First whisk together dressing ingredients. Set aside.
NOTE: The dressing for these salads is traditonally sweetened a bit more. Feel free to sweeten to taste or add extra dried cranberries for sweetness. For a tangy broccoli salad you can replace 1/4 cup of the mayo with sour cream. My biggest tip would be to use a quality mayo like Duke's, Hellman's, or even homemade.
Next chop broccoli into small bite-sized pieces. I like to include around 5 cups of florets with a cup or so of chopped broccoli stalk
Add broccoli to a large bowl along with finely chopped onion, dried cranberries, and coarsely grated cheddar cheese.
Add *HALF* the dressing to the bowl and mix well. Chill for an hour. Chill remaining dressing to add before serving, to taste.
I love to use fresh ultra-cripsy bacon for this salad. Cook bacon via your favorite method (pan-frying, baking, or air fryer) while the salad chills then add to the salad just before serving for best results. Cook time will vary based on method chosen.
After chilling, give the salad a taste and then add additional dressing to taste. Mix well.
Top with sunflower seeds and crumbled bacon. Toss to combine and enjoy!
Notes
Want to veg things up even further? Shredded carrots make a tasty mix-in! Chopped red grapes are a tasty optional mix-in as well as sliced almonds or pepitas.Nutrition Facts below are estimated for both salad and dressing using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed and enjoy!