Broccoli Salad with Bacon, Cheddar & Almonds
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“One big bowl of crunchy yumminess”—this crowd-favorite broccoli salad is perfect for potlucks, BBQs, or any warm-weather gathering.
This broccoli salad recipe comes from one of my oldest and dearest friends, Kelly Santoro. When she first told me about it, I was skeptical—raw broccoli in a salad doesn’t always work. But Kelly convinced me to give it a try, and I’m so glad she did. The creamy mayo, vinegar, and honey dressing softens the broccoli just enough while still keeping that great crunch. Smoky bacon, sharp Cheddar, and sliced almonds add tons of flavor and texture. It never fails to get recipe requests.
This broccoli salad the ideal make-ahead dish for a potluck or cookout—pair it with steakhouse burgers or BBQ chicken—and it holds up beautifully for hours, so you can prep it early and check it off your list.
“This is my go-to salad for pot luck dinners. Keeps well and travels easily. Always a crowd pleaser.”
What You’ll Need To Make Broccoli Salad With Bacon, Cheddar & Almonds
- Thick-Cut Bacon: Adds smoky, savory flavor and a crisp texture that balances the freshness of the broccoli. I prefer thick-cut bacon because it holds up better in the dressing.
- Chopped Red Onion: Offers a mild, sweet bite that contrasts nicely with the creamy dressing.
- Mayonnaise, Apple Cider Vinegar & Honey (or Sugar): These make up the dressing—creamy, tangy, and just slightly sweet. Use a good-quality mayo like Hellmann’s or Duke’s.
- Broccoli Florets: The crisp, nutritious base, adding freshness and crunch. Look for broccoli crowns if possible. If you buy full bunches, grab a bit extra to account for the stalk weight. Be sure to dry the broccoli thoroughly after washing so it doesn’t water down the dressing.
- Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Adds tangy flavor and a bit of creaminess. I recommend buying a block and shredding it yourself—pre-shredded cheese is coated in anti-caking agents. In a salad like this, it makes a big difference.
- Sliced Almonds: Lend a crunchy texture and subtle nuttiness.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cook the bacon. In a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, fry the bacon until crisp, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked bacon to a plate lined with paper towels—this allows the excess grease to drain off.
Step 2: Temper the red onion. To temper the bite of the raw onion, soak it in very cold water for 10 minutes, then drain. This step is optional, but if you’re a raw onion-phobe like me, I highly recommend it.
Step 3: Make the dressing. In a large bowl (big enough to hold all of the broccoli salad ingredients), combine the mayonnaise, honey, cider vinegar, salt, and pepper. Whisk well to combine.
Step 4: Toss the Salad. Add the broccoli florets, Cheddar, and red onions to the dressing and mix well. This can be done up to 3 hours ahead of time (in fact, all the better to allow the broccoli to soak up the flavor).
Step 5: Finish the salad. Right before serving, toss in the bacon and almonds. These ingredients are added just before serving so they stay crisp. If they sit in the dressing too long, they’ll soften and lose their crunch—which is part of what makes this salad so good.
Step 6: Serve. Transfer the salad to a serving platter or bowl and enjoy. If you have any leftover broccoli salad, it can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
More Summer Salads You May Like
Broccoli Salad with Bacon, Cheddar & Almonds
Ingredients
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into ½-in (2.5-cm) pieces
- ⅓ cup red onion, diced, from one onion
- 1 cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann's or Duke's
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons honey or sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 9 cups broccoli florets, cut into small, bite-sized pieces (you'll need about 2 pounds/908 g of broccoli crowns)
- 1 cup (lightly packed) shredded sharp cheddar cheese, best quality
- ½ cup sliced almonds
Instructions
- Set a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring frequently, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Set aside.
- Place the onions in a small bowl of very cold water for ten minutes. Drain, then blot the onions dry with a paper towel. Set aside.
- In a large bowl (big enough to hold all of the salad ingredients), whisk together the mayonnaise, cider vinegar, honey (or sugar), salt, and pepper.
- Add the broccoli, Cheddar, and red onions to the dressing; toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate the salad until ready to serve. (The salad can be made up to this point up to 3 hours ahead of time.)
- Before serving, set aside some of the bacon and almonds to use as a garnish for the salad. Add the remaining bacon and almonds to the salad and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary. Transfer the salad to a bowl or serving platter and garnish with the reserved bacon and almonds. Serve cold or room temperature. Leftover salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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I made this yesterday. Really good! I will make this again!
So good!
All I could find was raw slivered almond. Should I roast them? I plan on making tomorrow. Thank you, love your recipes!!!!
Hi Joan, you certainly don’t need to toast them, but you can if you’d like. Hope you enjoy!
This is the best.. I will make this over and over again. I did cook my onions, not a fan of raw, just chucked them in with the bacon and I steamed the broccoli. This melted the dressing as I didnt let it cool long enough. Lessons learned. Thank you
Awesome broccoli salad. Followed the recipe almost exactly as written Ended up making a little more dressing bc I wanted mine to be a touch creamier, and also added dried cranberries. In the dressing I cut back on the honey a tiny bit bc of the added cranberries. Everyone loved it! Thanks Jen!
Could the bacon be replaced with fried tofu?
Sure, Yael, that should work!
Hi Jenn, with most recipes I find, the quantities are too much for 2 people. In the past, I have tried to reduce all the ingredients by 1/2 but most of the time it does work out quite right.
How would you suggest adjusting the quantities on the ingredients in recipes and this one in particular?
We love your website and all of your recipes. So easy to follow, simple, and tasty.
Thank you.
Hi LaDonna, I know what you mean but for salads like this one, it should work to just cut all of the ingredients in half. The only thing you may need to adjust is the cooking time for the bacon; it won’t take as long. Hope that helps!
This is my go-to salad recipe. I literally make this for lunch every weekend. I’m trying to eat low carb/Keto and on a budget so I modified the recipe just slightly. I use one cup sour cream instead of mayo (because high quality mayo made with avocado oil can get pricey) and I use monk fruit sweetener instead of honey (to keep things Keto friendly). Note: I found a 2 lb bag of broccoli florets is only a few bucks at Sam’s club. Enjoy!!!
Really good, love the bacon & cheddar, I wouldn’t leave it out. I didn’t have almond slices so I added pumpkin seeds. I found the taste of the red onion a bit sharp, I might add less next time or soak them in cold water first. The salads are really really good on this site! It’s so wonderful to have so many options to choose from so you don’t get into a rut.
All hail queen Jenn!!! I made this today and can’t wait to eat what’s left of it tomorrow. I can’t believe it took me this long to find an amazing broccoli recipe, considering that I eat it almost every day. I skipped the almonds and onions (not of either food in their raw form) but it still turned out great. Thanks Jenn, for another winner.
Can you make the dressing ahead of time?
Sure, I think it would refrigerate nicely for a few days.