Broccoli Salad with Bacon & Dried Cranberries

Loaded with the saltiness of crumbled bacon, slight-sweetness of dried cranberries, and crunch of fresh broccoli and sunflower seeds, this Broccoli Salad with Bacon & Dried Cranberries is packed with great flavor.  Perfect for all those cookouts, church socials, picnics, and potlucks!

Broccoli Salad.  It's one of those dishes that has about as many different ways to make it as there are people in the world.  Am I right??  It seems every time I run across a bowlful at a potluck or cookout, it's got just some little twist or tweak to it that makes it unique.


Some have creamy dressings ... some do not.  Nuts ... no nuts ... sunflower seeds.  Bacon ... or no bacon.  {Of course, if you ask me, bacon is a must!}  Apples.  Raisins.  Or no fruit at all.  Heck, I even make a Broccoli Pasta Salad with Grapes version that includes a hearty dose of bowtie pasta.

But my favorite version by far?  This Broccoli Salad with Bacon & Dried Cranberries.  No doubt about it.

Loaded with the saltiness of crumbled bacon, slight-sweetness of dried cranberries, and crunch of fresh broccoli, chopped celery, and sunflower seeds this broccoli salad version is packed with great flavor.

I based the recipe on my Mom's classic broccoli salad.  I've always loved hers because of the zippy-ness in the dressing from apple cider vinegar.  It brings wonderful flavor to the broccoli.

I simply tweaked her recipe a tiny bit by adjusting some quantities and changing out the originally-called-for golden raisins for dried sweetened cranberries.

When preparing my broccoli salad, the one thing I take extra care to do is cut the broccoli florets into truly bite-sized pieces.  All too often, I feel the broccoli is left in larger way-too-difficult-to-fit-in-your-mouth pieces ... which leaves people struggling to cut their salad or stuffing their mouths with uncomfortably large bites.  I much prefer for my diners' sake, to take the time to create manageable bite-sized florets.

So whether you're hosting a summer cookout, contributing a dish for a potluck, or headed to a big church social, this Broccoli Salad with Bacon & Dried Cranberries is sure to be a hit.

But hey, if there's something in this recipe you'd rather tweak or change ... go for it!  That's one of the great beauties of broccoli salad ... it's truly a versatile dish.  

Check out these other tasty salad favorites:

• Classic 3-Bean Salad
• Marinated Many Bean Salad
• Marinated Vidalia Onion Salad
• Sweet & Sour Slaw
• Lemony White Bean Salad
• Marinated Summer Vegetable Salad
• More salad recipes

Thank you for stopping by The Kitchen is My Playground. We'd love to have you back soon!

broccoli salad recipe, broccoli salad with cranberries recipe, broccoli salad with bacon recipe

Salads

American

Yield: about 7 cups

Author: Tracey | The Kitchen is My Playground

Broccoli Salad with Bacon & Dried Cranberries

Loaded with the saltiness of crumbled bacon, slight-sweetness of dried cranberries, and crunch of fresh broccoli and sunflower seeds, this Broccoli Salad with Bacon & Dried Cranberries is packed with great flavor. Perfect for all those cookouts, church socials, picnics, and potlucks!

prep time: 20 Mcook time: total time: 20 M

ingredients:

• 1 bunch broccoli, cut into small flowerets {about 5 c. flowerets}
• 1 c. chopped celery
• 1/2 c. finely chopped red onion
• 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1/2 c. dried sweetened cranberries {such as Craisins}
• 1/2 c. hulled sunflower seeds
• 3/4 c. mayonnaise
• 1/4 c. granulated sugar
• 2 T. apple cider vinegar

instructions:

How to cook Broccoli Salad with Bacon & Dried Cranberries

1. In a large bowl, combine broccoli, celery, red onion, bacon, dried cranberries, and sunflower seeds.
2. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sugar, and cider vinegar. Whisk until sugar is dissolved.
3. Pour mayonnaise mixture over broccoli mixture and toss to coat.
4. Refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight to allow flavors to meld.

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You might also like these other tasty salad recipes:

Broccoli & Apple Salad

Broccoli Pasta Salad with Grapes

Pea Salad

Cauliflower Mock Potato Salad

Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad

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