Sweet and Tangy Broccoli Salad

This salad is a hit any time i make it....i add 1cup of peanuts or cashews and 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese....and i use red wine vinegar......always bring home an empty bowl. It is a crunchy, sweet and tangy salad!!

I make this salad, given to me by mom-in-law. The only diff is that instead of raisins, we use pecans...the sweet flaor of these nuts truly make a diff. Also, we add cheddar cheese for an extra kick!

Because I'm low on mayonnaise, I used half mayonnaise and half sour cream. The mayonnaise/sour cream I used are reduced fat. I threw in a half cup or so of shredded sharp cheddar cheese. I liked the combination of ingredients together which surprized me--it was a wonderful salty/sweet combination. Not something that I would make every day because of the calorie count but for those PMS cravings, this is just what I wanted while still eating semi-healthy. Hey, broccoli is healthy! ;)

I loved this salad, although I did make a few changes. I used only 1/2 pound bacon just for the saltyness, used sliced red grapes instead of raisins,(green would work too) I don't use sugar, so I whisked together 1/8 cup of warmed honey with the mayo, and I used 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar, and 2 tablespoons sliced and toasted almonds. Everyone loved it, no leftovers!

I have made variations of this broccoli salad for years. I used craisins instead of raisins and added about 3/4 cup of grated cheddar cheese. I made the sauce as is and thought it was a little sweet for our taste. I added a little more mayo and vinegar and it was perfect. If you like it really sweet - I would make as is. If you prefer a tangier sauce I would start with 1/4 cup of sugar and adjust according to your taste. Thanks for the recipe, Dina!

A neighbor friend just gave me this same recipe a few days ago, minus the raisins. She said it's her family's favorite salad, and is so delicious, the dressing is what makes the whole thing wonderful. I'm getting some fresh broccoli when I get to the grocery store tomorrow!

I have been looking all over for a Broccoli Salad that was similar to a salad that was served with a local fish fry that my family fell in love with. I have combed the internet and have tried 6 so far then I tried this recipe. This by far is THE BEST!. As a matter of fact this recipe even topped the original salad we loved so much. I do recommend however since I made this twice in a 24 hour period LOL, that you do not drain the bacon grease. It is not that much grease and the flavor goes throughout the entire salad. What an awesome salad! Thanks Dina for sharing this!

Love it! I added some sharp grated cheddar and used halved red grapes because I didn't have raisins. I think next time I will throw in some sunflower seeds.

With so many similar recipes, this is the one. Simplest is best without the extra nuts, fruit, etc., that other recipes use. This is just the way my aunt makes it, and it is devoured quickly. (I did use apple cider vinegar rather than white, but I'm not sure it really makes a difference).

I add 1 cup green seedless grapes sliced lengthwise,1 cup red seedless grapes also cut lengthwise and 1 cup slivered almonds. I also do not use the vinegar. I never have any leftovers!I give this 5 stars with my additions!!

I love this recipe! I use non-fat plain greek yogurt instead of the mayo for a healthier version, and it comes out just as tasty.

Made this a couple of times now. We added the grapes cut in half & cheddar cheese, that others suggested, this last time & like it even better. Quick & easy.

Fantastic! Make sure the bacon is crispy, and I personally do not use raisins in this-I halve red grapes and use those, instead. It's wonderful!!!

Very good...I used bagged broccoli florets and another bag of shredded broccoli with carrots. I lessened the amount of sugar to 1/3 cup. Then I added sliced almonds instead of raisins, and I used bacon chips instead of real bacon. It's excellent.

Love this salad. Made no changes and it was gone in a short time at a pot luck.

It was just ok. I think the dressing was kind of bland and maybe I should have made it the night before but even the next day it was just ok. I saw one reviewer added cheddar cheese, I think this would have improved it greatly.

I made this and a couple other things for a home cooked valentine's day meal, and it wasn't bad! Next time though, I may try dialing down on the sugar. It was a bit too sweet for my fiance.

Too much bacon. I would use maybe 1/2 of what's called for. I also added the cheddar cheese. It was good.

Thank you! This is my new replacement for potato salad! Made exactly as stated! Absolutely great! Joe Anne Kennedy

Simple and delicious. I didn't have white distilled vinagar on hand so i used apple cider vinagar. It was a big hit at my family gathering

We always add sunflower seeds. I make the dressing the night before- more creamy

This is a rip-off of my recipe, except the only thing changed was I use brown sugar and red wine vinegar, and they add no element of crunch with adding some kind of a nut. Even the cooking instructions were copied and pasted from my recipe. I suppose try making the salad both ways, I know which one I prefer.

I made this and was very surprised that my husband not only liked, but loved it. He said he didn't like cold broccoli until he ate this. He took the entire container with him to work! The only thing I didn't like was that the dressing was a bit watery but the flavors were perfect.

Awesome! Always a crowd pleaser!

I also like to add shredded cheddar cheese and instead of raisins I use craisins. It's definitely a crowd pleaser.

Simple and easy! One of the favorite side dishes at my parties. I used less sugar than what was recommended, otherwise didn't change a thing.

Very good, I'm sure, as is. This is just to let you know that I had to leave out the nuts and raisens to please my husband and it was still good. I also only had mozerella cheese and it was fine, but I think it will be much better as instructed with the sharp cheddar. I think next time, I will use the wine vinegar as one reviewer suggested, and maybe cut back alittle on the mayo.

It is ok, but not my taste.

Was awesome and a refreshing change from a regular salad. I used half the sugar and red wine in place of white vinegar as some users have mentioned. The recipe seems to make quite a bit of dressing for the amount this salad makes, which causes some pools of dressing. I would recommend adding a bag of broccoli slaw, which is not in the ingredients but appears to be in the picture.

Very tasty but I felt it had too much vinegar. Everyone loved it. I added cashews and sunflower seeds for a nice crunch. I also like to slightly blanch the broccoli which takes the raw taste away.

added some pinenuts

Best of bridge too

Everyone loved it!!!

I have been accused of bring store bought salad with this one its so good. I had to show the recipe to prove I made it. I use cashews, and add more bacon and cranberries.

Great recipe. I made it healthy by substituting turkey bacon, light Hellmon's mayonnaise, and Splenda. Also used mixed gold and brown raisins to vary the flavor a bit. It tasted as good as the original version. Even the skeptical people at my office loved it (and I didn't tell them it was healthy!)

Excellent! Very easy salad to make that had fantastic reviews by all!! I added shredded cheddar, cashews and sunflower seeds. Will definitely make it again!

I made this for a barbecue and it was a favorite on the salad table. It's sweet, crunchy, tangy, smokey, slightly salty (bacon), and fresh. Best of all it's moderately healthy and easy to make. I will definitely make this again.

This is a great starter for a basic, delicious broccoli salad. If you're trying to eat healthier, you can cut the amount of mayonnaise, sugar, and red wine vinegar (which I use in place of white vinegar) in half like I did and it will still taste great - the flavors will still be very pronounced! I know a lot of people added cheddar to this recipe, but I prefer feta. I use a mix of craisins and golden raisins instead of raisins. I also add cashews to the mix. Tip: let the salad soak for at least a couple of hours before eating to give the flavors a chance to marry!

I had looked for a salad like what we were served at a local Elks lodge dinner. The only change I made was cranberries instead of raisins which I don't care for. Yummy, crunchy thanks for posting it.

I love, love, love this salad! I like to blanch the broccoli so it's just slightly tender. I also use half sour cream, half mayo, grapes instead of raisins, and add white cheddar cheese. Sometimes I add some carrots for color. It's sooo good! I'm going to try using cranberries the next time I make it.