Broccoli Salad with Red Grapes, Bacon, and Sunflower Seeds

This broccoli salad with grapes is a refreshing yet hearty family recipe that has been adopted by all our friends. We never steam a bushel of crabs without having a huge bowl of this salad and corn on the cob on the table. This dish is simply mandatory at every BBQ, potluck, or pitch-in event!

Ingredients :

• 8 slices bacon
• ⅓ cup sunflower seed kernels
• 1 large head broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
• ⅓ cup diced red onion
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• ground black pepper to taste

Directions :

1. Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain bacon slices on paper towels. Crumble 7 slices of bacon; mix with sunflower seeds in a resealable plastic bag and set aside.
2. Combine broccoli, grapes, and onion in a large bowl.
3. Whisk mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, and pepper together in a separate bowl; crumble remaining slice of bacon and fold into dressing.
4. Pour dressing over broccoli mixture; toss to coat evenly. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for flavors to blend, about 2 hours. Sprinkle bacon-sunflower seed mixture over salad before serving; mix well.