Did you grow eating Broccoli Salad? This classic recipe was at pretty much every bbq and potluck I ever went to growing up. There's lot's to love with this best Broccoli Salad from the sweet-tart cranberries to the salty savory bacon, and crunch of sunflower seeds all combined together with a creamy dressing.
Preheat the oven to 400ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay out the strips of bacon evenly on the baking sheet and bake until crispy, 10-15 minutes. Drain the bacon and let cool.
Meanwhile chop the broccoli heads into small bite sized florets. Using a vegetable peeler, peel away the tough outer layer of the stems. Chop the stems into small bite sized pieces.
Place the chopped broccoli into a large mixing bowl along with the onion, cranberries, and sunflower seeds. Keep the sunflower seeds separate only if you're not serving this right away.
Mix together the ingredients for the dressing and finely chop the bacon. Add the dressing and bacon to the salad and toss to combine.
Season to taste and serve immediately. I find this salad tastes even better if it has 15 minutes to 1 hour in the fridge first for the flavors to develop after it's been mixed.
Refrigerate and serve within 4 days, but it tastes best within the first 2 days.
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Notes
If you enjoy shredded cheddar cheese in your broccoli salad, feel free to add some.