6cupsroughly chopped broccoli (about ½-inch big pieces)
1cupshredded sharp cheddar cheese
½cupdiced red onion
½cupdried cranberries
½cuppepitas(or sunflower seeds or toasted almonds)
½cupcrumbled cooked bacon(divided)
Instructions
Make the Dressing: In a medium bowl or pitcher, combine the mayonnaise, yogurt or sour cream, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper.
Make the Salad: Place the broccoli in a large bowl. Add the cheddar cheese, onion, dried cranberries, pepitas, and half of the bacon. Pour about ⅔ of the dressing over the salad and toss well to combine. Add the remaining dressing if you like, or pass it on the side so that people can drizzle a bit over their salads if they like.
Let the salad sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving, or refrigerate it for up to 2 days. If you are planning to make the salad ahead, add the bacon and the pepitas and toss just before serving.
Notes
Make sure to chop the broccoli fairly fine; smaller pieces will be easier to eat and also absorb the dressing better, which will soften them a little.
If raw broccoli feels a bit too intense for you, you can definitely steam or saute the florets for a bit to soften them before chopping the broccoli and using it in the salad.
Make sure to keep some of the bacon to the side for sprinkling on the top. This not only keeps the bacon crunchy, but it also gives it pretty good curb appeal.
The cranberries and pepitas are optional, but they add a lot of textural interest to the salad, and the pepitas offer a salty crunch, while the dried fruit adds a tart-sweet chewy texture.
Use about ⅔ of the dressing in the salad, then taste. Add the remaining dressing if you like, or pass it on the side so that people can drizzle a bit over their salads if they like.