Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Cheese

This easy Broccoli Salad is loaded up with bacon, cheese, and a 3-ingredient sweet-and-tangy salad dressing. We call it Piggly Wiggly salad in the Midwest, and it's the ultimate year-round party side dish.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings (1/3 cup) servings

Calories 232kcal

Author Meggan Hill

Ingredients

4 cups broccoli florets bite-sized, from 2 bunches
4 cups cauliflower florets bite-sized, from 1 head
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 pound bacon fried and crumbled (see notes)
1 cup red onion diced
2 cups mayonnaise (see notes)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup white vinegar

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To make the dressing, In a small bowl whisk together mayonnaise, sugar, and vinegar. In a large bowl, combine broccoli, cauliflower, onion, cheese, and bacon.
Pour dressing mixture to taste over the salad ingredients and toss well until evenly coated.

Video

Notes

Lots of dressing: This recipe makes A LOT of dressing, probably more than you need. If you are worried about calories, make half the dressing. You'll still have plenty.
Make ahead. In my opinion, broccoli salad is best when you cover it and let it sit in the fridge for a couple of hours before serving. Just like the deli at Piggly Wiggly!
Leftovers: Leftover Piggly Wiggly is just the best, maybe even better than the first day. Store leftover salad in an airtight container and use it within 4 days.
Should I blanch the broccoli and cauliflower? No, please don't. It completely changes the texture and flavor of the salad.
Can I substitute frozen vegetables?: This isn't going to work either. I think thawed-out frozen veggies change the consistency too much, just like blanching.
Can I use a food processor to speed up my prep? I tried this a few years ago, and it turned my broccoli and cauliflower into a sloppy mess. Zero stars, do not recommend.
Can I freeze it? This salad does not freeze well.

Nutrition