This easy recipe for Amish broccoli salad combines chopped broccoli, chopped cauliflower, diced red onion, sunflower seeds, and raisins combined with a creamy dressing all topped with crispy bacon bits.
As summer salad season approaches, a traditional Amish broccoli cauliflower salad recipe is a great way to enjoy chopped fresh broccoli florets and cauliflower florets at the peak of their freshness and flavors.
If you love broccoli you will want to read my guide on how to cook broccoli, try the Asian broccoli side dish and my chicken broccoli rice casserole.
Jump to:
🥦 Ingredients needed:
- ½ pound bacon, chopped and cooked crisp
- 4 cups broccoli, chopped about 1 head
- 4 cups cauliflower, chopped about 1 head
- ¾ cup raisins, golden raisins are used in this recipe
- ½ cup finely diced red onion
- ⅓ cup sunflower seeds, salted (use any extra to make sunflower butter)
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 2 Tablespoons vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cheese crumbles
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
📝 Ingredient notes:
- If following my chef tip be sure to reserve your bacon fat drippings.
- I found the 1 cup may and the ¾ cup sour cream was the perfect ratio of dressing for this recipe. But if it is too much for you, cut it back. If you like it a bit more creamy, add a few tablespoons of each until you get the consistency that you love.
- Chop the broccoli and the cauliflower small enough that you can have a piece of each with each bite.
- Finely diced red onion is what I use in this recipe. I love the added color but if you prefer a sweet white onion, feel free to swap out the red onion for the white one.
- This recipe calls for white vinegar but I know some Amish cooks will use apple cider vinegar. Both are delicious. Use what speaks to your heart.
🔄 Substitutions
Not a fan of broccoli? No problem! Switch out the broccoli for cauliflower! Out of Cauliflower? No worries! Make the recipe with all broccoli florets.
The mayonnaise can be swapped out for Miracle whip.
I have seen some recipes that will leave out the sour cream and substitute in greek yogurt. There are so many variations of this delicious salad recipe.
I use golden raisins in this recipe but regular dark raisins could also be used. Or leave them out! The choice is up to you.
This recipe calls for white vinegar but I know some Amish cooks will use apple cider vinegar. Both are delicious. Use what speaks to your heart.
Other delicious additions to this perfect summer side dish could be pumpkin seeds in place of the sunflower seeds, diced red or green bell pepper, a few green onions, finely sliced, or switch out the raisins for unsweetened cranberries.
🔪 How to make Amish broccoli salad, basic instructions
- Chop and crisp the bacon in a pan, reserving bacon fat, if desired.
- While the bacon is cooking, chop the broccoli crowns, and cauliflower head, and finely dice the onion.
- Whisk together the sweet dressing ingredients.
- In a large bowl combine all the raw vegetables, cheese, raisins, and seeds.
- Once the bacon is crisped, add it to the salad.
- Toss to combine and pour the dressing over top of the salad.
- Stir until all the ingredients are thoroughly coated.
📷 How to make broccoli salad, photo instructions
- In a heavy bottom or cast iron pan, cook the chopped bacon until crisp. Reserve bacon fat if using it in the dressing.
2. While the bacon is cooking, chop the raw broccoli, head of cauliflower, finely dice the onion and break the sharp cheddar cheese into small pieces.
3. Add all the raw salad ingredients to a big bowl.
4. In a separate bowl combine the sugar, salt, vinegar and then whisk in the mayo and the sour cream.
5. Add the bacon fat to the dressing, if using.
6. Add the cooked bacon to the salad and toss to combine.
7. Pour all the dressing over the broccoli salad, stir to combine and make sure all the vegetables are evenly coated.
8. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
👩🍳 Chef Tip
To make your Amish broccoli salad extra flavorful, add 2 Tablespoons of liquid bacon grease to the dressing. Be sure to incorporate it well before pouring the dressing over the rest of the broccoli salad.
📄 Related Recipes
- Knorr Spinach Dip Recipe2 Hours 15 Minutes
- Hawaiian Pasta Salad Recipe20 Minutes
- Fried Pickle Spears {Disneyland}20 Minutes
- Sous Vide Cauliflower Recipe57 Minutes
Amish Broccoli Salad
There is more to a recipe than just the recipe card. Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Ingredients
- ½ pound bacon (chopped and cooked crisp, 2 Tablespoons grease reserved (optional))
- 4 cups broccoli (chopped about 1 head)
- 4 cups cauliflower (chopped about 1 head)
- ¾ cup raisins (golden raisins are used in this recipe)
- ½ cup finely diced red onion
- ⅓ cup sunflower seeds (salted)
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 2 Tablespoons vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cheese crumbles
Instructions
- In a heavy bottom or cast iron pan, cook the chopped bacon until crisp. Reserve bacon fat if using it in the dressing.
- While the bacon is cooking, chop the raw broccoli, head of cauliflower, finely dice the onion and break the sharp cheddar cheese into small pieces.
- Add all the raw salad ingredients to a big bowl.
- In a separate bowl combine the sugar, salt, vinegar and then whisk in the mayo and the sour cream.
- Add the bacon fat to the dressing, if using.
- Add the cooked bacon to the salad and toss to combine.
- Pour all the dressing over the broccoli salad, stir to combine and make sure all the vegetables are evenly coated.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclosure
Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
Sharing of this recipe to social media is both encouraged and appreciated. Please share the direct link back to the recipe. Copy/Pasting and/or screenshots of the recipe to any social media is strictly prohibited. Content and photographs are copyright protected. SavoringTheGood®
👩🏻🍳 Sarah Mock
CEO/Owner/Founder/Culinary Blogger
Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 13 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.
Janis Fleck
Needs Mushrooms. Doesn't need sugar. Otherwise, perfect, but what makes it only for Christmas?