Easy Broccoli Crunch Salad

This easy, colorful Broccoli Crunch Salad is the perfect salad for your upcoming parties and gatherings. Packed with broccoli, cheese, pomegranate, bacon, red onion and creamy delicious dressing!

Broccoli Crunch Salad

If you’re looking for the perfect salad for your next party, Holiday or family gathering this is just the salad for you! I used to get a similar salad at Whole Foods and this is just as delicious. You’ll love the broccoli, cheese, pomegranate, bacon, red onion and creamy delicious dressing!

Be sure to try my Quinoa Salad recipe too. Follow Picky Palate on Instagram for daily recipe inspiration.

What You’ll Need

Let’s take a look at the ingredients you’ll need to make my broccoli crunch salad! See recipe card at bottom of post for full instructions.

• broccoli– You can get a large head of broccoli and remove the florets yourself, or get a bag of florets already cut in the produce section. I chop the brocolli florets in even smaller pieces for the salad.
• red onion– Make sure you finely chop the red onion. I’ve found small pieces are best.
• almonds– I used Marcona almonds with sea salt for my salad today. Any of your favorite nuts work great. Sunflower seeds, walnuts, pecans etc.
• cheddar cheese– In the cheese section, you can often times find cheddar cheese that is already cubed. You can also cube your own cheese from a block of cheddar cheese.
• pomegranate arils– This is referring to the seeds inside the pomegranate. There are good videos online if you need help cutting a pomegranate. I found pomegranate seeds already removed and sold in a little container at my Trader Joe’s if you don’t want to mess with cutting one. You can also use craisins in place of the pomegranate if you’d like.
• cooked bacon– Use microwave ready bacon for the fastest option. Homemade cooked bacon is definitely better tasting, but either is great.
• mayonnaise– Use a full fat mayonnaise for best tasting results.
• apple cider vinegar– Find apple cider vinegar in the salad dressing section in many grocery stores.

How To Make Broccoli Crunch Salad

1. Place broccoli, red onion, pomegranate, almonds, cheese and bacon into a large mixing bowl.

2. Prepare dressing by placing mayonnaise and apple cider vinegar in a medium bowl, stir until well combined. Pour dressing over broccoli and salad additions. Stir until well coated. Add a little freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Use a large spoon to gently combine all ingredients with salad dressing.

Variations and Substitutions

• One of the great things about this salad is you can substitute many of the ingredients to your liking. For a vegetarian version substitute the bacon for some chickpeas.
• If you have a different cheese you like more than cheddar cheese, use it. Pepperjack, Swiss, Parmesan…they all work great.
• If you prefer a different kind of nut other than almonds, that’s no problem either. Pecans, walnuts, sunflower seeds, pistachios etc work great.
• If you don’t have the pomegrate, use craisins or even sliced red seedless grapes.

3. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Flavors enhance as it chills in the refrigerator.

How To Serve

Serve broccoli salad at your upcoming parties, Holiday celebrations, and any family gathering. Makes a great salad and appetizer for your guests. Salad flavors enhance the longer it sits in the refrigerator. I recommend letting sit covered in refrigerator for 2 hours before serving. Before serving, garnish with additional pomegranate arils (seeds).

How To Store Leftovers

Store any leftover broccoli salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. I don’t recommend freezing this salad.

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