayo together. We have another broccoli salad with that mixture. One cup of each mixed together. :)