This Broccoli Raisin Salad is dangerously addictive sweet, crunchy, creamy perfection!

I brought this to a family cookout last weekend and it disappeared faster than the burgers. I’ve always been skeptical of sweet broccoli salads, but this one nailed the balance perfectly. The broccoli stays nice and crunchy, the raisins add chewy sweetness, the pecans give that toasted crunch, and the bacon + cheddar make it savory enough that it doesn’t taste like dessert. The creamy dressing is spot-on — tangy, sweet, and coats everything beautifully.

I made it exactly as written the first time and it was excellent, but I’ll share my small tweaks below. This is now my go-to summer side dish.

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Ingredients

• Salad:

• 2 heads fresh broccoli (about 6–cups chopped into bite-sized pieces)

• ⅔ cup chopped red onion

• 1 cup chopped pecans

• 1 cup raisins

• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (freshly grated is best)

• 8 slices cooked bacon, crumbled

• Dressing:

• 1 cup mayonnaise

• ½ cup sugar (I cut it to ⅓ cup next time and it was still plenty sweet)

• ½ cup white vinegar

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Directions

• Cut the broccoli into small bite-sized florets (I like them pretty small so they’re easy to eat). Add to a large mixing bowl.
• Add the chopped red onion, toasted pecans, raisins, shredded cheddar, and crumbled bacon.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayo, sugar, and white vinegar until completely smooth. It should look glossy and creamy.
• Pour the dressing over the broccoli mixture and toss gently until everything is evenly coated. Don’t be afraid to get in there with your hands (gloves help).
• Cover and refrigerate for at least 3–4 hours (I did 5 hours and it was perfect). The flavors really come together after chilling and the broccoli softens just a tiny bit while staying crunchy.

My Notes & Tweaks:

• Toasting the pecans made a huge difference just 5-6 minutes in a dry skillet on medium heat until fragrant. Adds so much more flavor.
• The dressing is quite sweet. First time I used the full ½ cup sugar and it was great, but next batch I’ll probably do ⅓ cup because my family prefers it a touch more tangy.
• Make sure your broccoli is very fresh and dry before mixing wet broccoli makes the dressing watery.
• This salad holds up surprisingly well. It was still excellent the next day for lunch.
• I used thick-cut bacon and it stayed nice and crispy even after chilling.

This is one of those recipes that looks simple but everyone asks for the recipe. It’s perfect for potlucks, BBQs, or just meal prep because it makes a big bowl.

Pro tip: Double the bacon. You can never have too much.