Southern Broccoli Salad with Craisins

Easy old-fashioned Southern Broccoli Salad is a crowd favorite and always a hit at potlucks and cookouts. It’s irresistibly delicious with crisp, chopped fresh broccoli, juicy cherry tomatoes, and Craisins.

Add in cheddar cheese, crunchy bacon, and roasted pecans, and top it with a creamy homemade dressing, and this classic, make-ahead broccoli salad is a low-carb wonder and the vegetable side dish of your dreams.

Here’s why you will love this recipe:

1. It’s versatile, and you can tailor it to your family’s tastes or use ingredients you already have on hand.
2. Like my Broccoli Cauliflower Salad, it’s the perfect make-ahead vegetable salad. It’s best if made up to 24 hours ahead to allow the flavors to come together.
3. It travels well and can be served at room temperature or chilled.

Ingredients – here’s what you need:

• Broccoli – fresh is best. When purchasing broccoli, look for heads with a dark green color and tightly closed florets. Broccoli is past its prime if the florets are opening or yellowing.
• Tomatoes – not only add a beautiful red pop of color but add their rich tomato deliciousness. I like to use cherry or grape tomatoes, but you can substitute chopped Roma tomatoes.
• Craisins – are sweetened dried cranberries that add their unique goodness. You can substitute raisins, dried cherries, or dried blueberries.
• Bacon – makes anything better, and this colorful broccoli salad is no exception.
• Cheddar cheese – adds a creamy element. I like to use extra-sharp for the tanginess, but you can also use mild or sharp. I also like to cut my cheese into small cubes, but you can substitute shredded cheese.
• Pecans – are what make this a southern broccoli salad. Classic broccoli salad usually calls for sunflower seeds, but I prefer to use roasted pecans with their buttery, nutty flavor.
• Mayonnaise – is the main ingredient in my creamy homemade dressing. I prefer Dukes, but any good mayonnaise will work. If you want to make the dressing without mayonnaise, you may substitute greek yogurt.
• Apple cider vinegar – adds the tang to this easy-to-make dressing. You can substitute red wine, white wine, sherry, or champagne vinegar in a pinch. The dressing will taste a little different, but it will still be delicious.
• Sugar – adds just a bit of sweetness and balances out the apple cider vinegar. If you want to make a sugar-free dressing, Stevia or another sugar substitute may be used.
• Kosher salt & ground black pepper – just a pinch of each enhances the other flavors and brings them together into one cohesive dish.

Directions – Here’s how to make this recipe:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Rinse, drain and let the broccoli dry. Cut off the stalks, save for another use or discard, and then cut the florets into small bite-size pieces.
3. Place the bacon on a baking sheet with sides and cook it for 10 to 15 minutes or until it is crisp and golden brown. Remove the bacon and place it on a paper towel to drain. Crumble it or cut it into small pieces.

4. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half, or if they are large, cut them into quarters.
5. Place the cut-up broccoli in a large bowl. Add the bacon, Craisins, cheese, cherry tomatoes, and pecans. Toss to combine. Set aside.

6. Add the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, a pinch of kosher salt, and ground black pepper to a small bowl and whisk until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

7. Pour about half of the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients. Taste and add more dressing, a little at a time to suit your family’s tastes.

8. This dish can be served immediately, but it is best if covered and refrigerated for at least one hour or up to 24-hours before serving to allow the flavors to develop.

Frequently asked questions:

Variations:

One of the great things about this broccoli salad is its versatility, both in how to serve it and its ingredients. Change it up however you like, for example:

• You can add pineapple, seedless grapes, red onion, scallions, or apples.
• Blue cheese, feta, gruyere, or gouda can be substituted for the cheddar cheese.
• Raisins or dried cherries, or blueberries can be substituted for the Craisins.
• Instead of pecans, choose your favorite nut or seeds as far as nuts. Cashews, and almonds, are good choices. Or, you could use pine nuts, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds. Use what you have on hand. You could even substitute a handful of mixed nuts.
• The creamy homemade dressing puts it over the top, but in a pinch, purchased coleslaw dressing works as well as poppyseed dressing.
• If you prefer the dressing without mayonnaise, feel free to substitute Greek yogurt instead.

Sharon’s tips:

• I like to use a salad spinner to wash my broccoli. Place the raw broccoli heads in the spinner, fill it with water, and swish the broccoli around. Be sure to allow the broccoli to drain thoroughly and dry before making your salad.
• Leftover salad dressing makes a terrific coleslaw dressing.
• If your pecans aren’t already roasted, the easiest way to roast them is in the microwave since it’s such a small amount. First, chop them up and put them on a microwave-safe plate. Then, microwave them on high in 30-second increments until they are done. This usually takes about two minutes total.

More broccoli recipes:

If you like this recipe, you might also like these fan-favorite recipes:

• Easy Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry
• Ultimate Broccoli Cheese Casserole
• Easy Southern Style Chicken Divan
• Easy Mushroom and Broccoli Frittata
• Potato Broccoli Salad with Vinaigrette

★ If you make this dish, please leave a comment and give this recipe a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!

Thanks so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones!

*This post was originally published on January 3, 2018. It was republished on April 18, 2022, with new photos, the addition of a FAQ section, and expanded tips.