This Creamy Broccoli Salad recipe is packed with crisp broccoli florets, shredded sharp cheddar, sweet-tart dried cranberries, crunchy sunflower seeds, and a tangy mayo dressing that ties it all together.
It takes just 30 minutes to make, holds up beautifully in the fridge, and is one of the most requested side dishes every time I bring it to a potluck or barbecue.
My husband is a huge fan of broccoli salad. Back when we lived in Canada, there was a small deli in town that served sandwiches with a broccoli cheddar salad on the side. He was obsessed with it. So I recreated it at home, and this version has been on repeat in our house ever since.
Why You’ll Love This Broccoli Salad
- Ready in 30 minutes with no cooking required
- Make-ahead friendly! It actually gets better the longer it sits
- Always a crowd-pleaser at potlucks, BBQs, and holiday dinners
- Easy to customize with different mix-ins and add-ons
Ingredients Needed
Here’s the basic list of ingredients you’ll need in order to make this creamy Broccoli Cheddar Salad at home. As always, you can find the full list of ingredients located in the printable recipe card below.
- Dried Cranberries – gives the salad a sweet and tart bite that really pops
- Broccoli Florets – chopped into smaller bite-size pieces
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese – this gives the salad a creamy texture that takes it to the next level
- Sunflower Seeds – you can swap with sliced almonds or any other nut if desired
- Purple Onion – you can soak the purple onion in water for about 10 minutes to reduce the sharpness of the onion if you don’t like the raw onion taste.
The Secret to Better Dried Cranberries
Instead of tossing dried cranberries straight from the bag into the salad, soak them in hot water for 10 minutes first. Drain them well before adding.
This simple step plumps them back up so they’re juicier and more flavorful; and they don’t compete with the dressing for moisture. You can also soak them in orange juice for an extra layer of flavor.
Variations and Mix-In Ideas
This salad is very flexible. Here are some of my favorite ways to switch it up:
- Add bacon: Crumbled crispy bacon takes this salad to another level. You can quickly cook bacon using my Air Fryer Bacon method!
- Use a mix of broccoli and broccoli slaw: Swap half the broccoli florets for broccoli slaw for extra crunch and texture.
- Switch the nuts: Chopped pecans, roasted cashews, or sliced almonds all work well.
- Swap the dried fruit: Golden raisins or regular raisins work great instead of cranberries.
- Cube the cheese: Small cubes of sharp cheddar give a different texture than shredded, and mimic the deli version even more closely.
- Lighten the dressing: Substitute half the mayo with plain Greek yogurt to cut calories while keeping the dressing creamy.
Make-Ahead Tips and Storage
Make ahead: This salad is ideal for making 1-2 hours ahead. The broccoli softens slightly in the dressing, which most people prefer over the raw crunch. You can also prep the salad and dressing separately and combine them right before serving if you want maximum crunch.
If you love make-ahead sides, my Creamy Cucumber Salad is another great one!
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Give it a toss before serving. The broccoli will soften more over time but it remains delicious.
Freezing: Not recommended. The mayo-based dressing breaks down and the broccoli gets mushy when frozen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Make it the night before and refrigerate. The broccoli will soften slightly, which most people actually prefer. Toss again before serving.
Up to 3 days in an airtight container. It’s best within the first 24 hours but still good on day 3.
No. This recipe uses raw broccoli. If you prefer softer broccoli, you can blanch it briefly (30 seconds in boiling water, then immediately into ice water) to get a bright green color and more tender bite while keeping the crunch.
Fresh is strongly recommended. Frozen broccoli becomes mushy when thawed and won’t hold up in the salad.
Plain Greek yogurt works as a 1:1 substitute and makes the dressing lighter. You can also do half mayo, half Greek yogurt. The flavor is slightly tangier but still delicious.
You’re definitely going to want to give this salad a try!
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Broccoli Salad with Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried cranberries, craisins
- 4 cups broccoli florets, chopped bite size pieces
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/2 large purple onion, chopped
- 1/3 cup sunflower seeds, roasted
For the Dressing:
- 1 cup mayo
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, you can also use white wine vinegar or rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup sugar
Instructions
- Combine the 1 cup of dried cranberries with 2 cups of hot water (I just use the hot water from my sink). Let the cranberries sit for 10 minutes so they begin to plump back up. Drain and add to a large bowl.
- Add the broccoli, cheese, onion and sunflower seeds to the large bowl and toss to combine.
For the dressing:
- Whisk together the mayo, apple cider vinegar and sugar until smooth and sugar is dissolved. Pour dressing over broccoli mixture and toss to coat. Keep in fridge until ready to serve. Enjoy!
Anyone use rasins?
You might want to hydrate your craisins with concentrated Orange Juice. That is what I do for many recipes.
Can I make this the day before? Looks so yummy.
Definitely! Just store in the fridge and toss to combine again before serving.
I was wondering the reason for dunking process of the broccoli and then ice water?
I parboil (or blanch) broccoli for color and texture. Dunking it in boiling water will turn it a bright vibrant green color and soften it ever so slightly. Then dunking it immediately in ice water will stop it from cooking and getting soft and it will set that nice color. The broccoli will still be crispy but not so raw that it feels like I have a mouth full of grass seeds.
Has anyone tried parboil brocelli for say a minute or so
I parboil my broccoli before I chop it. I hold 3 heads of broccoli by the stems and dunk the heads in boiling water for 10 seconds and then plunge them into ice water. I drain thoroughly and then cut into florets.
Thanks for the tip, Patty.
I made this to go along with our Easter dinner and it was an absolute hit! I loved the dressing so much! Thank you!