This broccoli cashew salad is packed with bacon, broccoli, cashews, red onion, water chestnuts, and raisins smothered in a creamy mayo-based dressing.
Why this recipe works
Broccoli cashew salad has quickly become my favorite party salad. The added crunch from the cashews and the sweetness from the raisins give it layers of texture and flavor. Everything melds together extremely well as it chills in the refrigerator with the dressing leaving it with the perfect amount of subtle crunch.
While we’ll always love a classic broccoli salad, it’s fun to switch up and incorporate different ingredients. You can also make this salad with craisins for the holidays!
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
BROCCOLI – Grab 2 large crowns of broccoli, or change it up with 1 head of broccoli and 1 head of cauliflower.
CASHEWS – The star ingredient alongside broccoli is the cashews of course. If you really wanted to, you can substitute with another type of nut. Walnuts or peanuts would also be tasty!
RAISINS – Raisins add a nice bit of sweetness to this salad. You can easily substitute with dried cranberries during the holiday season for a festive touch.
BACON – You’ll need about 8 slices, but who are we to tell you how much bacon to use? You can substitute with bacon bits or precooked bacon that you heat up in the microwave to save some time, but making it fresh is always best.
ONION – Red onions are perfect for salads because they are sweeter and less pungent compared to yellow or white.
DRESSING – Mayo, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and salt combine to make the creamy dressing. Feel free to use low-fat mayo or optionally replace half of the mayo with Greek yogurt.
How to Make Broccoli Cashew Salad
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Combine dressing ingredients in a large mixing bowl, stirring with a rubber spatula until sugar dissolves.
- To a large mixing bowl, add broccoli, bacon, cashews, red onion, raisins, and water chestnuts.
- Add dressing and stir to combine, ensuring all ingredients are coated.
- Cover with plastic wrap or lid and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, overnight is better.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
Store any leftovers in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The longer the salad sits in the dressing, the softer it becomes – but it still tastes great!
This salad is best the day it’s made. However, you can prepare both the salad and the dressing and store them separately in the refrigerator a day in advance. Assemble the dressing and salad 2 hours before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Broccoli cashew salad is perfect for potlucks and parties of all sorts. Serve it up alongside grilled meats in the summer or bring it to holiday dinners – it’s so versatile it goes well with everything! Allow it to chill for at least two hours in the refrigerator before digging in.
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Broccoli Cashew Salad
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- 2 pounds fresh broccoli 2 large crowns, cut into florets. About 7 cups
- 6 ounces bacon cooked and chopped
- 1 cup cashew halves and pieces
- ¼ cup chopped red onion 1.25 ounces
- ½ cup raisins 2.7 ounces
- ⅓ cup chopped water chestnuts 2 ounces
Dressing
- 1 ½ cups mayonnaise
- 3 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- You can easily substitute the raisins with dried cranberries during the holiday season for a festive touch.
- Feel free to use low-fat mayo or optionally replace half of the mayo with Greek yogurt.
Instructions
- Combine dressing ingredients in a large mixing bowl, stirring with a rubber spatula until sugar dissolves.
- To a large mixing bowl, add broccoli, bacon, cashews, red onion, raisins, and water chestnuts.
- Add dressing and stir to combine, ensuring all ingredients are coated.
- Cover with plastic wrap or lid and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, overnight is better.
Expert Tips & FAQs
- Storage – Store any leftovers in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The longer the salad sits in the dressing, the mushier it becomes – but it still tastes great!
- Make Ahead – This salad is best the day it’s made. However, you can prepare both the salad and the dressing and store them separately in the refrigerator a day in advance. Assemble the dressing and salad 2 hours before serving.
Nutrition
Amanda Davis
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marian says
This broccoli salad is an absolutely fabulous recipe and since there are never any leftovers there’s no problem about storing it. I tweak it to suit low sodium needs by using low sodium turkey bacon, replace the water chestnuts the family doesn’t like with unsalted sunflower seeds, and always toss in dried cranberries. The longer you can store it before eating the better it tastes, and just before serving I add either either Ken’s Lite Sweet Vidalia Onion or Poppy Seed dressing.