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Home » Side Dishes

Broccoli Salad With Cranraisins

Modified: Apr 24, 2025 · Published: Sep 12, 2023 · by Venessa Mandelkow · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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Love this broccoli salad with cranraisins for its textures, sweet and salty flavor profile, and how easy it is! It is filled with crunchy iceberg lettuce, broccoli florets, smoky bacon, colorful carrots, roasted sunflower seeds and a creamy mayo-based dressing. Oh, and don’t forget about the sweet little pieces of dried cranberries. They are my favorite part and a great addition to this beautiful salad.

white bowl full of broccoli bacon salad with a napkin.

This broccoli bacon salad is perfect side dish recipe. It is a crowd favorite, and I know why—the flavors and textures are out of this world! Plus, the tangy dressing is spoon-licking good.

Jump to:
  • Why You'll Love This Recipe
  • Featured Ingredients
  • Step-By-Step Instructions
  • Tips
  • Ingredient Swaps
  • Variations
  • Storing
  • Low FODMAP Notes
  • FAQs
  • What To Serve With Broccoli Salad
  • Additional Salad Recipes
  • Love This Recipe?
  • Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe

  • Easy Peasy
  • Uses Fresh Ingredients and Homemade Dressing
  • Gluten Free and Low FODMAP

Featured Ingredients

ingredients.
  • Iceberg Lettuce - Crisp, inexpensive lettuce.
  • Broccoli Florets - Texture-filled raw broccoli tops. 
  • Shredded Carrots - Colorful and crunchy.
  • Dried Cranberries - Sweet and tart cranberries.
  • Bacon - Smoky, chewy, salty bacon pieces.
  • Sunflower Seeds - Roasted and salted for a perfect little texture. 
  • Salad Dressing:
    • Mayonnaise - Rich and creamy base for the dressing.
    • White Granulated Sugar - Adds that sweetness.
    • Apple Cider Vinegar - Adds that tang to the dressing.
    • Plain Greek Yogurt - Adds protein and another creamy component. 

See the recipe card for the exact measurements and complete instructions.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Cook the bacon in advance. I love to cook bacon in the oven at 350 degrees F on a baking sheet over a wire rack until crispy.

salad ingredients in a large glass bowl.

Step 1: Chop the lettuce and broccoli florets and place them in a large mixing bowl. Add the shredded carrots, cranberries, and sunflower seeds. Crumble the cooled bacon and add it to the bowl.

medium bowl with dressing ingredients.

Step 2: In a medium bowl, add the mayonnaise, sugar, apple cider vinegar, and yogurt. Whisk until combined. Pour over the salad ingredients and combine.

Chill salad for thirty minutes in the refrigerator and serve.

Tips

Shortcuts Tip: Purchase already chopped ingredients. Save yourself time with pre-chopped ingredients. 

Do not add the dressing until ready to serve. Make the salad up to a day in advance and just keep the dressing separate until ready to eat.

Ingredient Swaps

  • Lettuce Options: Swap out iceberg lettuce for romaine lettuce. 
  • Bacon Options: For a lower-fat option, swap out bacon for turkey bacon or use real bacon bits. 
  • Seed Options: Swap sunflower seeds for pepita seeds, also known as pumpkin seeds. Or toast a handful of pine nuts for a nutty flavor.
  • Vinegar Options: Swap out vinegar for fresh lemon juice. It will add a wonderful brightness to the creamy dressing.

Variations

Broccoli Bacon Salad With Cheese: If you love cheese, add cubed cheddar cheese or crumbled feta cheese. Or, if you really love funky cheese, add some blue cheese. Stick with only one option, though. It will create a cleaner flavor profile, and even cheese lovers will understand. 

Vegetarian Broccoli Salad: Swap out the bacon for either a plant-based bacon, or omit it completely. 

Dairy Free Broccoli Salad: Omit the Greek yogurt and increase the mayonnaise by ½ cup. 

Vegan Broccoli Salad: Omit the bacon and yogurt and use 11/2 cups of vegan mayonnaise.

Storing

Store: Keep the salad covered and store it in the refrigerator. Eat within 1-2 days. The lettuce will begin to wilt, and the dressing will be watery.

Low FODMAP Notes

Low FODMAP information is based on the Monash University Food App and FODMAP Friendly App testing results. I highly recommend using these apps for guidance on ingredients and serving sizes and working with a Low FODMAP dietician.

As always, modify and adjust based on your own tolerance and individual needs on a modified low FODMAP diet.

  • Iceberg Lettuce - Safe at 1½ cups or 75 grams per meal.
  • Broccoli Florets - Safe at ¾ cup or 75 grams per meal.
  • Carrots - Safe at ½ medium size or 75 grams per meal.
  • Dried Cranberries - Safe at 2 tablespoons or 22 grams per meal.
  • Bacon - Safe at 2 strips or 60 grams per meal.
  • Sunflower Seeds - Safe at 2 teaspoons or 6 grams per meal. 
  • Mayonnaise - Safe at 2 tablespoons or 40 grams per meal.
  • White Granulated Sugar - Safe at ¼ cup or 50 grams per meal.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar - Safe at 2 tablespoons or 42 grams per meal.
  • Plain Greek Yogurt - Safe at 23 grams per meal. Use lactose-free Greek yogurt if sensitive to lactose. 

For additional information on a low FODMAP diet, please visit  Monash University or  FODMAP Friendly. Both have websites and apps for additional guidance and testing results.

FAQs

How long can broccoli salad sit outside before it goes bad?

The USDA recommends tossing anything that has been without refrigeration for two hours. However, if the temperature outside is above 90 degrees F, that time is cut in half to one hour. If there is any doubt or the salad smells off, toss it out. Food poisiniong is no fun.

What To Serve With Broccoli Salad

unmixed salad with a spoonful of homemade dressing.

I love to serve this perfect summer side dish with smash burgers and the special burger sauce, a cob of sweet corn, and an oatmeal cookie or two for dessert! It is the quintessential summer meal! Another option is to make BLTs with cottage bacon. This is a quicker summer meal option. This fresh broccoli salad is even a great option for your holiday table. Even the picky eaters will love it.

Additional Salad Recipes

  • Greek Chickpea Rice Salad
  • Doritos Taco Salad
  • Pasta Salad
  • Baby Spinach Salad With Mandarins
  • Carrot Ribbon Salad

Love This Recipe?

Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating + comment. It helps so much, and we love hearing from everyone! Thank You -Venessa

 

Recipe

broccoli salad in a white bowl.

Broccoli Salad With Cranberries

5 from 6 votes
A delicious salad filled with flavorful ingredients and a homemade dressing.
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
Servings: 8 Servings
Author: Venessa Mandelkow
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Ingredients

  • 1 head iceberg lettuce
  • 4 cups broccoli florets
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • ½ cup dried cranberries sweetened
  • 1 pound cooked bacon chopped
  • ¼ cup sunflower seeds salted

Salad Dressing:

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup white granulated sugar
  • 2 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • ½ cup plain greek yogurt
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Instructions

  • In a large bowl, add the chopped iceberg lettuce, broccoli florets, shredded carrots, dried cranberries, chopped bacon and sunflower seeds.
  • In a medium bowl, add the mayonnaise, sugar, apple cider vinegar and greek yogurt. Whisk until combined with no lumps. Set aside.
  • Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients. Stir with a large wooden spoon. Chill for thirty minutes in the refrigerator. This will allow the dressing to soak into the ingredients.

Notes

Store salad in the refrigerator until ingredients begin to wilt and the dressing becomes watery. 
Bacon Tip: Cook the bacon in a preheated 350 degree F oven. Place the strips of bacon on a tin foil-covered baking sheet. Use a wire rack to lift the bacon out of the grease for even crispier bacon. It is a great hands-off way to cook bacon with minimal mess. 
Low FODMAP ingredient information is based on the  Monash University Food App and  FODMAP Friendly App testing results.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1 ServingCalories: 201kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 7gFat: 12gSugar: 10g
Love this recipe?Tag Us @Loveable_Lemons or #loveablelemons

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Hello, I'm Venessa! After a diagnosis that would change how I cook and eat meals, I had to adapt my favorite recipes to be low FODMAP—turning what was once a sour lemon into something loveable. So join me on a delicious journey to falling in love with food again.

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a broccoli salad in a bowl, an unmixed bowl with a spoonful of homemade dressing, ingredients, and a spoonful of salad.

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