This broccoli salad brings back memories of my childhood when we were with the old order Amish community. We loved summer camping trips where my grandmother (who was born and raised in Lancaster County Pennsylvania) always brought the best salads, sweets, snacks and more! When I saw this recipe in my Mother-in-law’s Lancaster Amish cookbook, I jumped at the chance to try it and was delighted to find it tasted just like Grandma’s!
You might also enjoy our recipes for Amish ham salad, Amish potato salad and Amish macaroni salad.
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Amish broccoli salad
Ingredients
- 8 cups broccoli florets cut or separated into bite sized pieces
- 1 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup red or yellow onions diced
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries *see substitutes
- 8 slices cooked and crumbled bacon
Dressing:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar can add to taste
- 3 tablespoons white vinegar
- dash or two of salt
Instructions
- Cut broccoli into bite sized pieces, then place into a large mixing bowl along with crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, dried cranberries and diced onion.
- Whisk mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar and salt together until smooth and well combined. You can also use and immersion blender to dissolve the sugar into the dressing.
- Combine the broccoli mixture with the dressing until evenly coated, then allow to chill for several hours to overnight to allow the flavors to develop. Serve and enjoy! Storage notes below.
Notes
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Ingredients needed for this easy Broccoli Salad: Cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, vinegar, granulated sugar, mayonnaise, broccoli, dried cranberries and diced onion.
Can pre-shredded cheddar cheese be used?
Yes, I use pre-shredded cheddar a lot in this recipe. Freshly shredded cheddar cheese tastes better, but not enough to make a huge difference. You could also use bacon bits instead of crumbled bacon strips, but there again, fresh is best.
Step 1: Prepare the broccoli, cheddar cheese, diced onion, crumbled bacon and cranberries, then place into a medium-large mixing bowl.
My favorite method for cooking bacon:
Since I started baking bacon instead of frying it, I have never gone back. Baking the bacon on a parchment or foil lined baking sheet leaves less mess and cooks the bacon more evenly. Place the bacon strips on a lined baking sheet, then bake at 400-425 degrees (F.) for 10 minutes, or until the bacon has crisped up to your preference.
Step 2: Combine the dressing ingredients, whisking until smooth and well combined. Pour over the broccoli salad.
Tip* You can use an immersion blender or even food blender for this step if you prefer to get the sugar dissolved completely.
Step 3: Combine the broccoli mixture with the homemade dressing until well combined with the salad ingredients. Chill the broccoli salad for several hours-overnight to allow the flavors to blend and develop.
Last step: Serve and enjoy! This broccoli salad pairs well with casseroles like Amish yumasetti casserole, tuna casserole, pizza casserole or crockpot barbequed chicken!
Storage notes:
Keep this broccoli salad refrigerated for up to 3 days. I do not recommend storing it for longer because the broccoli starts to soften and loose its delicious crunch. I also do not recommend freezing this broccoli salad because the fresh broccoli can break down and become soggy in the freezer.
Thank you for stopping by and I pray you may know the love of Jesus that passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:19.
Feel free to pin or print this recipe for later but be sure to leave a rating and comment in exchange. Thank you! -Marilyn Stoltzfus Peight.
