Walmart broccoli salad copycat inspired by the creamy, crunchy deli favorite many shoppers remember from before it was retired during the pandemic. This is the old broccoli salad with raisins, bacon, red onion, sunflower seeds, and a sweet-tangy dressing-not Walmart's current broccoli cheddar pasta salad recipe.
Why You'll Love This Retired Walmart Broccoli Salad Recipe
This copycat broccoli salad is creamy, crunchy, and easy to make with simple grocery store ingredients. It has the same sweet-savory deli salad flavor and crunch that you remember before it was retired by Walmart stores during the Pandemic. Now you can make it fresh at home.
- Deli-Style Flavor: Fresh broccoli, bacon, raisins, red onion, and sunflower seeds give this salad the creamy, crunchy flavor of a classic deli broccoli salad.
- Great for Gatherings: This salad holds up well for potlucks, BBQ dinners, cookouts, and casual family meals.
- Easy to Make Ahead: The salad tastes even better after a short chill, so you can prep it before serving.
Ingredients Overview
Fresh broccoli crowns work best for this salad because they give you more florets and less stem waste. Black raisins are used for the classic Walmart-style version, but dried cranberries also work if you prefer a brighter, tart-sweet bite.
Use toasted sunflower seeds, crisp bacon, and finely diced red onion for the classic flavor and crunch. The dressing is a simple mix of mayonnaise, sugar, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and salt.
Pro Tip
If using full broccoli bunches instead of crowns, soak the broccoli in cold water for a few minutes before chopping. This helps loosen any grit or tiny tagalongs hiding in the florets.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Make the Retired Walmart's Broccoli Salad Recipe
This broccoli salad comes together in three simple steps: whisk the dressing, combine the salad ingredients, and toss everything together. For the best texture, dry the broccoli well after washing and chill the finished salad for 30 minutes to an hour before serving.
Step 1: Measure the mayonnaise, sugar, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and salt. Whisk together to mix until smooth and creamy. Set in the refrigerator until ready to dress the broccoli salad.
Step 2: Wash and trim the broccoli, then chop coarsely. Add the chopped broccoli, crumbled crisp bacon, diced red onion, sunflower seeds, and black raisins to a large mixing bowl.
Step 3: Mix all the ingredients with the salad dressing. You can serve this immediately, or chill for 30 minutes to an hour to let the flavors blend. Toss again right before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this Walmart broccoli salad with grilled meats, sandwiches, burgers, and BBQ-style dinners. It pairs well with country style boneless pork ribs, BBQ chicken drumsticks, slow cooker BBQ pulled pork sliders, or Traeger corn on the cob.
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few variations or substitutions when making this recipe.
- Dried Fruit Swap: Instead of raisins, use dried cranberries for a touch more tartness and a brighter color, or a mix of both.
- Nutty Crunch: Replace the sunflower seeds with toasted slivered almonds, chopped pecans, or walnuts for a different texture and flavor.
- Cheese Variety: While cheddar is classic, try shredded Colby Jack, a sharp white cheddar, or even crumbled feta for a nuanced cheesy addition.
Tips for Success
Here are a few tips for making this recipe:
- Dry the Broccoli Thoroughly: After washing and chopping, ensure your broccoli florets are completely dry. Excess water can thin out the dressing and make the salad less creamy.
- Chop Evenly: Aim for uniformly sized broccoli florets and other ingredients. This ensures every bite has a good mix of flavors and textures, and it makes for a more appealing presentation.
- Don't Skimp on the Bacon: Crispy, well-cooked bacon is a star here. Cook it until perfectly crisp and crumble it just before adding to the salad to maintain its texture.
- Let It Chill: This salad benefits greatly from chilling in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to an hour before serving. This allows the flavors to meld and the dressing to thicken slightly.
- Taste and Adjust Sweetness: The balance of sweet and savory is key. Taste the dressing before mixing it in, and adjust the amount of sugar or sweetener to your personal preference.
Storage Options
This broccoli salad keeps well in the refrigerator, but it should not be frozen. The mayonnaise dressing can separate after thawing, and the broccoli will lose its crisp texture.
- Refrigerator: Store leftover Walmart broccoli salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. Toss before serving to redistribute the dressing.
- Make Ahead: You can make this salad up to 1 day ahead. For the best texture, stir in the bacon shortly before serving if you want it to stay extra crisp.
- Do Not Freeze: This is not a freezer-friendly recipe. The dressing may break, and the broccoli will become watery and soft after thawing.
- Outdoor Serving: Keep the salad chilled in a cooler with ice packs when serving outdoors. Do not leave it out for more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F.
Related Recipes
- Blue Cheese Potato Salad
- Old Fashioned Coleslaw (no mayo)
- Smoked Baked Beans
- Texas Tornado Cake (Do Nothing Cake)
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Walmart used to carry two broccoli salads. One had raisins, sunflower seeds, crisp bacon, and a tangy mayonnaise dressing. The other had rotini pasta and grated cheddar cheese. Walmart stores retired the broccoli salad with the bacon, raisins, and sunflower seeds during the Pandemic.
No, this broccoli salad is made with raw broccoli so it stays crisp and crunchy. Blanching softens the broccoli and changes the texture of the salad.
Yes, you can make this salad up to 1 day ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Toss it again before serving, and add the bacon closer to serving time if you want it to stay extra crisp.
No, this broccoli salad is a crisp and crunchy fresh vegetable salad. Frozen broccoli is already softened from blanching and freezing, so it can make the salad watery instead of crisp.
The balance of crisp chopped broccoli florets, chewy raisins, crisp bacon, and crunchy sunflower seeds, all dressed up in an old fashioned mayonnaise and vinegar salad dressing is what makes this retired salad still so popular.
Grilling and BBQ Recipes
Get The Recipe!
Retired Walmart Broccoli Salad (Copycat)
Equipment
- Large Shallow Salad Bowl
Ingredients
- 6 cups broccoli florets chopped, about 1 broccoli crown
- 8 strips bacon cooked and crumbled
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup toasted sunflower seeds
- 1 medium red onion chopped, rinsed, and drained well
For the Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise not Miracle Whip or salad dressing
- ⅓ cup sugar or honey
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice fresh squeezed
- 2 tablespoon white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
For the Dressing
- Measure the mayonnaise, sugar, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and black pepper into a large mixing bowl.1 cup mayonnaise, ⅓ cup sugar, 2 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoon white vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Whisk together to mix until smooth and creamy.
For the Broccoli Salad
- Wash the broccoli and chop into little small to medium size chunks. Add to a large bowl with the dressing.6 cups broccoli florets
- Add the crumbled bacon, chopped red onion, toasted sunflower seeds, and black raisins to the bowl with the broccoli.8 strips bacon, 1 cup raisins, 1 cup toasted sunflower seeds, 1 medium red onion
- Mix all the vegetables with the salad dressing to coat evenly.
- You can serve this immediately, or chill for 30 minutes to an hour to let the flavors blend. Toss again right before serving.
Notes
- Dry the Broccoli Thoroughly: After washing and chopping, ensure your broccoli is dry. Excess water can thin out the dressing and make the salad less creamy.
- Chop Evenly: Aim for uniformly sized broccoli florets and other ingredients. This ensures every bite has a good mix of flavors and textures, and it makes for a more appealing presentation.
- Don't Skimp on the Bacon: Crispy, well-cooked bacon is a star here. Cook it until perfectly crisp and crumble it just before adding to the salad to maintain its texture.
- Let It Chill: This salad benefits greatly from chilling in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to an hour before serving. This allows the flavors to meld and the dressing to thicken slightly.
- Taste and Adjust Sweetness: The balance of sweet and savory is key. Taste the dressing before mixing it in, and adjust the amount of sugar or sweetener to your personal preference.
Nutrition
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Robin says
This is a really delicious broccoli salad and you hit it right on the mark as it tastes exactly like Walmart salad!
Enfys says
OMG, I'm so happy I found your recipe for the broccoli crunch salad. I hadn't been to a Walmart supercenter in well over a year, but I went this past weekend. My first stop was the deli where I sadly discovered they no longer have their salads. I was heartbroken. Their broccoli salad and kale salad were my favorites. But I looked online hoping I could find a copycat recipe for them. I did, and your recipe is exactly like the salad I used to get at Walmart - absolutely delish! Now to find a replacement for the kale salad. Thank you so very much!
Kelly Bloom says
I am SO glad you like the Walmart Broccoli Crunch salad! It was one of my favorites also! I worked at a bank located inside Walmart in Richmond VA, and was laid off during the pandemic. When I returned, Walmart no longer carried the salad I used to buy during my lunch break. I was devastated also! So, I worked this up to make it like I remembered my favorite salad. I have never had the Walmart Kale salad, but I love the Chick Fil A Superfood Kale salad. I will be working on replicating that one in a few months (I'm recovering from an ankle surgery right now, so have to wait until I'm out of a cast now). I don't know how different the Chick Fil A Kale salad is, but it is really good, if you haven't tried it yet.