Broccoli cauliflower salad is a cold salad recipe that's perfect for summer parties and potlucks. Broccoli and cauliflower are tossed with bacon and onion in a simple homemade dressing and chilled until ready to serve.
Looking for a new summer party side dish? Give broccoli cauliflower salad a try. There's no cooking required and it can be made up to a day ahead of time!
Chopped broccoli and cauliflower are tossed with red onion, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, and crumbled bacon. The homemade dressing is simple yet flavorful - you'll love how easy it is to prepare!
Serve broccoli cauliflower salad at your next potluck, holiday, or summer party. It's great any time of year and an easy way to serve veggies to a crowd.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Broccoli and cauliflower - You'll need one large head each of broccoli and cauliflower. I don't recommend using frozen, thawed vegetables because they can make the salad watery. This recipe can also be made with all cauliflower or all broccoli if desired, although I prefer the combination of the two textures.
- Bacon - You'll need cooked and crumbled bacon for this recipe. Cooked bacon can be substituted with store bought bacon pieces or bacon bits if needed.
- Red onion - Adds flavor, crunch, and a pop of color to the salad.
- Sunflower seeds - Adds crunch, saltiness, and a bit of nutty flavor.
- Cranberries - The sweetness of the cranberries balances with the savory and tart flavors of the salad.
- Mayonnaise - Serves as the base of the dressing. For a higher protein variation, plain Greek yogurt could work as a substitute.
- Dijon mustard - Adds flavor and tang to the dressing. Yellow mustard works as a substitute.
- Apple cider vinegar - Can be substituted with lemon juice or red wine vinegar.
- Seasoning - Salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder add mild, savory flavor to the dressing.
Tips and tricks
Rinsing your veggies - If you need to rinse your veggies before assembling your salad, be sure to dry them well. Excess water on the veggies can water the dressing down and make it runny. This can be done a day ahead of time to allow your veggies to dry thoroughly.
Chopping vegetables - Chop your broccoli and cauliflower florets into small, bite size pieces. Large pieces can be difficult to eat in a salad along with the other ingredients.
Chill until ready to serve - Chilling allows the flavors to meld and gives the raw veggies time to soften slightly before serving.
Storage
Once prepared, your salad should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Broccoli cauliflower salad will keep for about 3-4 days, but is best served within about 1 day for best flavor and texture.
Frequently asked questions
Here are a few popular mix-in ideas:
- Shredded or cubed cheddar cheese
- Diced red bell pepper
- Chopped pecans or walnuts
- Halved red grapes
The ingredients begin to soften and break down once dressed, so I recommend serving it within 1 day for best flavor and texture.
If you don't like the taste or texture of raw broccoli or cauliflower, you're welcome to par-cook it in a pot of boiling water for about 1 minute. Drain your florets well, rinse with cold water, and spread onto a tea towel to allow to air dry completely before assembling your salad.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1 cup (226 g) mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Salad
- 1 head broccoli, chopped
- 1 head cauliflower, chopped
- ½ small red onion, diced
- 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- ½ cup (56 g) sunflower seeds
- ½ cup (80 g) dried cranberries
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add mayonnaise, vinegar, dijon mustard, salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Whisk until combined.
- Add broccoli, cauliflower, onion, bacon, sunflower seeds, and dried cranberries to the bowl and toss to coat in dressing.
- Chill until ready to serve. Give your salad a toss just before serving in case any of the dressing has settled at the bottom of the bowl.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Make ahead: Prepare as directed above and store in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. Salad is best served within 1 day for best flavor and texture.
- If rinsing your vegetables beforehand, make sure they are completely dry before adding to the salad. Wet vegetables will water down the dressing and make it runny.
- Leftover salad will keep for 3-4 days refrigerated in a sealed container.
This salad was excellent! Full of flavors. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you Barbara!