Broccoli Salad

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The Best Broccoli Salad (Straight From My Niece’s Kitchen!)

If there’s one dish that never lasts long at family gatherings, it’s my niece’s broccoli salad. I swear—every time she brings it, people go back for seconds… and then quietly for thirds or maybe that’s just me. It’s one of those recipes that looks simple, but once you try it, you instantly get why everyone raves about it. The flavors are crave-worthy!

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Why This Recipe Is Special

She’s been making this salad for a couple of years, and it’s become a staple at holidays, cookouts, and pretty much any time we need something fresh, crunchy, and downright delicious on the table. It’s the perfect balance of crisp broccoli, salty bacon, sweet pops of dried cranberries, and that creamy dressing that brings it all together. Truly addicting in the best way. I’ve adapted it slightly to include more of the items we love.

What I love most is how easy it is—no cooking (aside from the bacon) or Pro Tip just use bacon bits, nothing complicated, just toss everything together and let it chill. Honestly, it somehow tastes even better the next day, which makes it great for prepping ahead of time.

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Ingredients

• 5 cups of chopped broccoli florets (2 heads of broccoli)
• 1 cup of cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup of dried cranberries, chopped
• 1/2 cup of crumbled bacon or bacon bits
• 1 cup salted sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup of red onion, diced
• Dressing
• 1 cup mayo (I use olive oil mayo)
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

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Tips

• Swap out Bacon for Bacon Bits, I do this a lot.
• Buy the pre-cut Broccoli florets, which makes the process a little quicker.

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From Our Table to Yours

If you’re looking for a side dish that everyone will be asking the recipe for, this is it. Give it a try, and you’ll see why my family refuses to let my niece show up without it!

Don’t reserve this just for the holidays, during the Summer this is a recipe that’s on repeat.

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Did You Make It?

If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out! Leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram at @ruralrootsrecipes so I can see your beautiful creation.