Every time I’ve made an Amish recipe for a picnic salad, it has a dressing that’s far sweeter than I would have imagined the Amish to use. I’m starting to think it’s a trademark — a creamy dressing that balances sweet and savory super well. That’s what you can expect from this Amish Broccoli Salad. It’s not just broccoli — it has a few other tricks up its sleeve, but it keeps things simple and deliciously balanced.

What Ingredients Are in Amish Broccoli Salad?

It’s a very simple salad! You’ll need:

• Broccoli.
• Cauliflower. (More brassica fun!)
• A sweet onion. (Like Vidalia or Walla Walla.)
• Bacon.
• Cheddar cheese.
• Mayo.
• Sour cream.
• Granulated sugar. (Just trust it.)

How Do You Make Amish Broccoli Salad?

Would you be happy if I told you that you don’t have to cook a single thing? You don’t. (Though I suppose you could blanch the broccoli and the cauliflower if you wanted extra credit.)

But no, you just have to chop up your ingredients, then toss the broccoli, cauliflower, onion, bacon, and cheddar cheese in a bowl. Whisk together the dressing ingredients and toss it all together. Giving this an hour at least to chill helps the flavors meld, but really your work is done.

How Does it Taste?

Deeeelicious. I know that half cup of sugar is daunting, but you just have to trust it. It plays with the tang from the sour cream well and when it mingles with the saltiness of the bacon and the cheddar, it all makes sense. The dressing is sweet, but it really does balance nicely with everything else that’s going on here. It’s one of those situations where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts!