Broccoli Crunch Salad

This Broccoli Crunch Salad is full of crispy broccoli florets, sweet pears, raisins, onion, crunchy nuts, cheese, and bacon! It's an explosion of flavors and texture. It requires no cooking and goes together in just a few minutes and makes a tasty side for all your picnic, cookout, and potluck needs.

This broccoli pear salad is perfect as a side dish for lunch or dinner or as a meal. It's inspired by the classic Amish broccoli salad but I've made a few swaps and left out the cauliflower.

If you are a broccoli fan you have got to give this fresh market broccoli salad recipe a try! And if you want more ways to cook this simple veggie try my creamy broccoli soup and this cheesy broccoli rice.

This recipe for broccoli salad was inspired by my cold asparagus salad! If you're looking for more ideas check out our collection of crunchy salad recipes. Serve up your favorite veggie salads with any of these pasta salad side dishes.

Why You Will Love This Crunchy Broccoli Salad Recipe

• Easy to Prepare: Simply chop the veggies and fruit and toss with an easy homemade dressing.
• Always a Crowd Pleaser: Adding a creamy dressing, nuts, and cheese makes this crunchy salad more appealing.
• Versatile Dish. It's perfect for family dinners, BBQs, large parties, potlucks, and so much more.
• Flexible Recipe. It's easy to make ahead, works with a variety of proteins, and can be totally customized to your taste preferences.

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you may decide to use to make your own broccoli salad with bacon.

• Fresh Broccoli: The main ingredient is broccoli for our salad. You can also use cauliflower instead or use both broccoli and cauliflower for a colorful presentation.
• Raisins: This dried fruit adds pops of sweetness and chewiness to the salad. You can also use golden raisins, dried cranberries, or dried cherries, instead or use a combination of your favorite dried fruits.
• Red Onion: Has a nice crisp texture and flavor that works well in salads. You can also use yellow, white, green onions, or even sweet onions.
• Apple or Pear: Use fresh! Both are wonderful additions to this salad no matter which one you choose to use.
• Almonds: Add the perfect crunch but walnuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds (pepitas), or sunflower seeds are also a great addition instead of slivered almonds.
• Mayo & Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream: Mayo along with either Greek yogurt or sour cream makes the creamy dressing base.
• Sugar: Adds sweet balance to the salad but you can also use honey.
• Bacon: Crisp, crumbled bacon adds so much flavor to the salad. Use storebought cooked bacon crumbles or cook your own bacon until it's crispy.
• Cheddar Cheese: Adds a tangy flavor to the salad.

See the recipe card below for the exact quantities of each ingredient.

Substitutions and Variations

When preparing your Amish Broccoli Salad, you have several options to create a tasty and satisfying dish that is perfect for you.

• Add Vinegar: Use one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar to add some more tanginess to your dressing.
• Add a Pinch of Salt: Sometimes I add a pinch of salt to the dressing to enhance flavors. My husband always adds a pinch of black pepper too.
• Add Protein: Consider adding grilled chicken cut into bite sized pieces for a complete meal.
• More Vegetables: Add red bell pepper, shredded carrots, corn kernels, or cherry tomatoes.
• Spicy: Add a bit of chili pepper flakes, diced jalapeno pepper, or homemade hot pepper sauce to the broccoli dressing for a bit of heat.
• No-Mayo Broccoli Crunch Salad: Simply substitute the mayo with another option like Greek yogurt or mashed avocado and make the recipe as directed.
• Add Ramen Noodles: Cook the ramen noodles according to package directions and allow to cool then blend with broccoli salad and serve.
• Low-Calorie or Low-Fat: You can use reduced-fat versions of the mayonnaise, sour cream, or Greek yogurt to make this salad fit your dietary needs. Just note that this may affect the flavor slightly.

How to Make Broccoli Crunch Salad

This recipe could not be easier to make. Here's a look at the main steps involved.

1. Place the broccoli, chopped red onion, apple or pear, sliced almonds, and raisins in a large bowl.  
2. Mix together the yogurt, mayo, and sugar. Taste and add another tablespoon of sugar if it's needed and season with salt and pepper.

3. Add the dressing to the bowl of broccoli salad ingredients.
4. Stir until everything is well coated. Refrigerate until ready to serve.  Enjoy!

⭐️ Hint: If you prefer your broccoli to have a slightly softer texture, blanch the broccoli for 1-2 minutes in boiling water before rinsing it with cold water to stop the cooking process to maintain a vibrant, bright green color and take the edge off the crunch.

If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy our bell pepper salad or this delicious Roasted Broccoli and Carrots side!

Storage

Here are a few tips to help you store your broccoli effectively:

Storing: Always store your broccoli salad in an airtight container inside the refrigerator to preserve freshness and prevent broccoli wilting. When stored properly it will last in the fridge for 2-3 days. The longer the salad sits the softer the veggies become. It's not recommended to freeze this salad.

Make Ahead: The salad can be made the night before though I suggest waiting to add the diced pear or apple right before serving as it may turn brown when cut too early. The salad does taste even better after being chilled in the fridge. To store longer than 24 hours ahead of time, keep everything separate until you are ready to assemble it.

What to Serve with Broccoli Salad

This dish is perfect to serve for a wide variety of events and it makes a tasty side dish with a wide range of dishes.

It pairs well with grilled meats like chicken, beef, or seafood, as well as sandwiches and wraps.

Check out our Angus steak recipes, pork and beef roast recipes, chicken recipes for easter dinner, or fall seafood recipes for some main dish inspiration.

Tips

By following these tips, you will be able to prepare an amazing Amish broccoli salad that is sure to be a hit at your next gathering.

• More Tender Broccoli Texture. If you prefer your broccoli to have a slightly softer texture, blanch it for 1-2 minutes in boiling water before immediately rinsing it under cold water in a colander to stop the cooking process. This will keep the vibrant green color and take the edge off the crunch.
• Using Fresh Broccoli. Make sure to use fresh, crisp broccoli to ensure a tastier and more vibrant salad.
• Add Cauliflower. Adding cauliflower along with broccoli not only offers a similar taste but it also provides a visually appealing color contrast in the salad.
• Let It Sit. Refrigerate the prepared salad for at least 30 minutes before serving, allowing the flavors to meld together.

FAQ

Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about it.

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Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.

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This post was originally published July 2017. It has been updated with new images and content.