Step aside, store-bought salad. This Broccoli Crunch Salad gets its name from being loaded with crunchy candied pecans, cheddar cheese, pumpkin seeds and of course, crispy bacon! It is then drenched in a creamy vinaigrette dressing, making it so yummy and perfect to quench your taste buds during a hot summer day.
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This creamy broccoli crunch salad is perfect for any time of the year, but it especially shines during those summer months. Broccoli salad is ideal to serve as a savoury and flavourful side salad at any summer barbecue or picnic!
Looking for more salad recipes? I've got you covered! My kale cauliflower caesar salad is a sturdy, make-ahead option that holds up beautifully in the fridge, and my strawberry goat cheese salad brings a little sweetness to the table. If you're feeding a crowd, this honey hot chicken salad and this Italian grinder salad both turn a side dish into a full meal. And if you love a good homemade dressing as much as I do, my honey Dijon vinaigrette is a staple. Try it on my harvest spinach salad for a delicious end-of-summer meal.
Why You'll Love This Broccoli Salad Recipe
- It is extremely flavourful, creamy and tangy delicious.
- Broccoli salad is an easy-to-make chopped salad that comes together in 45 minutes or less!
- It can be served as a side dish, brought to a potluck or served at a summer cookout.
- It is versatile and easily adapts to many different dietary restrictions, without compromising the outstanding flavour.
- It is a great meal prep option and can stay fresh for up to 4 days!
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Broccoli Crunch Salad Ingredients
The candied pecans are the key ingredient that brings this salad together, as they provide the perfect amount of sweetness and crunch. Additionally, the broccoli is raw (no blanching here!), which significantly contributes to the crunch factor.
- Broccoli - You must use fresh raw broccoli for this salad. Do not substitute frozen broccoli, as this salad will turn into a soupy mess.
- Dried Cranberries - Dried cranberries can be substituted for raisins, chopped dried mango or dried apricots.
- Pumpkin Seeds - Can be substituted for silvered almonds, sunflower seeds, chopped walnuts, pine nuts, or crushed ramen noodles instead.
- Cheddar Cheese - Any kind of cheese will work for this salad. If you don't want to use cheddar, I would recommend using feta, gouda, or havarti.
- Pecans - The pecans for the candied pecans can be substituted with chopped walnuts, honey roasted cashews or roasted almonds.
- White Wine Vinegar - Can be substituted for apple cider vinegar.
- Dressing - Try using my homemade mayonnaise in the dressing, or for a lighter version, try my honey Dijon salad dressing!
A full ingredient list with the exact quantities can be found in the recipe card below.
Variations, Add-Ins, & More
- Apple Broccoli Salad: Add diced honeycrisp or gala apple for extra crunch and natural sweetness, like my kale apple salad.
- Extra Protein: Toss in shredded roast chicken, cooked velveted chicken breast, or crunchy buffalo chickpeas.
- No Candied Pecans: A quick handful of plain chopped pecans (or any type of nut) works fine if you're short on time.
Dietary Restrictions and Substitutions
- Vegan - to make this broccoli salad vegan, omit the cheddar cheese or substitute it with a plant-based option, I like Violife the best. Omit the bacon or replace it with fried smoked tofu cubes or crispy baked tofu. Use a plant-based mayonnaise in the dressing to replace the regular mayonnaise, and the honey can be replaced with maple syrup if desired.
- Gluten Free - Ensure all of the ingredients you are using are gluten-free, and you will not have to make any changes to the original recipe.
- Dairy Free - To make this salad dairy-free, omit the cheddar cheese or use a plant-based option and replace the mayonnaise in the dressing with plant-based mayonnaise.
How to Make Broccoli Crunch Salad
Ready to learn how to make the end-all be-all, easy-to-make, best broccoli crunch salad recipe out there!? Here are the step-by-step instructions.
Broccoli salad is a great side dish for any meal. Try serving alongside baked honey Dijon salmon, lazy lasagna casserole or blackened chicken burgers.
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The Creamy Vinaigrette Dressing
- In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, olive oil, white wine vinegar, honey, dijon mustard and salt and pepper.
- Whisk the ingredients together until no lumps remain and a creamy dressing has formed.
Instead of making the dressing in a bowl, it can also be made in a mason jar and shaken up!
- Refrigerate the dressing until you are ready to dress the salad.
How to Make Candied Pecans
While fancy-sounding, candied pecans are incredibly easy to make and will be ready in 5 minutes or less!
- In a small non-stick fry pan, add the brown sugar, vanilla, water and salt.
- Over medium-low heat, bring the mixture to a boil for 1 minute, stirring regularly.
- Add the pecans and stir them into the sauce until they are fully coated. Continue to cook for 2 more minutes.
- Transfer the pecans from the fry pan to a piece of parchment paper. Spread them out in a single layer and let cool completely.
The pecans will be HOT, do not touch them until they have cooled. The candy coating will be sticky and can stick to your skin and cause burns.
The Broccoli Crunch Salad
- Chop up all of the ingredients and add them to a large mixing bowl or salad bowl.
- Drizzle all of the creamy vinaigrette dressing over the ingredients in the bowl.
- Using a large wooden spoon or tongs, toss the salad until the dressing is fully incorporated. Serve and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Make-Ahead Tips: This broccoli salad can be fully prepared up to 1 day in advance. For maximum crunch, leave the candied pecans out until just before serving. To make this salad 2-3 days in advance, keep the dressing and pecans separate until the day before or when you are ready to serve.
- Chop the broccoli into small uniformly sized pieces. This isn't just for looks, smaller pieces mean more surface area for the dressing to cling to.
- Let the candied pecans cool completely. If they are added to the salad before they are cooled, they'll turn sticky and clump together instead of staying crunchy.
- For maximum crunch, the broccoli needs to be cut up into super tiny florets (which accounts for most of the preparation time). Consider using a food processor to help you chop up the broccoli. Only give it a few pulses to chop the broccoli into little pieces and not completely pulverized.
- Double or triple the candied pecans. This candied pecans recipe is so delicious and easy to make, you will probably be tempted to double or triple the recipe just to have some around for snacking! The best way to keep candied pecans crunchy is to let them cool to room temperature and then store them in a zip-top bag or an airtight container. Stored this way, the pecans can last up to 2 weeks (if you don't devour them all faster than that)!
How to Store
Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay good for 3-4 days.
This broccoli salad can not be frozen.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Frozen broccoli releases too much moisture once thawed, which turns the salad watery instead of crisp. Fresh, raw broccoli is essential for this recipe.
This usually happens for one of two reasons: the broccoli wasn't dried well after washing, or frozen broccoli was used instead of fresh. Pat your broccoli completely dry before chopping, and always use fresh florets.
No blanching needed for this recipe. The broccoli is used raw, which is what gives this salad its signature crunch.
What to Serve with Broccoli Crunch Salad
Crunchy broccoli salad is the ultimate side dish and will elevate any recipe that it is served alongside. Try serving it with a bowl of creamy butternut squash soup, or as a side to bacon wrapped cream cheese stuffed chicken breast.
Some other wonderful options:
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📖 Recipe
Broccoli Crunch Salad Recipe with Bacon & Pecans
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Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 8 cups Broccoli finely chopped incl. stems
- 1 ½ cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese cubed
- 8-10 pieces Bacon cooked and sliced
- 1 cup Dried Cranberries
- ½ cup Pumpkin Seeds
Creamy Vinaigrette Dressing
- ½ cup Light Mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ¼ cup White Wine Vinegar
- ¼ cup Honey
- 2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Candied Pecans
- ¾ cup Pecans chopped
- 2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons Water
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
Instructions
Making the Creamy Vinaigrette Dressing
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the light mayonnaise, extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, salt and pepper, whisking until fully combined. Pour the dressing into a jar and store it in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Making the Candied Pecans
- On a large cutting board or heat-safe surface, lay out a large piece of parchment paper.
- In a small non-stick frying pan, add the brown sugar, water, vanilla extract and salt. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil, stirring consistently. Let boil for 1 minute. Add the chopped pecans to the boiling candy mixture, lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring constantly. After the pecans are fully coated in the candy, remove them from the heat and transfer them to the parchment paper, spreading them out in a single layer.
- Let the pecans cool completely before touching them. (The pecans will be very hot and can stick to your skin, causing burns.)
Assembling the Broccoli Salad
- In a large mixing bowl or a salad bowl, add the broccoli, cheddar cheese, bacon, cranberries, pumpkin seeds, and candied pecans. Pour all of the prepared honey mustard dressing on top of the salad. Using salad forks or tongs, mix the salad until it is completely combined and coated with dressing.
- The salad can be enjoyed immediately or refrigerated until ready to serve.
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Notes
- Broccoli: You must use fresh broccoli for this salad, but it can be swapped or combined with fresh cauliflower if preferred. Try adding shredded carrots, diced celery, or sliced cherry tomatoes, too!
- Cheese: Any type of cheese you have on hand will work for this salad, even feta!
- Candied Pecans: Swap for roasted almonds or honey roasted cashews.
- Dried Cranberries: Can be substituted for any dried fruit like raisins, apricots, or mango.
- Use a food processor to roughly chop the broccoli to save time.
- Let the candied pecans cool completely before adding them to the salad, otherwise, they could turn sticky and clump together.
- Can broccoli salad be frozen? No, this salad cannot be frozen and must be enjoyed fresh.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator and it will vary based on the ingredients that you use.
Eddie says
Sometimes salads can be at the top of their game and this is definitely a winner.
Jessica says
Broccoli crunch salad is perfect for a picnic or a barbecue!