While your oven preaches to 400°F, prepare all your ingredients so assembly moves quickly. Arrange bacon strips on a baking sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes until very crispy. Meanwhile, dice the red onion into small pieces and measure out the raisins and sunflower seeds into separate bowls. Once the bacon is done and cooled enough to handle, crumble it into bite-sized pieces. I find that baking bacon instead of pan-frying it renders the fat more evenly and creates a consistently crispy texture throughout.

While the bacon finishes cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli florets and cook for exactly 1 minute—this brightens the color and makes them tender-crisp without turning them mushy. Immediately drain in a colander and plunge into an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Once cooled, drain well and pat the broccoli dry with paper towels; excess moisture will dilute your dressing.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, black pepper, and garlic powder until smooth and well combined. Taste and adjust sweetness or tanginess to your preference—the maple syrup and vinegar should be balanced. I like to use Greek yogurt as a base because it adds protein and a subtle tang that cuts through the richness of the mayo, keeping the salad from feeling too heavy.

In a large bowl, combine the cooled broccoli from Step 2 with the crumbled bacon, raisins, diced red onion, and sunflower seeds. Pour the dressing from Step 3 over the vegetables and toss gently but thoroughly until every piece is coated. Let the salad rest for 5-10 minutes before serving so the flavors meld together, but don't make it too far ahead—broccoli stays crispest when dressed just before eating.