Broccoli Salad With Raisins
Apr 08, 2025
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This broccoli salad with raisins is one of my go-to side dishes all year long. Crunchy texture combined with tangy, sweet flavor, it’s always a huge hit with family and friends. I love that it can be made ahead of time and in less than 15 minutes.
I’ll admit, when I first heard that people put raisins in their broccoli salad, I had some hesitations. It’s not the way I grew up eating it, and the combination sounded a little unexpected.
But once I tried my neighbors broccoli salad with raisins and bacon I never turned back. The sweet and salty combination totally works and now it’s one of my go-to for potlucks, cookouts, and holidays.
Heather’s Recipe Notes
If you have never tried adding raisins to your broccoli salad, you have to try it! I was unsure at first, but now I can’t imagine not adding them. Raisins add just the perfect hint of sweet, and plumping them up in water gives them great texture. And if you love broccoli like me, be sure to try broccoli slaw with ramen noodles, broccoli cauliflower salad, and copycat Chicken Salad Chick broccoli salad.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
Here are a few notes on the ingredients you will need to make broccoli with raisins salad. See the recipe card for the exact measurements.
- Broccoli – Fresh broccoli is the star of this recipe. You will need 4-5 cups of broccoli florets. I like to cut them into smaller pieces to make it easier to eat.
- Bacon – Bacon adds delicious salty, smokey flavor to the salad. Cook 8 pieces of bacon and chop or crumble into small pieces. You can also use pre-cooked bacon bits for a shortcut.
- Red onion – Diced red onion adds color and flavor. You can substitute with green onions.
- Sunflower seeds – I typically use the salted sunflower kernels that you can find in a jar.
- Raisins – Raisins add a hint of sweetness to this broccoli salad.
- Mayonnaise – Use your favorite mayonnaise to make the dressing.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar adds a touch of sweetness to the dressing and balances the tang from the vinegar.
- Vinegar – I prefer white vinegar but you can substitute with red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
- Salt and pepper
How to make broccoli salad with raisins
This is an overview of the process of making this salad. You can jump to the recipe for the full, printable instructions.
Step one: Pour cold water over the raisins to help the plump. Let them sit for 5-10 minutes, drain off the water and pat dry with a paper towel.
Step two: Place the mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Whisk to combine.
Step three: Pour the broccoli florets, crumbled bacon, diced red onion, raisins, and sunflower seeds in the bowl. Toss to combine the ingredients with the dressing.
Step four: Serve it immediately or cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to eat.
Recipe tips
- Chop the broccoli florets small. Make sure to cut the broccoli into small, bite-sized pieces.
- Cook the bacon until crisp. Make sure to cook your bacon until crispy to help stand up to the dressing.
- Allow chill time. I recommend letting the salad chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This helps the flavors come together.
Broccoli raisin salad substitutions and variations
This broccoli salad is easy to customize. Here are a few ideas to make it your own:
Raisins – Try substituting the raisins with golden raisins, dried cranberries, or dried cherries.
Sunflower seeds – Sway out the sunflower seeds with pumpkin sides, slivered almonds, or pecans.
No Mayonnaise – Substitute the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt or sour cream.
Cheese – Add shredded cheddar cheese for a little something extra.
Storage instructions
Make-ahead: If making the day before, you can prepare the salad, cover and store in the refrigerator. You can also prepare the dressing separately, store it in an airtight container, and toss with the broccoli salad before serving.
Store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, if you prefer a different dressing you can substitute with a vinaigrette or even something like this Wingstop ranch dressing.
No, this salad is made with raw broccoli. Be sure to use fresh, crunchy broccoli.
More easy salad recipes
- Copycat Chicken Salad Chick grape salad
- Strawberry spinach salad
- Creamy cucumber dill salad
- Italian grinder salad
- Pea salad
Broccoli Salad With Raisins
Ingredients
- 5 cups broccoli florets
- 8 pieces cooked bacon, crumbled
- ½ cup red onions, diced
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ sunflower seeds
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 ½ tablespoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place the raisins in a bowl. Cover with cold water to help the plump up.
- In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, salt, and pepper.
- Add the broccoli florets, cooked and crumbled bacon, sunflower seeds, diced onion, and raisins.
- Toss everything together to get coated with the dressing. Serve immediately or cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to eat.
Video
Notes
- Chop the broccoli florets small. Make sure to cut the broccoli into small, bite-sized pieces.
- Cook the bacon until crisp. Make sure to cook your bacon until crispy to help stand up to the dressing.
- Allow chill time. I recommend letting the salad chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This helps the flavors come together.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
