Broccoli Cauliflower Salad is an easy, cold salad recipe to toss together for your next potluck or barbecue. Perfect for family gatherings in the summer, this vegetable salad is coated in a creamy homemade dressing and filled with vegetables.
This broccoli cauliflower salad is the perfect side dish for your next summer potluck, party, or picnic. It can be made the day beforehand and is serve cold, with no cooking required. It is quick and easy to assemble when you're limited on time.
Chopped broccoli, cauliflower, red bell pepper, and red onions add crunch and flavor. These healthy veggies are topped with a creamy and flavorful homemade dressing.
Ingredients and substitutions
This recipe can be made with all cauliflower or all broccoli. However, I prefer the mix of flavors and textures from using both.
Low calorie option: Substitute the mayonnaise with plain, unflavored greek yogurt. Greek yogurt is lower in calories and higher in protein than mayonnaise.
Apple cider vinegar can be substituted with white vinegar.
Preparing your broccoli and cauliflower
I suggest chopping your broccoli florets into small, bite size pieces. The cauliflower is best chopped into even smaller pieces than your broccoli.
The smaller crumbles of cauliflower blend easily with the dressing and other ingredients, and are easier to eat.
Rinsing your vegetables
Rinsing your vegetablesIf you plan to wash or rinse your vegetables before assembling your salad, be sure to dry them thoroughly. Or, rinse them the day before and lay them out on a tea towel to dry.
Mixing damp vegetables with your creamy dressing will water it down and make it runny.
Make-ahead
This salad can be made the day before serving and stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container overnight. I recommend tossing your salad once more before serving, as some of the dressing will settle in the bottom of the bowl.
Or, keep the dressing separate and toss your vegetables in the dressing just before serving.
This salad will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container, but is best served within one day of preparing.
Optional mix-ins
Want to add more to your broccoli cauliflower salad? Try some of these optional mix-ins.
- ½ cup shredded or cubed cheddar cheese
- ½ cup bacon bits or crumbled, cooked bacon
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds
- ½ cup chopped nuts, like pecans or walnuts
Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
Ingredients
- 1 head broccoli, chopped
- 1 head cauliflower, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- ½ medium red onion, diced
- 1 cup mayonnaise, or plain greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add chopped broccoli, cauliflower, bell pepper, and red onion. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, add mayonnaise (or greek yogurt), vinegar, dijon mustard, salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Whisk until combined. Pour dressing over prepared vegetables and toss to coat.
- Serve immediately, or store in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator until ready to serve. If salad has been sitting for several hours, give a quick toss before serving - some of the dressing will settle in the bottom of the bowl.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Salad can be made the day before - refrigerate overnight in a sealed container. To keep vegetables crisp, store dressing separately and toss to coat just before serving.
- If washing/rinsing your vegetables beforehand, make sure they are completely dry before adding your dressing. Wet vegetables will water down the dressing and make it runny.
- Salad will keep for 3-4 days refrigerated in a sealed container.
- Optional mix-ins: add up to ½ cup of bacon bits, shredded/cubed cheddar cheese, ¼ cup sunflower seeds, or chopped pecans/walnuts.
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