Amish Broccoli Salad, happens to be one of our top three most popular recipes ever! As the summer salad season approaches, this beautiful broccoli salad recipe is definitely a keeper! The recipe comes from an Amish woman in Navarre, Ohio.
Navarre is at the northern edge of Ohio's "Amish archipelago." Some of you may know Navarre as home to the Nickle's Bread bakery, the smell of which permeates every corner and crack of the town. The rolling hills and temperate climate of this part of Ohio make it ideal for growing gardens full of broccoli, some of which can be used in this delicious salad recipe. Give it a try!
Broccoli Salad
Amish cooks and gardeners are avid cultivators of broccoli. Here are some tips from Clemson University's agriculture extension department for growing broccoli of your own:
- Packman is an early season broccoli cultivar. In a planting of Packman, most of the main heads will be ready for harvest at the same time. Packman produces many side shoots.
- Everest is resistant to head rot and downy mildew.
- Premium Crop is a mid-season cultivar that produces large main heads on a large plant. This cultivar produces few side shoots.
- Southern Comet is similar to Packman.
Broccoli (Brassica oleracea, Italica Group) is a cool-season vegetable that prefers average temperatures of 65 to 75 F for best growth. Cole crops will "bolt" or produce a flower stalk if exposed to a prolonged cold period of 10 or more continuous days of temperatures between 35 and 50 F following a favorable growing period. The larger the plants are at the time of exposure to the cold period, the higher the incidence of bolting. However, sensitivity to bolting depends on the variety. When planted in the spring, broccoli must be planted early enough to ensure that it is harvested before temperatures become too hot.
A Delicious Spring Salad!
This broccoli salad is one of my favorite salads because it just melds these wonderful sweet and savory flavors together. And, FYI, the salad does fine a day or two later. In fact, I think after having 24 hours for flavors to meld, this broccoli salad tastes better the next day than it does the day of (but either day tastes great!)
You can really try a lot of variations with this. But good, crisp bacon is a must.
Give it a try and you'll be amazed that broccoli salad can be so good! Some people like to toss in raisins and or cranberries.
I have heard from many readers who like to toss some raisins into the salad and you can do that. I have never done it. I'm not a huge raisin fan. I like the recipe just the way it is listed below, which comes directly from the Amish cook in Navarre!
🥦 Ingredients
- 1 head broccoli, chopped
- 1 head cauliflower, chopped
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ pound bacon, fried and crumbled
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
🥗 Instructions
- Combine the chopped broccoli and cauliflower in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, sugar, and salt to make a creamy dressing.
- Add the dressing to the broccoli–cauliflower mix, stirring to evenly coat the vegetables.
- Stir in the bacon and the cheese, reserving a small amount to sprinkle on top of the salad just before serving.
🥗 Perfect Salad Pairings
Amish entrees that go great paired with broccoli salad:
✔️ Full Recipe
Amish Broccoli Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 head broccoli chopped
- 1 head cauliflower chopped
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ pound bacon fried and crumbled
- 1 cup Cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Combine the chopped broccoli and cauliflower in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, sugar, and salt to make a creamy dressing.
- Add the dressing to the broccoli–cauliflower mix, stirring to evenly coat the vegetables.
- Stir in the bacon and the cheese, reserving a small amount to sprinkle on top of the salad just before serving.
Linda Bolt
How long does this broccoli salad last? Is it best made just a few hours before, or can it do well in the refrigerator for a day or two?
Kevin
Definitely a day, two might be pushing it...but, yes, chill the salad first, it's delicious that way!
Linda
Hi, Linda--I find that broccoli salad can easily last three days (maybe more) in the fridge. I make mine a little differently than this recipe by eliminating the sour cream and cauliflower and adding sunflower seeds for the crunch. I make it all year round because it's so good!
Angie Yoder
This has been a go-to recipe for me for years when going to a pitch-in or a potluck dinner. Every time I take it, I get people begging me for the recipe!
june pope
Thanks Angie i will try this,could be a good Church salad
Missy
This is different than the recipe I have been using. Mine has the addition of onions, and no sour cream. I think I'll keep the onions, but add sour cream and see what happens!
Jan
Could you tell me please where on the page I can print the recipe ?
Thanks
Tina
It looks too creamy for my taste - think I'll double the vegetables but not the dressing ingredients. Or half the dressing amounts.
al
Sugar? Get real
Kevin
Trust me, Al, it's heavenly
Dee Dee
I have not tried it yet, however, I would use Stevia. And the Greek Yogurt sounds wonderful and you could do that in a flavored one like apple or berry for flavor. However, I like the idea of adding the apples and berries with the plain yogurt. Going to try this soon.
susan vandergoot
Agree... No sugar, not necessary, to unhealthy!
Kevin
I'll have to try it without sugar sometime, if anyone tries it without sugar, let us know how it tastes. I love the sweetness that it adds...
Ruth Ann
My recipe calls for onion too and YESS......SUGAR!!!!!!!!
Beverly
Yes! The sugar balances the saltiness of the bacon and is delicious!
Sarah
Yeah, the sugar was a bit much. I think maybe 1/4 or 1/3 a cup of sugar would be much better.
Kevin
It is a sweet salad, Sarah, but...mmmm, so good. But, yes, you can adjust the sugar to fit your taste...I like it the way it is but you can easily adjust downward.
michael
realey like your site
Jen
I use Truvia instead of sugar and it is just beyond delish!
sheree
do you cook the broccoli and colliflower first?
Kevin
Sheree, no, you do not...you want the brocc and cauliflower nice and crisp
Faith Bremmer
do u have a printer version for this recipe
Kevin
I'll work on it!
Beverly
No. But I personally would add a little finely chopped onion.
Beverly Herr
looks delicious, wish it was printable.
Kevin
Yes, I am sorry that recipe is tough to print...I'll work on reformatting it soon!
Helen Phillips
I just printed it you can rt. click and click on print to print it.
Sarah
You could always just write it down.
Debbie
So many options but no "Print" option 🙁
Kevin
OKay, Debbie, you were the one that pushed me to to do it - finally!:) Check back, printer-friendly version is there!
Cheryl Siebert
How many servings?
Debbie Swinton
Our sauce:
Cup of kondencemilk
cup of mayonaise
Kevin
Interesting Debbie, thanks for sharing!
Lynn
Yummy! I used plain nonfat greek yogurt instead of sour cream because that's what I had and what we do normally in my house and it was still very tasty. I also added a chopped apple and a handful of dried cranberries 🙂
Kevin
Lynn, yum, those sound like good variations!
JANIE
hello kevin, i just joined your web site, and loved the broccoli/cauliflower salad. just want to tell your subcribers that it is PRINTABLE upper right hand corner it says "Pint".
Kevin
Thank you, Janie, I hope you stick around!
Frances
[email protected]. I am making it for my husband today. We'll see what happens. Thanks Frances.
Kevin
Good luck, Frances, hope you enjoy it. My wife made it for Easter yesterday and it was awesome as always!
Stacey Perkins
Do You have a Amish recipes for Green Tomato Relish with the cabbage in it?
Kevin
Stacey, I will look and get back with you!
Betty Faulkner
This is delicious. I made it & it was fabulous. Will definitely be making again & again.
Kevin
thanks for stopping by, Betty, that is a delicious recipe!
Kimberly
I will be making this for my works Christmas party for about 30 people should I double the recipe. I am hoping it will be good.
Kevin
Yes, the recipe doesn't really feed 30 people, but if you double it, you'll be fine. Hope it turns out well, it's usually a hit!
Diania Vond
I'm excited to try this recipe tonight
Kevin
Good luck, let us know how you like it!
Marney
My recipe calls for the addition of grapes and that will bring some sweetness and it is so good.
Kevin
Interesting, not sure how I feel about grapes and broccoli together!
Tessie
Hey there, I love the look of this & I definitely would like to try it.
Before making this, must you steam the broccoli & cauliflower first before combining the rest? Or are they all added raw & crunchy? Please let me know.
Kevin
Tessie, raw and crunchy...a delicious salad!
Denise
For your information, the print icon at the right hand top of the broccoli salad recipe works.
I always enjoy browsing your page and I do collect many of your recipes to make, share and enjoy
with others. Thank you.
Teresa McCoy
Do you use real mayonnaise or miracle whip
Kevin
Definitely real mayo!
WALTER JONES
tried this recipe at family BBQ everybody loved it
Kevin Williams
Glad to hear that, I love this salad!
Sharon Smith
Made the salad last nightbut I was without cauliflower. My substitution was red cabbage. Had dried apricots so that chopped fine went in rather than cranberries. Bacon wasn't thawed so I left it out. My husband is not fond of cheese so I left that out. I think that whatever you use for the salad is going to be great because that dressing is incredible! I will be taking this to a potluck in a week so plenty of time to do it right!
Kevin Williams
Good, Sharon, thanks for sharing your substitution versions. I agree with you, the dressing is what really makes the salad sing!
Linda
I've stopped using sugar in it, and I really don't miss it at all. I think we get sugar in too many foods so if I can eliminate it at all I'm happy.
Thanks from NJ for all the great recipes.
Kevin Williams
Sounds like you have some nice variations!
Casey Braun
Best broccoli salad Ive had hands down and my family that likes broccoli even agrees, the sugar is what gives it
a little sweetness! But I also use Miracle Whip instead! Extra bacon is always good too along with frozen peas!
Kevin Williams
Glad you liked it, I agree, best salad ever!