The Best Creamy Broccoli Salad with Bacon Recipe

Ya, ya, ya...we've heard it all before...the BEST this and the BEST that. I know. I'm a skeptic too. How do I know this is the best broccoli salad recipe? How is it even possible to know what the best salad recipes are?

How I know this is THE best broccoli salad

Let me put it to you this way, I make the salad, set the bowl down and within minutes everyone has eaten the entire bowl of broccoli salad. A salad made of broccoli...the most hated, disrespected vegetable on the planet. My kids and my husband devoured it. When I bring it to a family party - I set it down and all of it is eaten. The proof is in the pudding.  This broccoli salad is an all-time, cannot be beaten, family favourite. It's easy to make. It's vitamin and fibre packed. It is a win-win situation.  What's so great about this salad? The crunch of the broccoli. The snap of the toasted nuts and seeds. The well-balanced dressing. The sweetness of the dried cranberries. And, the bacon. 

The Best Broccoli Salad with Bacon

4 cups of broccoli - broken down into little florets ¼ cup of toasted pumpkin seeds ¼ cup of toasted slivered almonds ½ cup of dried cranberries 3 strips of cooked bacon ½ cup of mayonnaise ¼ cup of sour cream 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon of honey ½ teaspoon of salt ¼ teaspoon of ground pepper Begin by cooking the bacon. I love to cook our bacon inside the oven. Cover a baking sheet with foil and place a rack on top of the foil (if you don't have rack, place the bacon directly on the foil) and place the bacon on the rack. Cook in a 350 oven for 15 minutes. Turn the bacon over and cook until it reaches the crispness you like - about another 10-15 minutes. The length of time it takes to cook will depend on the thickness of your bacon. While the bacon cooks, prepare the broccoli. Cut the tops of the broccoli off - pop the stems into a freezer bag and you can use them in a stir fry or in a soup recipe on another day. Use your hands to rip the broccoli tops into small florets. This is a great job for the kids to tackle. Be sure to thoroughly was the broccoli. Set it aside in a small bow. Toast the almonds and the pumpkin seeds in a dry, small saute pan, over low heat. Toast them until they are lightly golden and the pumpkin seeds begin to "pop." Set them aside to cool. Now prepare the dressing in a large bowl. Whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, honey, salt and pepper. Once the dressing is whisked together, dump in the broccoli. Stir the broccoli until it is all coated in the dressing. Toss in the seeds, nuts and cranberries - toss to coat. Finish by sprinkling over the bacon. Give one final toss and pour the salad into a serving bowl. The salad is best when it has had a chance to sit in the fridge for at least an hour.  I certainly hope that your family loves this salad as much as mine does. Store it in a sealed container and in the fridge for 3-4 days...if it lasts that long. This broccoli salad is great for school box lunches, for a family picnic or for a quick weeknight dinner.

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