Easy Broccoli Salad with Bacon

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This easy broccoli salad with bacon is a cool summer side dish made with crisp broccoli, crunchy almonds, parmesan cheese, and a creamy tangy dressing. It is simple to make ahead for BBQs, cookouts, quick lunches, or busy family dinners.

Serve it with Puerto Rican Baked Chicken (Pollo al Horno) for an easy dinner idea, or pair it with Ensalada de Pepino (Cucumber Salad) when you want another cold side dish during warmer months.

Creamy broccoli salad with bacon, red onion, almonds, and parmesan cheese served as an easy cold summer side dish.

What Is Broccoli Salad with Bacon?

Broccoli salad with bacon is a cold side dish known for its mix of crisp texture, creamy dressing, and salty crunch. It is usually served chilled, which makes it a popular choice for summer meals, cookouts, potlucks, and make-ahead lunches.

It is also easy to adjust based on what you already have at home, which is one reason it works well for family meals and budget-friendly side dishes.

Why This Broccoli Salad Works for Summer

Cold side dishes are always helpful during the summer because they can be made ahead and pulled straight from the refrigerator when needed. This broccoli salad works well for cookouts, simple dinners, meal prep, and busy weekdays when you need something easy already prepared.

The creamy dressing, crispy bacon, and crunchy broccoli give the salad plenty of texture while still keeping the recipe simple enough for everyday cooking.

If you have never made broccoli salad before, do not worry. The quick boil helps soften the broccoli just enough while still keeping that fresh crunch people enjoy in cold salads. Then the ice bath helps keep the broccoli bright and crisp instead of soft.

Cold broccoli salad with bacon, almonds, parmesan cheese, and red onion in a creamy dressing served as an easy summer side dish.

An Affordable Summer Side Dish

To keep this realistic, I estimated the cost by looking at the amount of each ingredient used in the recipe, not the full package price. For example, the table only counts a few slices of bacon, a small amount of onion, and part of the almonds and parmesan cheese.

Prices are based on regular grocery store pricing in my area of Pennsylvania when I put this recipe together. Your total may be different depending on store sales, brands, bulk purchases, and where you shop.

Ingredient	Estimated Cost
Broccoli florets	$0.75
Red onion	$0.20
Bacon	$0.80
Almonds	$0.35
Parmesan cheese	$0.25
Dressing ingredients	$0.45
Estimated Total	About $2.80
Per Serving (4 servings)	About $0.70

Step-by-step collage showing ingredients, dressing preparation, broccoli cooking, and mixing for an easy broccoli salad with bacon.

Meal Prep and Storage Tips

This broccoli salad stores well in the refrigerator, which makes it helpful for meal prep during busy weeks. I usually keep leftovers in containers similar to these Rubbermaid Brilliance food storage containers because they stack easily in the refrigerator and help keep salads fresh for lunches the next day.

Easy Broccoli Salad with Bacon

Yield: 4 Servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Additional Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

This easy broccoli salad with bacon is a cool and creamy summer side dish made with crisp broccoli, crunchy almonds, parmesan cheese, and a flavorful homemade dressing.

It is simple enough for busy weeknights but also works well for BBQs, cookouts, potlucks, meal prep, and family dinners.

The fresh texture and easy grocery store ingredients make this cold broccoli salad a favorite during warmer months.

Ingredients

2 cups broccoli florets
Salt
1 Red onion, thinly sliced
4 Bacon strips, cooked until crispy
¼ cup almonds, chopped
¼ Cup parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp mayo
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp dijon mustard
½ Tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season it with salt. While the water heats, prepare a large bowl with ice water for the broccoli after cooking.
Add the broccoli florets to the boiling water and cook briefly until the broccoli turns bright green and becomes slightly tender while still staying crisp.
Drain the broccoli carefully and transfer it immediately to the ice bath. Let it cool completely, then drain again and pat dry well with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.
Add the cooled broccoli florets to a large mixing bowl along with the red onion, bacon, almonds, and parmesan cheese.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayo, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until the dressing looks creamy and fully combined.
Pour the dressing over the broccoli mixture and toss well until everything is evenly coated.
Cover the salad and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes before serving so the flavors have time to blend together.

Notes

Do not skip the ice bath. After the broccoli cooks, placing it in ice water stops it from getting too soft and helps keep the broccoli bright green and crisp.
Dry the broccoli well before mixing the salad. Extra water can thin out the dressing and make the salad watery.
Let the salad chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving. This gives the dressing time to coat the broccoli and helps the flavors come together.
Cook the bacon until it is crispy before adding it to the salad. Softer bacon can get chewy once it sits in the dressing.
Sunflower seeds can be used instead of almonds if that is what you have at home.
Cheddar cheese can be used instead of parmesan cheese if needed.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.