Broccoli Salad with Raisins is a fresh, easy side salad for your next BBQ or potluck. It only takes less than 30 minutes to make.

This is a vintage potluck side dish that I have made for many years. It is crispy, fruity, creamy, and oh so very good!

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Broccoli is a Superfood!

“It is a very good source of dietary fiber, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin E, manganese, phosphorus, choline, vitamin B1, vitamin A (in the form of carotenoids), potassium, and copper.

Broccoli is also a good source of vitamin B1, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, protein, zinc, calcium, iron, niacin, and selenium.” (Source: The World’s Healthiest Foods) It is also an anti-inflammatory, which, in turn, makes it an anti- carcinogen!

Best of all, broccoli is delicious and versatile! You can enjoy it in salads, quiches, soups, stir-fries, casseroles, or simply steamed or roasted as a nutritious side dish. There are so many tasty ways to add this superfood to your everyday meals!

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What You Need

• Broccoli – use the broccoli either raw or very quickly blanched. Cut florets into very small pieces so that they are easier to chew. Save the large stems for making vegetable stock. Don’t use previously frozen broccoli.
• Vinegar – use apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, or white wine vinegar
• Red onion – you can substitute yellow or white onion, but we prefer red onion.
• Bacon – crisp up your bacon. We love using our air fryer to crisp bacon.
• Golden raisins – you can substitute black raisins, but the golden ones add a better flavor.
• Sunflower seeds kernels or pepitas – don’t use the whole sunflower seed. Just the kernel.
• Mayonnaise – use a good-quality mayo like Duke’s or Hellmann’s, not salad dressing.
• Sugar – use white sugar or raw sugar

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How to Make Broccoli Salad with Raisins

I usually use raw broccoli, which I love, but some people prefer it blanched.

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Just before serving, add the crisped bacon and sunflower kernels. Toss to combine.

Tips for Your Success

A few simple steps make a big difference in keeping this broccoli salad crisp, creamy, and full of flavor.

• Add the crunchy ingredients last: Stir in the bacon and sunflower kernels just before serving. Adding them too early can make them soggy and take away their crunch.
• Keep the broccoli crisp: Use fresh broccoli or blanch the florets for about 2 minutes. You want them bright green and slightly tender while still holding their texture.
• Dry blanched broccoli well: Excess water will thin out the dressing and leave you with a watery salad. A salad spinner works best, but paper towels will also do the job.
• Cook the bacon until crisp: Let the bacon get nicely crisp before crumbling it into the salad. Softer bacon can lose its texture once mixed with the dressing.

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Make Ahead & Storage

Make ahead: Prepare the broccoli and dressing up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate. For the best texture, add the bacon and sunflower kernels just before serving so they stay crisp and crunchy.

Refrigerate leftovers: Store leftover salad in a covered container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3 days.

Do not freeze: Freezing can make the broccoli watery and cause the creamy dressing to separate, leaving the salad with an unpleasant texture after thawing.

Tools That Make This Recipe Work

If you don’t already have these, this is where things can get tricky.

• Extra Large Bamboo Cutting Board – gives you plenty of room to chop a big batch of broccoli without everything piling up on the counter.
• Salad Spinner – removes excess water from the broccoli so the dressing clings instead of getting watered down.
• Chef’s Knife – makes quick work of chopping the broccoli and other ingredients into even, bite-sized pieces.
• Saucepans – give you the right setup for heating the dressing ingredients without scorching them in a crowded pan.

Want to learn how to grow your own broccoli? If you love growing your own produce, these posts are packed full of information about how to get that big harvest by the end of the season! Don’t miss our How to Start a Garden Series!

Variations

This broccoli salad is easy to adjust based on what you have on hand or the flavors you enjoy.

• Change the crunch: Swap the sunflower kernels for almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, or hazelnuts.
• Add protein: Turn it into a light meal by mixing in leftover chicken, pork, or beef.
• Add cheese: Stir in about ½ cup of shredded cheddar for a creamy, savory addition.
• Switch up the fruit: Replace golden raisins with regular raisins, dried cherries, cranberries, or chopped dried apricots.
• Lighten the dressing: Use less mayonnaise and mix in some Italian dressing for a lighter, tangier flavor.
• Choose your onion: Red onion adds the most flavor, but white or yellow onion works just as well.

More Delicious Salads

• BLT Pasta Salad
• Potato Salad
• Fresh Fruit Salad
• Garbanzo Salad
• Classic Carrot Raisin Salad
• Spicy Coleslaw

As you can see, this broccoli salad with raisins is so easy, but not only that, it’s so good that you will get the kids loving broccoli too!

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