This is a delicious salad that takes just a few minutes to make. It is creamy from the dressing and has a wonderful balance of flavours, with little pops of sweetness from the currants and savouriness from the sunflower seeds. It doesn’t taste particularly vegetabley strangely, probably because of the dressing, so might be liked by those not especially fond of veg.

What do I need to make crunchy broccoli salad

for 4 generous portions

• an average sized head of broccoli
• 125g sunflower seeds
• 125g currants
• 4 spring onions
• 4 rashers bacon
• Dressing
• 125g mayonnaise
• 1 tblsp brown sugar
• 1 tblsp cider vinegar

How do I make broccoli salad with raisins and bacon

• Whisk all the dressing ingredients together
• Fry, grill or airfry the bacon until crisp
• Chop the bacon into small pieces
• Chop the head of broccoli very small – pieces the size of a pea
• Mix all the salad ingredients together
• Add the dressing and mix very well
• Top with the crispy bacon, or stir through if you prefer

How to store broccoli salad

This salad will sit quite happily in the fridge for several days, even with the dressing on.  Keep it in a covered bowl or lidded box or it night dry out. I currently have a bowl that’s been in the fridge for 6 days so far – I have a little every day – and it’s still the same as when I made it

Fresh vegetables like broccoli will not freeze and defrost with the same texture, so freezing is not recommended.

Variations on a broccoli salad theme

• swap out the broccoli for cauliflower or even super finely shredded cabbage of any colour
• use any dried fruit you have available in place of the currants – raisins, cranberries or chopped apricots for instance
• similarly, any seeds can be substituted for the sunflower seeds – I would try pumpkin seeds first as I love them, then perhaps sesame seeds
• use a few crescents of red onion in place of the spring onions
• swap out the dressing for any that you prefer or have on hand – see this three bean salad recipe for ideas
• any vinegar except malt can be used in the dressing, malt would be too strong and overpowering
• add a tin of drained tuna, butter beans, strips of chicken, prawns or flaked almonds
• add chopped gherkins or capers, fine sliced chilli or julienne of ginger

Tamsin’s salad

I first came across this salad at one of my u3a groups  – Cookalong. This is where ten of us all make something to a theme, take the dish along and all taste each others, waddling home at the end quite often!

The broccoli salad was called Tamsin’s Salad at Cookalong as the woman that brought it used one of her daughter’s recipes. In trying to give proper credit for the origin, I am a bit stumped as Tamsin got it from her late husband’s sister, who can’t remember where she first got it!

In any event, we all loved it and several of us have made it, and here I am passing to on to you and I hope you like it as much as I do!  I made it for my own daughter when we were away for a couple of days in her camper van, and she has subsequently made it herself for work lunches, as she does love her veggies, and who knows, one or two of her colleagues might also have the recipe now!

Other salads you might like

Brown Rice Chicken Salad

Shredded Brussel Sprout Salad

Three Bean Salad